# crazy question



## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

When I have been staying at Lakewood I have caught eels in the creek that seperates Lakewood and Pirateland and I was just wondering if anyone ever fishes with these things. I know they are a great striper bait in NC and up north but didnt know if anyone has ever fished from the surf with them in Myrtle. I dont catch many but every now and again I will hook one or see someone hook one and was just curious to see if it would be worth my time to try and take the nasty thing off the hook and use it to fish with or not.


----------



## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

Eels are the livebait of choice for cobia along the Florida panhandle during their Spring migration. The baitshops get them airfreighted in daily and sell them from $4-6 a piece.


----------



## ledweightII (Apr 4, 2008)

whatever hits it will be a fight on the line.


----------



## saltysurf (Nov 18, 2009)

kbgamecock said:


> When I have been staying at Lakewood I have caught eels in the creek that seperates Lakewood and Pirateland and I was just wondering if anyone ever fishes with these things. I know they are a great striper bait in NC and up north but didnt know if anyone has ever fished from the surf with them in Myrtle. I dont catch many but every now and again I will hook one or see someone hook one and was just curious to see if it would be worth my time to try and take the nasty thing off the hook and use it to fish with or not.


And just what do you use to catch these eels I wouldnt mind trying to use one as bait?


----------



## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

I have caught them on pieces of shrimp trying to catch bait fish and crabs


----------



## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

saltysurf said:


> And just what do you use to catch these eels I wouldnt mind trying to use one as bait?


Those creeks are full of them, both there going into the ocean between the campgrounds and in the campground lakes themselves. They'll bite anything. Since I fish in those lakes for bream when we're down there, I usually catch them on worms or crickets.

Be sure to use a barrel swivel, because they can really twist up your line.


----------



## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

There great Smoked!!


----------



## stevensr (Aug 16, 2009)

striper candy in va..


----------



## saltysurf (Nov 18, 2009)

So can you catch them in the salt marsh by tybee then or in the mouth of the river by the airforce base?


----------



## tightlines (Oct 5, 2009)

Just wondering... where do you hook the eel to fish with it? :beer:


----------



## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Bottom Jaw through top jaw.
Tight Lines,
Tim


----------



## Fins&butt4me (Sep 7, 2009)

Flytyingguy1 said:


> There great Smoked!!


You yankees will smoke anything!!!!
:--|


----------



## saltysurf (Nov 18, 2009)

fins&butt4me said:


> you yankees will smoke anything!!!!
> :--|


lmao


----------



## Vernad Ogonowicz (Sep 18, 2003)

Spanish and King Mackeral love them.


----------



## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

TimKan7719 said:


> Bottom Jaw through top jaw.
> Tight Lines,
> Tim


False Bottom jaw & out the Eye!!


----------



## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

Fins&butt4me said:


> You yankees will smoke anything!!!!
> :--|


----------



## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

BubbaHoTep said:


> Those creeks are full of them, both there going into the ocean between the campgrounds and in the campground lakes themselves. They'll bite anything. Since I fish in those lakes for bream when we're down there, I usually catch them on worms or crickets.
> 
> Be sure to use a barrel swivel, because they can really twist up your line.


Have you ever caught any flounder out of the pond at Lakewood or Pirateland where the creek comes in and seperates the two by that little bridge. I caught some nice ones in the pond on Lakewoods side last year with some mud minnows. Someone also said there were some nice catfish caught in the upper part of the pond but I have never hooked any. Didnt know if you had caught any of these as well


----------



## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

kbgamecock said:


> Have you ever caught any flounder out of the pond at Lakewood or Pirateland where the creek comes in and seperates the two by that little bridge. I caught some nice ones in the pond on Lakewoods side last year with some mud minnows. Someone also said there were some nice catfish caught in the upper part of the pond but I have never hooked any. Didnt know if you had caught any of these as well


We've had a permanent site at Pirateland since 1979, and over the years I've caught a lot of fish in those lakes. That little bridge you're talking about is at the "chapel," if you're on the Pirateland side. I never did catch any flounder there on the Pirateland side right at the chapel, but I have caught many a flounder in the other lakes there at Pirateland. I've also caught them there at what we call "the big lake" that separates Pirateland from Lakewood, which would be across from Lakewood - down past that little fenced-in house (I think the same lake you're talking about). 

At the "big lake" bordering Lakewood, I used to catch flounder on purple rooster tails - 1/4 oz with silver blade. Black would work, but not as well as purple, which are hard to find. Since that water's brackish, it's not unusual to catch largemouth bass and flounder together. The flounder in those lakes are pretty aggressive and will hit spinners or even "sassy shad" or other minnow imitations.

If I'm not in the mood to walk the banks, I use mud minnows there in those lakes.

Dude, there are monster catfish in there. When I was a kid, I caught one half the length of our picnic table in one of the lakes up close to the state park.  If you were using mud minnows there in Lakewood, I'm surprised you didn't pick up a few catfish. 

You can also catch bream, bass and catfish (as I said), mullet (the jumping kind - they get big - catch them with hook and line on worms or little breadballs), and spot in those lakes. I've caught big black drum in my casting net there in that lake bordering Lakewood, too, but I've never caught one with rod-reel down there.

Back in the day when we would be down there more often (now I only make it down for a week or so a year), once the finger mullet started running in and out of that little creek and into the ocean, we used to catch *a lot* of pups, flounder, and blues right there in the surf. However, I understand that the channel has not been as productive in recent years, and on the Pirateland side that stupid-a$$ seawall has made it almost unfishable when the tides get really high.

I wasn't very successful last year in those lakes, because my wife and I fished the surf or pier every day and we only fished a few hours in front of the trailer, but I think Mark55 (who was there the same time we were last summer) saw some flounder caught there in those lakes. He was staying down there near the chapel on the Lakewood end, and it seems like he saw a guy catch a couple of legal-sized ones in there last year.

See You,
AJ


----------



## saltysurf (Nov 18, 2009)

I had no idea that there was catfish in saltwater are they good eating?


----------



## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

saltysurf said:


> I had no idea that there was catfish in saltwater are they good eating?


Hey salty, those lakes we're talking about there in those campgrounds are brackish. They contain both saltwater and freshwater fish.

I have caught small catfish in the surf/off the pier, but I've always released them. I've never eaten them. It seems like I read somewhere that one of the types was "protected" in that you're not allowed to keep them, but I'm sure some of the folks on here are more familiar with the SC regs on saltwater cats than I am.


----------



## saltysurf (Nov 18, 2009)

BubbaHoTep said:


> Hey salty, those lakes we're talking about there in those campgrounds are brackish. They contain both saltwater and freshwater fish.
> 
> I have caught small catfish in the surf/off the pier, but I've always released them. I've never eaten them. It seems like I read somewhere that one of the types was "protected" in that you're not allowed to keep them, but I'm sure some of the folks on here are more familiar with the SC regs on saltwater cats than I am.


i wonder if i can catch them here in georgia


----------



## outfishin28 (Jul 15, 2005)

spinner sharks also love them.


----------



## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

BubbaHoTep said:


> t seems like I read somewhere that one of the types was "protected" in that you're not allowed to keep them, but I'm sure some of the folks on here are more familiar with the SC regs on saltwater cats than I am.


i think you are talking about the southern kingfish. (saltwater catfish) illegal to possess.


----------



## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

saltysurf said:


> I had no idea that there was catfish in saltwater are they good eating?


They are good Smoked! LMAO


----------



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

There are freshwater catfish in the brackish lakes which are legal and good eating, the saltwater varieties, hardhead and gaftopsail are illegal to possess in SC. IDK about GA.


----------



## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

But a southern kingfish (aka whiting aka what some people call hardhead) is not the same thing as a hardhead catfish, Cheese. Is it unlawful to possess southern whiting, too???


----------



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Nope all species of whiting are legal and delicious.


----------



## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

BubbaHoTep said:


> But a southern kingfish (aka whiting aka what some people call hardhead) is not the same thing as a hardhead catfish, Cheese. Is it unlawful to possess southern whiting, too???


didnt even realize my mistake there. thanks for bringing it to my attention. i meant gafftopsail catfish, not southern kingfish.


----------

