# Outdoors > Fishing >  Best way to kill an eel quickly?

## rs200nz

Hi guys,  what's the best way to kill an eel.  I thought that cutting the tail killed the nerves.  Any other tips for skinning them also would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Brad

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## bully

eel skinning 101 - YouTube

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## Gapped axe

If it's large long fin eel don't kill it as it will soon start the most amazing journey known in the animal kingdom. Otherwise just hit it between the eyes with a hammer.

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## rs200nz

Lol thanks for that. But I seem to think there was a less messier version that didn't scare the kids  :Have A Nice Day:   is the tail cut thing just a myth

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## ebf

Thump on the noggin, works for most fish  :Grin:

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## Gapped axe

tail is a myth, much better to catch it and then let it go. Then go to the computer and show the kids this amazing journey and how they helped it on it's way. You'll get more mileage out of that, plus getting the kids on track as well. Worked for me.

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## Kiwi Sapper

> Lol thanks for that. But I seem to think there was a less messier version that didn't scare the kids   is the tail cut thing just a myth


When I was a child, waaaaaaaaaaaay back in the 40.s, I was told by my elders and I believed it, that the eel had it's heart at the end of it's tail. 
I suspect we are of the same era. :>)

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## rs200nz

Bloody good info there.  Cheers fullas. 40s era is correct  :Have A Nice Day:  not me but my grand fathers era

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## Maca49

Stick it up you pants leg, you'll kill it fast enough, your way! :Thumbsup:

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## Aly

Going eeling I always stabbed the eels with pitchforks, pin it to the ground. They always flop around due to reflexes but that way they wont flop away from you, just wait til it stops. Yahoo tuna!

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## Aly

Oh and you stab them in the head  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Gibo

Used to make pocket money off eels. The tail thing is half myth half true. All the main nerves in an eel end in the tail, so by bashing an eel on the tail hard enough will stop the wriggle, however this only stuns them(paralises them). All fish have a brain so the most humane way to dispatch is the same as any animal (head)
Also no need to skin them, put em in a tub of water and add copiuos salt to strip the slime off, if youre a bad ass, laundry powder is even better. 
End of the day let them go. They are far to presious to eat these days.

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## Maca49

12gauge and the concussion kills them without and stabbing required! :Thumbsup:

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## kiwijames

> tail is a myth, much better to catch it and then let it go. Then go to the computer and show the kids this amazing journey and how they helped it on it's way. You'll get more mileage out of that, plus getting the kids on track as well. Worked for me.


With you on that one

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/1...n-eel-proposed

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## veitnamcam

Best way to improve stocks is stop catching them commercially.

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## Boaraxa

> Best way to improve stocks is stop catching them commercially.
> 
> Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2


whitebait should probably come under that category as well.

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## Dundee

Smack it on the head,cut the tail on a 45degree angle to bleed it.

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## R93

> Best way to improve stocks is stop catching them commercially.
> 
> Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2


Wish someone would eel out one of my duck ponds. Its filthy with them.
Big buggers as well.

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## R93

> whitebait should probably come under that category as well.


Might stop a few feuds as well.

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## EeeBees

Eels account for hundreds of ducklings and fish roe and little fish every year...yes, their massive journey to mate is extraordinary but no less than that of salmon et al  Not all go...the big monsters with the curly whiskers who delight in harassing you when you're doing the dishes on the side of creek or river, are thought to be maidens/barren females who for whatever reason decide not to go...no one is quite sure about why they do not go.  

Smoked eel is divine and hell will freeze over before I stop taking the odd one... :Grin:  :Grin:

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## Jimmynostars

I cannot understand why there are not licensing / catch restrictions on whitebait. The "Take all you can" culture is not sustainable and something that should have been addressed a few years ago. Unfortunatly it will take a fishery collapse for something to change.... go clean green  NZ!!!!

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## Boaraxa

Not MORE licences !!! theres not many things you can do for free these days...but maybe like you say a limit on the catch or slightly shorter season would help along with some cleaner rivers!

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## EeeBees

@Boaraxa  :Thumbsup: 

Just what is the annual take of whitebait...?   Does any one know this...?   As far as I have been able to ascertain from personal experience and that of others is that whitebaiting, not unlike Opening Day on the pond is more of a culture thing than a harvest, well that too, I grant you but...also in my experience you are pretty much limited to catch anyway due to the vagrancies of the wonderful pastime...

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## Toby

Old people have a lot to answer for from the story's they tell me on the river if they are to be believed

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## veitnamcam

I believe whitebait decline is mostly habitat destruction and secondly fishing.
most swamps have been drained for farming.

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## 300winmag

> Check this wopper out.
> Attachment 27940Attachment 27941


You are in the shit for posting that image, Copyright laws. Unless you have approval :Grin:

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## R93

So are you it seems😊

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## Rushy

> Old people have a lot to answer for if they are to be believed


Old people should always be believed Toby.  None of us talk shit or take the piss.

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## Chris

> Lol thanks for that. But I seem to think there was a less messier version that didn't scare the kids   is the tail cut thing just a myth


A cut behind the head down threw spinal cord stuffs them up pretty quick, don't understand why you'd want to throw perfectly good food away .They're very good smoked or baked with a little garlic butter

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## rs200nz

Haha maca

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## Gibo

> A cut behind the head down threw spinal cord stuffs them up pretty quick, don't understand why you'd want to throw perfectly good food away .They're very good smoked or baked with a little garlic butter


If you made the poor bugger drink that beer @Chris you hardly needed to cut him  :Brzzzzz:

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## Chris

> If you made the poor bugger drink that beer @Chris you hardly needed to cut him


I drank the beer Gibo ,needed re-hydrating after carrying that big sod back to the wagon.

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## Scribe

> Best way to improve stocks is stop catching them commercially.
> 
> Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2


And using 1080 around the streams they live in. Many animals make it into water and die to become food for eels.

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