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This write-up was originally authored by Spike Knuth for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Outdoor Report.

The American eel is one of the most abundant, yet mysterious fish of Virginia waters. Despite its snake-like appearance it is a true fish with an elongated, round body, and long ribbon-like fins running the length of it body. Females reach up to 5 feet in length while the males grow to about 2 feet.

Eels are catadromous as opposed to anadromous, meaning they migrate down river to the sea to spawn rather than from the sea or lake up the rivers. This event takes place every autumn as adult females migrate thousands of miles from as far inland as the upper Mississippi River drainage, and the Great Lakes, to a two million square mile area in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Bahamas known as the Sargasso Sea.

As migration time nears, adult “yellow eels" undergo several physiological changes. Their color changes to a metallic bronze-black. They put on weight; their eyes get larger and undergo a change that enables them to see in the deeper ocean waters. Their swim bladders increase in size, digestive tract degenerates and they discontinue feeding. Their ovaries grow to fill the entire body cavity to prepare for the production of eggs. Their whole purpose is to spawn. How and exactly where is still a mystery. It is thought that they spawn between February and July in about 1,500 feet of water below floating masses of sargassum weed. After that, they die!

The eggs hatch into tiny, transparent larvae called Leptocephalae. They drift on ocean currents for 9 to 12 months until they reach coastal estuaries. Here another transformation takes place and they begin to change into miniature, transparent eels called “glass eels.â€

Very neat information! Thanks for sharing.

thanks Rick - they are number #1 bait for monster stripers and big blue cats love em too.......

I've never used eels for bait, but I have heard that they are the best for stripers. I also hear that they work best bet when you keep them alive. I don't know of anyplace close-by where I can get them. The best I can find around here is frozen herring or shad.

whats your zip code again ?

22485 - Near Colonial Beach and the route 301 bridge

the only one close would be on hawthorne in colonial beach and the lady said they closed the bait shop last month - 804 633 5876

D J's Place -
116 Hawthorne St, Colonial Beach, VA
(804) 224-0900


Nothing else in King George at all huh ?

Well, I guess I can do some calling around just as well as you can Thanks for checking that place. There are two baitshops close by that I use frequently, but they never have eels. I'll have to see what I can come up with. Someone told me it's supposed to be 75 degrees tomorrow. Sounds like I need to take a day off!