Only an angler who wishes to challenge this trait can take the effort of fish hunting during this time. Wolf Eels do not leave their dens during the breeding season.Wolf Eels are shy by nature and they love to hide in their dens.Some anglers also love trolling the fish, as it is pretty heavy and a motor boat makes the task easier. Trawls (fishing nets thrown from a motor boat) attached with bait can also be used for fishing. 2 or 2/0 size hook is recommended for fishing for Wolf Eel. Fluorocarbon leader lines are not visible to fish and those which are abrasion resistant can be used. They are usually found at a depth, and hence, a long line with a leader line attached to it is required. Wolf Eels are rarely spotted on the surface. The line should be at least 40 pound test. The fish can be found in sub tidal waters as well as deep ocean floors.Ī medium sized Wolf Eel weighs anywhere between 20 to 40 pounds in weight, which means a heavy line is required. To catch a Wolf Eel, one should select a location which is rocky and shallow. SPORT FISHING A WOLF EEL – A CHALLENGE IN ITSELFĪlthough, on the average 200 Wolf Eels are caught by sports fishermen, it is not an easy task. They also have an appetite for anchovies and abalones. They thrive on mussels, clams, snails, scallops and other lesser known crustaceans. They are the prime predators of sea urchin and the green crab. The digestive system of the Wolf Eel, starting from its mouth, is made for the tough stuff.

At times, they are driven out of their den by large octopi. Wolf Eels are known to share dens with cods and other fish. They are also found along the cliffs and near the docks. They live there till the end of their life span. They build their nest in a crevice or a shelf or some dens or liar of a rock. They are found in rocky reefs or stony bottoms. As they grow older, they migrate deep into the sea. Young Wolf Eels, live on the surface of the water till 2 years of age, so that they get more air. This helps it to move in a wave like pattern. Wolf Eel has a cartilaginous skeleton which helps it flex its body to enter shelves and crevices. There is one dorsal fin extending from the head to the end of the body. It does not have a pelvic fin like other fish. The body – The Wolf Eel has a long, slender body.The back rows of teeth comprise of strong molars for pulverizing the prey. It has a row of 4 to 6 conical fang like teeth meant for biting. It is one of the strongest mouths created by nature to crush hard shelled creatures. The jaw of a wolf – one of the most remarkable features of the anatomy of the Wolf Eel is its mouth.They have huge, soft lips surrounding the mouth. The head is a large square structure with a bump on the top. The head - Scott Reid says, “ They have got faces, which only a mother could love”.Not just color, the Wolf Eel also shows a gender specific spot pattern on its body.

The females are brown in color and the males are grey in color. The special characteristic of the Wolf Eel is its gender specific coloring. The young ones of a burnt orange hue and the adults are brown or green or grey. A Wolf Eel can grow up to 8 feet in length and weighs up to 88 pounds. Someone rightly said that the Wolf Eel has the appearance of a fish, eyes of a snake, jaws of a wolf and the grace of a gold fish. They are bred near shore reefs of Oregon where they are bred in captivity. They are also found in Russia, Aleutian Islands of Japan, Islands of Racerocks (near the Rosedale Reef), and Imperial Beach of Southern California. They are found in the Pacific coast from North Baja of California to Kodiak Island in Alaska.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE WOLF EEL It is the Pacific relative of the popular Atlantic Wolf Fish. Wolf Eel is one of the five species of the endangered Wolf Fish family. Anarrhichthys in Greek means ‘a fish’ and ocellatus stands for ‘eye like spots’. It is in fact, a fish with the face of a wolf and the body of an Eel. Wolf Eel or Anarrhichthys Ocellatus, is neither a wolf nor an eel. Check out our Astoria Fishing Charters and Washington Halibut Charters

A wolf eel