Has anyone here caught Wels catfish whilst fishing for eel? They are nocturnal bottom feeding opportunists like eels (they will probably eat eels too though).

In the Netherlands they are farming African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YdwSiyTs0Y
These don't grow as big as the Wels but they are air breathers and can cross land to get to new waters like eels. I'm surprised they can survive in the Netherlands though as the winter temperatures that far north should kill them.

Hi Beng i have caught some big catfish while eeling but on lighter tackle it can be a bit of a struggle, you will probably find more cat anglers landing eels than eel anglers landing cats. I avoid cat waters now if possible i prefer to know that my intended quarry is taking my bait and not a lesser species!

i have hooked a couple while livebating but have been smashed after a few seconds,my lad billy caught one earlier this season on a deadbait but it was only a kitten at 4ib 2oz

You've probably seen this before but here's a funny video of some Afgan soldiers fishing with an RPG-7. The American soldier seems to think they caught an eel, but it's actually a catfish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk6Puz_sdts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcM3VZpUnCA

It seems a waste of expensive ammuniton though, they would do better to use hook and line or a net. Also explosive fishing is very destructive, kills all the fish in the area, even the small ones.

Not to be outdone, the British use hand grenades:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrlbrZ7yPK8

The catifsh conservation group forum has some interesting threads on eels:

http://catfishconservationgroup.yuku.com/forums/9