Like in many other countries, the common carp is an invasive species in South Africa.  The mirror carp and grass carp are two other members of the family that also roam these waters.  My Dad and Grandpa caught hundreds of these South African carp throughout the years.

Although not a real monster carp, this foot-and-half long fish was certainly a monster to me.  For bait, we used rolled-up whole grain bread.  

Unfortunately the sun was hot and time was short and we only had a few hours to fish.  The day also yielded a small catfish (called a barber down there). 

My first (monster) common carp!!!

I caught this beautiful American eel (aka yellow eel) off the docks at Four Season Campground near Naples Maine. It was way past bed-time and we were having fun with the catfish, when this guy emerged from under the dock and grabbed my hook stacked with day-old cooked hamburger (better know as hamburger patty where I’m from).

It was a scream! I though my rod was going to break at one point. Luckily the 8-pound line on my Mega Cast reel held up and once the eel started thrashing on the surface, I could quickly lift it onto the dock. By now I was getting lots of cheers from the crowd that gathered around. Someone had to take this slimy fish off the hook, and thankfully my camping neighbor Dan had an old towel and did the honors for me. Thanks Dan!

Next, it was picture time. Since this guy was my first American eel, we had to pose for a few night-time shots before returning him to Long Lake. Luckily no-one was in the mood for cooking eel (I do believe they make a great dinner).

So how do you hold a yellow eel? I say don’t be scared. Just grab it behind the head and smile. And be careful for those sharp teeth. All that slime does wash off.

Check-out my American Eel Facts page (coming soon) and American Eel Lifecycle where I write about very interesting characteristics of these wonderful creatures.

For my next eel-fishing trip I will probably add a few things from my fish-wish list.

• A set of Lindy Fish Gloves
• A bit of a stiffer rod like the Daiwa Cielo Spinning Rod

The muddy bottom seemed to come alive with Bullheads (catfish).  I caught at least nine that evening.  The next night was just as active.  We used anything from chicken hearts to day-old hamburger (which seemed to work best).  I even caught my first Yellow Eel. 

Then the snapping turltes came on the third night.  These creatures are like hound dogs and they ended up chasing off all the fish.  It was easy to track them with a spot light through the shallow water.  They would hear the spash of the bait landing, and dart straight over, sometimes from as much as twenty yards away.

That night I reeled in three of them using 8 pound line.  They don’t struggle much, you just have to bring them in slowly.  By night four there was not a single catfish in sight.  It seems snapping turtles and other fish don’t play together well.

I caught this little guy off a canoe with my dad and his friend (who caught the bass in the picture).

I had another few good strikes but lost them before they were in the boat. I used a rubber bait i think it was one of the storm swim lures.

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• Large mouth Bass: 11 lbs, 2oz
• Small mouth Bass: 8 lbs, 4oz
• Blue Gill : 3 lbs, 7oz
• Carp : 47 lbs, 8oz
• Bull head : 3 lbs,6oz
• Catfish : 27.92 lbs
• Pickerel : 7 lbs,4oz
• Crappie : 4 lb, 7oz
• Muskellunge tiger: 29 lb,4.75oz
• Northern Pike : 24 lb, 12oz
• White Perch : 1.26 lbs
• Yellow Perch : 3 lb, 3 oz
• Reader Sun Fish : 2 lb, 5oz
• Rock Bass : 1 lbs, 3 oz
• Striped Bass : 47 lbs, 2oz
• Brook Trout : 6lbs,1.75oz
• Brown Trout : 18 lbs, 3oz
• Cut throat : 7lbs, 9oz
• Rainbow Trout : 14 lbs, 3oz
• Walleye : 14 lbs, 4oz