Caught an eel/snake. Freaked me out when I pulled it up. Another thing that does not get to ride in the boat. The bait it swallowed was bigger then the mouth of the thing. This is the last time I want to think about much less talk about it. Freaked me out. Another reason not to go in the water.
I’ve never caught a snake while fishing, but when I was a kid caught some very large eels often. I spent a lot of time targeting the catfish in a local tidal creek back then ( in MD) and the eels went home with the catfish. They’re slimy, but real good eating!
The little ones are great Striper baits too.
Unfortunately, like everything else there’s been a serious decline in the eel populations. This due to water quality & apparently a high demand for them in Asian restaurants & markets.
If you get past the thought that they look too much like snakes, big ones make a great meal! 
Eel most likely they are plentiful in the saltwater rivers, scavenger fish, will bite most anything, will knot up your tackle and ruin it, I always cut them in half as soon as I get them in the dock/boat so they cant tangle my line up.
Agree on the eel and agree on them bing nasty. I’d rather lose a $10 rig on an oyster bar than get one of those off my hook. Enjoy the water - don’t be scared. I was on Sullivans 3 weeks ago near inlet. Saw huge dorsal with tail fin 4-5ft behind it cruising right past about 10 people chillin in 5ft water. They didnt even know. Looked like a hammer head possibly.
I gigged an eel once in a creek. Bent one of my tines, beat it in the head with a bat till its head popped off, it then proceeded to puke black slime and leave slime all over boat, cooler, gig shaft. A few on hook and line - same end of the story. I did catch a red banded water snake (4ft) in a brackish pond on a giant spinner bait - i have no idea how this happened but hooked in mouth. Scales = snake, no scales + gills = eel
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I always cut them in half as soon as I get them in the dock/boat so they cant tangle my line up.
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Unfortunately, like everything else there's been a serious decline in the eel populations.
Maybe there is a correlation here:question:
An eel deserves the same respect as any other fish you plan to release. There is no need to kill it and it won’t hurt you. I don’t kill ANYTHING that doesn’t need killing and an eel has more right to be in that river than you do. Show some respect. Use wet towel to handle it and release the dang thing. If you’re scared of an eel, stay home.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Sorry to come off sounding harsh, but I feel very strongly about this. God put every one of those creatures in it’s place for a reason. We might not know the reasons, but they have a place in the ecosystem, and everything is tied to everything else. If you aren’t going to eat it, release it as careful as possible. Grab it with a wet glove or towel and remove the hook, just like a fish.
I have caught a few snakes in fresh water, banded water snakes, moccasins, even small alligators. I try to release them all unharmed. They live there. We don’t.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
^^^^ What Larry said. I’ve used them for bait, while Striper fishing on the Chesapeake! Squirmy little mothers! If you want to slow them down to put them on the hook, just put them in a bucket with ice! There was a TV show on last year, can’t remember the name! There was a guy on the show that caught Eels in the headwaters of the Delaware River! He built a stone weir in the river to channel the eels into a trap! He would smoke them and sell them at his little store! He had a hard time keeping up with demand!
I was gigging and bow fishing last night on some rocks in the Charleston harbor and saw some sort of eel/sea snake. I have seen one before but that was on a overnighter almost 50 miles off. They are a white light grey translucent color with some darker chain pattern on them. I thought maybe a transitioning phase of American eel but they seemed to big for them to be clear still. I have seen them about 6 inches to 16 inches long.
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They are a white light grey translucent color with some darker chain pattern on them.
I grabbed one once that had a chain pattern down the sides. We caught it in deep water on the ledge. Using my usual wet towel technique, I grabbed it behind the head, and I thought I’d stuck my hand into an electrical outlet [:0]
Dang! Electric eel. Use dry towel!! Don’t kill it though 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
quote:It's 5 OClock somewhere.
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
They are a white light grey translucent color with some darker chain pattern on them.
I grabbed one once that had a chain pattern down the sides. We caught it in deep water on the ledge. Using my usual wet towel technique, I grabbed it behind the head, and I thought I’d stuck my hand into an electrical outlet [:0]
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
They are a white light grey translucent color with some darker chain pattern on them.
I grabbed one once that had a chain pattern down the sides. We caught it in deep water on the ledge. Using my usual wet towel technique, I grabbed it behind the head, and I thought I’d stuck my hand into an electrical outlet [:0]
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
lol
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Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
They are a white light grey translucent color with some darker chain pattern on them.
I grabbed one once that had a chain pattern down the sides. We caught it in deep water on the ledge. Using my usual wet towel technique, I grabbed it behind the head, and I thought I’d stuck my hand into an electrical outlet [:0]
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Are there any saltwater electric eels known to science? You probably were dealing with an undiscovered species.
Yes, the marine eel. They grow 20-40’, and will barbecue their prey when full growed … [:0]
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Are there any saltwater electric eels known to science?
I’ve got no idea what science knows, but I can guaran(**()tee that I know what one looks like and won’t grab one again with a wet towel
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I’ve never seen an electric saltwater eel, but don’t see what they would not exist. You know northern stargazers, caught around here and up east coast, can shock you too.