Eels in Little Tennessee River

[Doug B.]

The other day I was looking and setting traps for beaver and otter. I was maybe two and a half miles from the head of Keener Creek, which is also the head of the Little Tennessee River, when I saw a small eel looking critter in a tributary that runs into the Little Tennessee River. I have lived here all my life but I have never seen this fish. I wished I had taken a picture of it but I didn't. Anyone have any info that will help me figure out exactly what this was? I tried to Google it but came up empty. This one was maybe 3 to 4 inches long. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Ruger#3]

This is a lamprey, one possibility, attaches itself to a host fish. This one is on the throat of a gar.

 

[Resica]

Probably a fresh water eel. Born in the Sargasso sea like they all are and living in a stream near you.

 

[Doug B.]

This is a lamprey, one possibility, attaches itself to a host fish. This one is on the throat of a gar.

View attachment 1207111

Nice picture! But no, the "eel" I saw was maybe a little smaller. It actually had a red throat and the back was green but not as dark green as that one.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Doug B.]

Probably a fresh water eel. Born in the Sargasso sea like they all are and living in a stream near you.

I'm assuming that is probably right. But I have never seen one in my 58 years of being on this planet. Are there different species, sub-species, natives, etc? Or are they all from the sea you mentioned but different???????
I'm ready to learn!!!!!

 

[Resica]

We used to catch them up here at night all the time fishing small trout streams. They all appeared to be the same. Slimy, slithery and apparently delicious. We never ate one. They get pretty big. I've seen 3 footers, most were probably between 1 and 2 feet.

 

[Resica]

I believe they inhabit all streams ,at least east of the mtns.

 

[Resica]

I think they all come from the Sargasso Sea and go back there to breed.

 

[Railroader]

Yep, most likely an American Eel.

They are born at sea, and move into any waterway they can find. They grow for a few years and go back to sea to spawn.

Close to the coast, at certain times of the year, the rivers and creeks are slap full of them things.

As for being any use, none for me. Their slime layer is like snot and gorilla glue mixed.

I caught a nice sized one at the St. Simon's Pier one time, in front of a group of Asians.

It was obvious they wanted the thing, so I gave it to them. I swear you'd have thought I gave them $1000. They cut that eel up into bite sized chunks on the pier rail, and ate it slime and all, while it was still twitchin'...They we're some happy folks!

Myself, I ain't been that hungry yet...

 

[Doug B.]

Ok, that's really good to know since I have never seen one in my almost 60 years. Are they all one species? Do they have a name? The one I saw was really too small to eat. How big do they get?

 

[Resica]

I remember watching a show awhile back, maybe on Discovery. It may have been Dirty Jobs. A guy in New York, maybe on the upper Hudson River but probably another river had a weir set up and collected eels by the hundreds. He made his living selling eels.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Nice picture! But no, the "eel" I saw was maybe a little smaller. It actually had a red throat and the back was green but not as dark green as that one.
Thanks!!!!

I would be 99% sure that was an American brook lamprey. They live in a lot of streams in western NC, and top out at about 6" -7" in length. There are no eels in the Little TN system.

Here is a brook lamprey:

 

[Doug B.]

Yep, most likely an American Eel.

They are born at sea, and move into any waterway they can find. They grow for a few years and go back to sea to spawn.

Close to the coast, at certain times of the year, the rivers and creeks are slap full of them things.

As for being any use, none for me. Their slime layer is like snot and gorilla glue mixed.

I caught a nice sized one at the St. Simon's Pier one time, in front of a group of Asians.

It was obvious they wanted the thing, so I gave it to them. I swear you'd have thought I gave them $1000. They cut that eel up into bite sized chunks on the pier rail, and ate it slime and all, while it was still twitchin'...They we're some happy folks!

Myself, I ain't been that hungry yet...

I pulled this one up close to the bank with my hand and I didn't notice any slime. But it was still pretty much in the water. I was trying to look at it without causing it too much stress. Maybe I should have held it up out of the water.

 

[Doug B.]

Yep, most likely an American Eel.

They are born at sea, and move into any waterway they can find. They grow for a few years and go back to sea to spawn.

Close to the coast, at certain times of the year, the rivers and creeks are slap full of them things.

As for being any use, none for me. Their slime layer is like snot and gorilla glue mixed.

I caught a nice sized one at the St. Simon's Pier one time, in front of a group of Asians.

It was obvious they wanted the thing, so I gave it to them. I swear you'd have thought I gave them $1000. They cut that eel up into bite sized chunks on the pier rail, and ate it slime and all, while it was still twitchin'...They we're some happy folks!

Myself, I ain't been that hungry yet...

I pulled this one up close to the bank with my hand and I didn't notice any slime. But it was still pretty much in the water. I was trying to look at it without causing it too much stress. Maybe I should have held it up

I was be 99% sure that was an American brook lamprey. They live in a lot of streams in western NC. There are no eels in the Little TN system.

Here is a brook lamprey:
View attachment 1207121

That's what it looked like! Thanks for clearing that up. So do they attach themselves to fish, or anything else they can find? Also, like I said, this one was maybe 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. Is that about normal size or was that just a small one?

 

[Resica]

Delaware River.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I pulled this one up close to the bank with my hand and I didn't notice any slime. But it was still pretty much in the water. I was trying to look at it without causing it too much stress. Maybe I should have held it up

That's what it looked like! Thanks for clearing that up. So do they attach themselves to fish, or anything else they can find? Also, like I said, this one was maybe 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. Is that about normal size or was that just a small one?

No, brook lampreys aren't parasitic. There are a couple-few species of them. I've caught them in minnow traps before. And yeah, that's normal size.

 

[Railroader]

Ok, that's really good to know since I have never seen one in my almost 60 years. Are they all one species? Do they have a name? The one I saw was really too small to eat. How big do they get?

One species, as far as I know. The "biddies" are called elvers, I think and they are kinda clear looking.

Up to a foot long, they are a prized Striper bait.

I have personally seen them nearly black in tannic water, and yellow to green in clearer or muddy water.

In the Satilla River, they are dark and up to a couple feet or so.

In the Altamaha, they are yellow/green, and can grow to about four feet.

 

[Doug B.]

Delaware River.

I saw this guy somewhere, maybe Discovery, and this is very interesting!!!!

 

[Resica]

The Little Tennessee River something or other people say there are American Eels in that water system.

 

[Doug B.]

No, brook lampreys aren't parasitic. There are a couple-few species of them. I've caught them in minnow traps before. And yeah, that's normal size.

Thanks! I learn something new every day! Course, everytime I talk to you I learn something new! I would love to get with you sometime and continue the conversation you and I had on Coleman River about the Cherokee. Maybe we can share a campfire sometime and have some serious discussion around some firewater!!!