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07-23-2010, 08:52 AM
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#1
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All up in the Interweb!
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: In the dog house.
Posts: 5,213
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Mystery eel hit
So I was out in CT last night slinging eels for a few hours and had a strange occurrence. I was in the middle of a steady pick of teen bass when I had a solid take. I did the usual drop; wait for a tight line and set up, but then it went weird. The fish came at me, thrashed a bit and went down and I felt thumping almost like the fish was biting at the eel. After about 10 seconds, the eel popped free. I retrieved the line and inspected the eel. It was still kicking but had what could best be described as puncture wounds all over it. They looked like someone took a small pocket knife and poked all over the eel. Some were in a half moon “bite formation” and others were random. There were single scrape marks moving away from some of the punctures. The eel was decent size, maybe 16”, and the holes went about ¼ of the way into its body. They were definitely not bluefish marks as each puncture was a small distance form the next and not connected cuts like a blue does. I wish I had a camera with me as it was just so weird. I was thinking maybe a large weakfish attacked it. Any thoughts?
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Co-Host of The Surfcast Podcast
ASMFC Striped Bass Advisory Panel - Connecticut
"Out there in the surf is where it's at, that's where the line gets drawn in the sand between those who talk fishing and those who live it."
- a wise man. 
One good fish, a sharpie does not make...
Certified rock hopping billy goat.
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07-23-2010, 08:58 AM
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#2
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Also known as OAK
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Westlery, RI
Posts: 10,420
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Small sandtiger? they are estuary fish this time of year....
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Bryan
Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
"For once I agree with Spence. UGH. I just hope I don't get the urge to go start buying armani suits to wear in my shop"
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07-23-2010, 09:01 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: CT/RI
Posts: 1,627
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Maybe a good sized fluke. I got one about 7lbs a few years ago on an eel at night.
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07-23-2010, 09:11 AM
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 797
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Dogfish, same thing happend to me last week.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
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07-23-2010, 09:27 AM
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#5
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xxx
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Playin' in the Dark
Posts: 2,407
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dogfish gets my vote
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"Remember, my friend, that knowledge is stronger than memory, and we should not trust the weaker" - Van Helsing
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07-23-2010, 09:45 AM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 629
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Yeah,effing dogfish.  |
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07-23-2010, 10:06 AM
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#7
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Not Jack
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Other Cape
Posts: 1,239
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I had a similar thing happen to me early last fall while drifting eels in a famous southern cape cod rip... Threw out a trouser python eel, about 22" and almost as thick as my wrist. Had a vicious take on it, and whatever it was peeled out a ton of drag (aided by the fast moving current). It then dropped the eel, and as we were cranking it back in it came back again and hit the eel on the surface with a hell of a splash and took off on another run. Once AGAIN it dropped it, and this time the eel came back unmolested. It was covered in diamond-shaped tooth marks, each of which went in about 1/8-1/4", just like you described. Additionally, the tooth marks themselves were in a diamond pattern- you could see the shape of the upper and lower jaw from the pattern of the teeth marks (kinda tough to describe). My thought was a big fluke, or possibly a hardtail.
The half-moon bite mark makes me think dogfish... But wouldn't a spiny dog just shake and tear right through the eel? They bite whole herring in half no problem... I just think it's wild at just how many things will eat an eel. I want to throw them at tuna.
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07-23-2010, 10:06 AM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: CT/RI
Posts: 1,627
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The many dogfish I have caught didn't have teeth. More like plates in their mouths for grinding things up. If it was just beat up and mutilated I’d say dogfish but the many puncture wounds seem to say it was something else. I’m talking about smooth doggies not sure about the spiny ones I don’t think I have ever caught one of those but didn't think they had teeth either.
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07-23-2010, 10:19 AM
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#9
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All up in the Interweb!
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: In the dog house.
Posts: 5,213
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Whatever it was definately had some sort of teeth, not the sandpaper type ones a striper or dogfish have left when I have caught them. The bite radius on the half moon shape was probably the size of my fist .
Bryan - Do you know if the sandtigers come into LI Sound? Looking at this picture of one, that kind of mouth could definately produce the results I saw. Now I am kind of happy I dropped it as I was about waste deep on a rock about 50'+ from shore....
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Co-Host of The Surfcast Podcast
ASMFC Striped Bass Advisory Panel - Connecticut
"Out there in the surf is where it's at, that's where the line gets drawn in the sand between those who talk fishing and those who live it."
- a wise man.
One good fish, a sharpie does not make...
Certified rock hopping billy goat.
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07-23-2010, 10:20 AM
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#10
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Not Jack
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Other Cape
Posts: 1,239
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Yeah, smooths have the plates, but spinys have teeth more like a bandsaw... Actually, the more I look at it, the puncture marks don't sound like they could have been made by a dog... But the half-moon shaped bites do. wierd
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07-23-2010, 10:46 AM
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#11
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Also known as OAK
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Westlery, RI
Posts: 10,420
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As far as I know, yes.
My buddies wife works for NMFS studying them, and they fish for them in Delaware Bay, Hudson etc.. looking for Juv's, I'm sure thye cokme in to LIS, NBay etc...
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Bryan
Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
"For once I agree with Spence. UGH. I just hope I don't get the urge to go start buying armani suits to wear in my shop"
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07-23-2010, 10:58 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: CT/RI
Posts: 1,627
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Brown/Sandbar sharks are caught in CT every year and start moving in around now as the water temps warm up. I would think that even a smaller one wouldn't have had much trouble downing a 16" eel though...
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07-23-2010, 10:59 AM
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#13
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woody
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Port St Lucie Fla.
Posts: 1,062
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND
Small sandtiger? they are estuary fish this time of year....
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a wealth of knowledge  |
You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a
Clipboard.
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07-23-2010, 11:56 AM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Fork
Posts: 2,260
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Sounds like it was an angry searobin.
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Originally Posted by Flaptail
"Throw plugs like we do that will cause them to suffer humility. Pogies make any fisherman look good when bass are around. Bait is easy."
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07-23-2010, 02:32 PM
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: North Branford,Ct.
Posts: 7,662
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"IS IT SAFE TO GO BACK IN THE WATER"!!!!!!!
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Billy D.
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07-23-2010, 04:17 PM
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#16
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Uncle Remus
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Lakeville Ma.
Posts: 14,773
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squeteague maybe
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"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
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07-25-2010, 07:13 AM
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#17
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><(((°> ><((( °> ><(((°>
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Falmouth, Ma
Posts: 1,520
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I'd be willing to go with small sand tiger, I have seen clearnose skates that have been hit by them and it looks like a lawn aerator ran over them.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
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07-25-2010, 01:31 PM
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: On The Water, Cape May to Cape Cod
Posts: 90
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Have had big weakfish take live bunker and it looks like you described. Puncture wounds and scrapes. I would guess a good weakie.
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