American Eels

Live or dead, American eels are incredible effective at enticing large striped bass. When it comes to surfcasting, I cannot think of a more versatile bait. They can be fished simply on a hook, rigged as a lure, fixed to a wobblehead or jig head, and you can drape their skin on a plug. Eels can be purchased in almost any tackle store or even trapped in almost any harbor, marsh or river in the Northeast. They can be easily kept alive for long periods of time in a tank or on ice. Dead eels can be frozen and used again. Rigged eels and eel skin plugs can be stored in kosher salt and saved for seasons on end. And I would bet if you asked a group of veteran surf fishermen what they took their best striper on, the majority would say they were using an eel in one way or another. Eels are a surfcaster's best friend.