I've seen quite a few different eel trap designs online, ranging from open throats to cloth throats sewn to stay shut until an eel enters. I built this one, and I'd like some feedback by those that have trapped eels.



This one is about 10"x10"x48". The first throat is open, 2"x3". The second throat is 2"x3" with about 6" of 1/4" mesh sewn snug at the end.



What do you think about this design? Do you think it will work for eels, and do you have any design change recommendations? If I could change one thing, I would have used 1/2"x1/2", but 1/2"x1" is what I already had on hand....



Thanks

Following

I read about how good they are at getting out of traps, so I understand the reasoning of having a tightly sewn throat. However, it seems like many eel pots have open throats.


Short, box shaped pots or long pots?



I did set several eel traps/pots a while back in brackish water. The biggest problem I encountered was blue crabs. Louisiana has restrictions for the size of eel trap throats that make it perfect for small blue crabs to become lodged in the throat. Guess I’ll have to over set in freshwater

This is classic Chesapeake Bay eel pot design:

This pot is 8" dia.x 24" long with cloth funnels and end and made of 1/2 x 1/2 GAW wire.

This pic is looking into the front funnel at the opening

This is just a shot of the end, just a pc of cloth that you would tie shut with the buoy line

This shot is the front funnel showing how they are reinforced with a wire ring of stiff wire and crab pot clipped in.

This is a shot inside the pot showing the inside of the 2nd funnel and how it is tied in. Note the cloth is almost completely together. Eels go thru this funnel tail first to get to the bait which is past this funnel.

Just a shot showing the ties on 2nd funnel

Shot showing 1st and 2nd funnel and ties.

Bait can be menhaden, crabs with top shell pulled of and claws broke off, razor clams, and any kind of fish roe. You can put the bait in a fine mesh nylon bag or if using carp roe use a nylon stocking tied off.

don't worry about size as much as proportions. I have seen and used eel pots of many different diameters,up to 12" and they all caught. Eels follow spawning fish and won't pot until it gets warmer, about end of April here.

Crabs and small catfish will drive you crazy with this pot unless you put a couple wires across the front. They use this design mostly in spring before the crabs get here.

There is another style of pot that is used where crabs and small oyster toads are a pain. I will try to get those pics tomorrow.

Bingo!



THANK YOU!

What you made will work after a fashion, most every design will catch eels, holding them in is the trick.

The 4 foot wire is overkill unless you really land on them, if you want to continue with your design, I'd separate the funnels more, put in a access door to put your bait behind the entry funnel,.
You can cut the length down and use the extra piece for your doors, any thing over 36" is a pain to handle. I've caught thousands of pounds with a basic 24" pot that was a 8x11" rectangle, with a long tapered entry funnel a few inches short of the back, a mesh "sock" on the end will hold them better.

The guys here are constantly fiddling with different designs to find the holy grail of the perfect eel pot, it don't exist, but some are better then others.

Ell's???? Give me an 11 foot pole with hemostats on the end....ain't touchin one with a 10 foot pole. lol

Ttt

Old thread resurrection!

Morgan,
Did you ever post pics of other style you mentioned?

Putting some together, or at least trying to.
Have some that about same as yours, but don't think they've been used in 40- 50 years.
Remember we had a pile of them when I was a kid, but could only find a half dozen.
Think the mice found them first!




Same ties as yours, feels like mid weight canvas.
Just over 7" diameter, I guess so 24" wire will go around.
Fabric is sewn over rings, then rings installed.



Is there a trick to making the cloth cones?
I SORTA remember my Dad saying something about using a pattern, or template.
Older I get, the more I wished I paid more attention when I was younger.

One of my boys wants to fool with them this spring.
Thanks

We always blocked off the streams leaving one spot for the eels to swim Into a sunken wire cage they can't get out of.

These going in a tidal river.
Still a few guys feeling.
Saw someone selling a hundred or two a while back on Craigslist.

Some made mine look good,lol

Ok, we got some made.

Had some brown canvas laying around, used on this prototype, but seems too light a weight.
Made some others out of Harbor Freight canvas drop cloths, on sale, cheap and heavier.

Figured out how to cut cone patterns, then stabbed myself 87,000 times trying to sew them up.

OR,... you can buy cheap pants at the thrift store, cut the legs into short tubes and sew that into your rings, pull the other end tight for a flat opening.
A lot of the old Chesapeake style were made like this, cause.....cheap is best...LOL

Bump

We block off the whole river and use a six foot wide opening.

Not very portable, lol.
Been the way for thousands of years.



Article on it

https://www.bayjournal.com/news/fis...81509b6-5f14-11eb-9d18-fb84550adab2.html

In the '50s at the Elizabeth Islands off Cape Cod to the south they had big 10 X 10 eel traps. I was small then and do not know the trap mechanism but they had a yearly haul they we always visited and watched. They skinned them alive for the skin ( stripe bass lures) and threw the live animal away for the sea gulls to eat. My parents picked up a lot of them as they we Scandinavian and we ate the eels. One of my favorite fish to eat, on a hook they make a mess. Wrapping on the line and on your arm. You had to dunk them in ice water.......jk