Big Eel Fishing - Phil Spinks Specimen Series

Big Eel Fishing
Each summer, for at least a few nights, Phils attention turns to the pursuit of eels. Eels are one of the few species that still hold lots of mystery for anglers. Huge eels can be hidden in plain sight and caught from a wide variety of venues. In this episode Phil heads to his local syndicate Layfield Lakes as he’s heard that there are some elusive big eels present in the lakes.
Learn how to tie the Twig Rig here
• How to Tie The Twig Ee...
Phil's 5 recommended eel tackle items
Advanta Discovery MRP rods 10ft 3lb tc
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Shimano baitrunner X-areo RA
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Korda basix carp cradle
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Gardner pike drop offs
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Drennan run rings
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#eel #fishing #eelfishing #anglingdirect #philspinks #specimenseries
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00:00 - Intro
02:50 - Eel rigs and baits
04:52 - Eel location
08:46 - Catch big eels

[@martinbrunning5510]

What a fabulous film - Eels are fascinating creatures. Well done, Phil.

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you Martin, a big eel definitely has a story to tell 😉

[@rockdogization]

another great video phil..on one of my favourate species...more eel videos please ...a couple of nice eels as well...and promoting the twig as well...tight lines until next time....

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you, I have a few plans in the diary for next summer regarding BIG eels 🤞 Glad you like the video 😊 Phil,

[@waynenippard5933]

Such a fascinating fish. Great video.

[@LondonPredatorAngler]

Beautiful creatures! I miss fishing for these chaps... great video!

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you Londonpredatorangler, Couldn't agree more, a big eel is a very impressive creature 😊 Regards Phil,

[@steffenschmidt5339]

Great film Phil, Eels are just fascinating and mysterious fish.

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@HStale]

Nice film. Thank you. Good concernful handling with the fish.

[@philanthropist1241]

As already said ,great film. Will see Eels in a different light from now on

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you 😊

[@BF4pawntard]

I caught a eel about 5 inches long when I was 7 years old with my dad 43 years ago and have had a fascination with them ever since . They are truly remarkable creatures

[@rewetiotk8559]

You need to come to new Zealand we have monster eels

[@BrianSmith-cw5nx]

brilliant video very helpful, cheers Phil.

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Glad it helped 😊

[@HARDYSFISHINGADVENTURES]

Beautiful film and such a wonderful fish

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Many thanks 😊

[@robertcotton9091]

I really enjoyed watching that, thanks so much for sharing Mate. Cheers. Rob.

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@xD2TV]

Well done Phil, awesome catch’s and a pike surprise there 😂

[@AnglingDirectTV]

The pike of disappointment 🤭 Regards Phil,

[@xD2TV]

@@AnglingDirectTV well could be worst trust me pal 👍 Love your specimen videos ❤️

[@fishingwithfredanddad]

Smashing the eels just like always Phil keep it up

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you 😊 Regards Phil

[@tonyashton780]

Really enjoy watching Phil such a great all round angler.These specimen series especially Eel as they are getting thinner on the ground.Be nice to see a full teach in video on Zander or a newbie predator series and more circle hook rigs used/explained.Well done on bringing proper fishing to the masses very very enjoyable.All the best.Tony

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you Tony, glad you enjoy the Series 😊, making a few zander fishing plans for this Autumn/winter 🤞 Regards Phil,

[@tonyashton780]

@@AnglingDirectTV That's brilliant Phil many thanks I shall be looking forward to those.I hope you realise this series could be a classic in time buddy stay safe 👍🇬🇧😁👌

[@thezanzibarbarian5729]

What a great and thoroughly interesting video about eel fishing. 8-))... Sadly, it seems that a lot of the larger eels are no longer with us. But fishing for these _water snakes_ has on the decline since before the mid 80's when it used to be quite popular. I'm assuming that the advent of carp fishing is a cause for this decline? But the late John Sidley, in the '70's, was the man of the moment for catching some really big _"Pythons of the deep"._ And he encouraged me into fishing for them. Tactics have changed a lot. But using worms hasn't. And we didn't have hair rigs back in those _good old days._ However. One _trick_ we did use _(I'm not even sure if it would be allowed now?)_ was dried blood in groundbait. You could buy a box of the stuff from the local garden shop. Apparently, they put the stuff on flower beds for roses! I'd have a bait box with lake water in it and poor some of the dried blood. I can't say what quantities now, it was all in my head at the time. Then I'd leave it for a while to _simmer_ while I sorted all my other gear out. Then I'd mix the water/dried blood up into what looked like a diluted blood mix. This was then added to bread crumb to make the groundbait and you'd end up with a darkish red groundbait. And it was quite sticky too. So wetting hands before balling it out was a must. I'd also mix in some dead maggots and some chopped worm _(Depending on how many worms you found that day in the garden!)_ and it used to work a treat. I'd had plenty of eels nudging the 5lb mark, but none over. Then one damp, humid summers night _(It had rained that day and mist was everywhere!)_ I had one of 5lb 12oz. Weighted and returned. A real old beauty she was. I was over the moon. Then, within half an hour, I landed another eel. This time. A real monster. It made the 5lb 12oz eel look like small fry. *It was HUGE!* I could hardly get a hand around it's head. Let alone the body. She was that big. Anyway. I was about six foot or so away from the waters edge so I wasn't worried about the eels escaping back into the water as I had my landing net below me. Carefully, and gently, I picked her up. She was gorgeous. My mate fishing with me was petrified by it. He hated snakes!? He kept well away. Then the eel started to slither out of my hand, that was on the side of me away from the lake, and promptly disappeared into a small dark hole. No more than 4" in diameter. Now. Where I was fishing was on a part of the bank that stuck out into the water by a few feet. It was a man made stage that had been filled in with mud, stone etcetera so it looked 100% natural. This was so anglers wouldn't get in the way of the small footpath that ran alone the side of the mill pond. I peered into the hole with my head torch to see it's reflection in the water. I didn't even know the hole was there. There were grasses and other pants that covered that area. But the eel seemed to _dive_ head first into it. Almost as though she knew that was her escape route back into the mill pond. But a couple inches to the left, and the eel would have gone back into my lending net and I's been able to have weighed her! _C'est la vie..._ But out of this mill pond flowed a small stream, that found it's way into the Sussex Ouse. So your point about a _lake and river for catching eels,_ seem paramount. 8-))...

[@dereklloyd-fj7is]

hello phil enjoyed your video well informed not long enough i watch all eel angullia vids keep it going ex beac angler

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video 😊 Good luck with the eel fishing yourself, Phil

[@sidatpolengchannel8529]

Good.... Hello from Bali

[@oscarwmcg7382]

12:12 love the croc shot 😂

[@AnglingDirectTV]

😆 They are my lucky croc's....had them years 😆 Regards Phil,

[@liameverett7205]

I had a near 6lb fish whilst tench fishing in early summer this year. Absolutely incredible creatures!

[@AnglingDirectTV]

A 6lber is HUGE! I bet you thought you had a giant tench for a second? 😮

[@liameverett7205]

@@AnglingDirectTV it did everything an eel shouldn't. The bite absolutely screamed off! It certainly was a surprise. 5lb 10oz it weighed. Biggest officially weighed out of the pit. I wish I had caught it on purpose 🤣🎣

[@romank4499]

Good afternoon friends. If it’s not too much trouble, could you write a list of rods that you would recommend as “universal” for catching peaceful fish and predatory fish, suitable for rivers? Excluding feeder rods. Including the ones you catch yourself. Thank you.

[@FishingwithEthan]

🔥🔥🔥

[@derekmay8679]

Suffolk and Norfolk used to be full of eels... I did fyke netting for a company and did mostly private broads and meres...had loads up to 5 lbs.. I suspect the real bigguns are very rare ,but they've gotta be there... Oulton Broad I thought had potential for a leviathan...but it's massive...but it's a very rich in life water ,and there are a good few smaller eels there... They actually change physically depending on what they eat....If they are predominantly fish predators then they become much broader across the head and mouth area...bit pike like from above...Then if invertebrates are the main thing, then they keep a more narrow head and mouth, as its useful for more delicate feeding....

[@fideliachukwuemeka9457]

Does it bite ?Is it harmful?

[@carlt9265]

I hate catching these 😩😩 beyond hard work

[@dellamariejohnson]

What drop offs are they?

[@WolfmanWoody]

I have a great admiration for the European eel and the way it migrates her and back again to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. However, not been keen on catching these tackle tanglers. I was fishing with another once-famous angler one evening when he caught an eel and I reached for his net. Quickly he said "Don't use my net, use yours." Without thinking I used my net and after releasing it I asked why. He simply said "Well, just look at the state of your net now." It was days before the slime came off. Just to remind any viewers who don't already know, it is now illegal to kill or remove eels for eating or otherwise. That's an EA bye-law. Best to return them as quickly as possible.

[@billybatts294]

nice to see a rare species getting caught

[@AnglingDirectTV]

A huge eel is possibly the rarest of all specimen fish 💪

[@rockdogization]

hi again phil wots youre fave hook pattern on youre twig rigs.....

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Hi rockdogization, I use a Korda Krank barbless in a size 6 or 8. www.anglingdirect.co.uk/korda-krank-fishing-hook-b?queryID=8bc70aadb64433168d702356f8b33811&objectID=44424&indexName=live_ad_uk_products Regards Phil,

[@ianpetch4607]

Great film Phil. Can I ask what drop offs they are? 😊

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Hello Ian, Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video. I always get lots of interest in the drop off alarms. They are Broadland 360's. They are made by a friend of mine in Norfolk Colin Pitlen.

[@ianpetch4607]

@@AnglingDirectTV does he have a website? They look great!

[@doctorjeep86]

More eels!

[@AnglingDirectTV]

A really big one would be nice 🤞 Regards Phil,

[@doctorjeep86]

@@AnglingDirectTV there's not enough eel content out there so these are most welcome 👍

[@justinsteel6360]

What rods are you using?

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Hi Justin, Phil was using the Advanta MRP 10ft 3lb tc. They are an absolute bargain right now 💪 😮 www.anglingdirect.co.uk/advanta-discovery-mrp-fishing-rods?queryID=50e685ad6f3452be2af4c384d30f6a3d&objectID=94770&indexName=live_ad_uk_products

[@MidlandAngler]

Fishing for eels will drive you to .. drink … drugs… and Divorce 😉😬🥳🥳

[@AnglingDirectTV]

😆🤭

[@jamesatkinsfishing]

Well done Phil nice eel's, not my bag but you look as though you like them, very well put together video, Thank you

[@AnglingDirectTV]

Thank you James, I enjoy the challenge of catching a big eel. I hope one day a really big one turns up 🤞 Regards Phil,

[@torbendinesen7121]

remember you don't need special rods or baitrunner reels, you can use any rod and reel, they don't fight very much

[@marksalt9808]

There speaks a man who has obviously never caught a very big eel😀

[@tommos16]

Ha! Hahahaha. They are extremely strong

[@b62boom1]

Hook one over 5lb and get back to us.

[@AnglingDirectTV]

I'd have to agree with the other comments here! A big eel is a very powerful fish, and gives a very unique fight. Their ability to swim backwards combined with their strength means they are very strong fighters 💪 Regards Phil,

[@andyobrien5696]

​@@marksalt9808bang on, I was about to say the same 😊