What I just found in my Bait trap...

[anthonyebola]

I set out a minnow trap in an extremely tiny brook in my yard. It forms a little pond on my property, and there is a large amount of shiners and dace in the pond. Today when I pulled my trap, aside from the 10 minnows I noticed 2 wierd things.

A HUGE water beetle that easily dwarfs some of the smaller minnows and...





Cannot believe that thing made the journey from the Sargasso sea, into the TINY pond in my yard.




Might use him for striper bait ......



Unless he gets out first

[fiddlehead322]

I doubt that the beetles were in your trap because of shiner bait though. They like to eat the shiners, believe it or not they will kill them. Amazing that eels travel so far isn't it?

[anthonyebola]

Yeah In fact, I had no bait in the trap at the time, I was just holding the shiners in there until tomorrow, so I believe the Beetles and the Eel were both attracted to my fish!  I dont think I have lost any though, and the beetles are dead.

[Pasquatch]

Awesome stuff, I bet you'd have one heck of a time trying to trace just how that eel got to your stream! Thanks for sharing your pics. The reverse andramadous spawning that they do is amazing.

[MikeThePike]

Where eels show up never amazes me anymore. A buddy of mine fishes for em quite often here in NEPA and thats over 100 miles upstream from where the Delaware dumps into Delaware Bay. I've caught them above "impassable" dams, small ponds with almost no way for them to get into, ect ect

[anthonyebola]

Yeah, definately one of the most fascinating migratory patterns of any species of fish.  I followed the stream down for about a mile today after catching it just to see what it went through, and found places where summer has created virtual dry spots..... there is an are where the stream becomes disconnected because of a muddy area that spans about 12 yards... I know eels can cruise over land with ease, but what made him do it???  I bought a fish tank today where he is currently residing with a few dace... Id like to observe him for a bit.  He has eaten 3 fish thus far and his name is Eeli... pronounced Eli

[fiddlehead322]

Come on, You're not giving the bait a name now are you.  Pets for bait? 

[anthonyebola]

haha I have a heart of stone

[fish_finder]

I get those d**n things in my traps everytime i set them out...big ones are fun on a rod but little guys in a minnow trap are annoying...he sure traveled a long ways to eat ur bait

[olbluuu]

PERFECT STRIPER BAIT!!!

[joejv4]

You never know where they'll turn up!  We caught one a couple years ago in Lake Neatahwanta in Fulton NY.
The route for that migration is sargasso sea, up the coast to the St. Lawrence up the St Lawrence to Lake Ontario, Up the Oswego River to the Neatahwanta outlet, up the Neatahwanta outlet to the lake - and it wouldn't surprise me if someone were to find them in any of the little cricks that feed the lake.

Their migration really is amazing!

[anthonyebola]

Checked my trap today.... both ends were blocked by 5" Shiners trying to get in! Also some other large shiners just got In..... this is good news

[Pasquatch]

Captain we're gonna need a bigger boat!

[projoe]

am pretty sure that they can survive in any water type becasue i have seen them in fresh water lakes that are not connected to the ocean

[bluefinforme]

ya...they are amazing....I get them in my bird feeder all the time....figure that one out