i have always put mine on ice they will keep all day on ice and it also shocks em so they dont swerm all around on you but as soon as they hit the water BAMMMM there back to life

PS not really  sure if the big stripers are still round the ships

Th is works great for me.

Buy the cheapest sandwich ziplock bags you can.

Get the eels and put them on ice until they are sedated.

put 1 eel in each bag. (I do it the night before)

Now you have individual bagged eels. 

Once you get to the fishing spot, move the eel in the bag so his head is in the corner.  Hook the eel under the chin and out the eye (through the bag)  then once hooked rip the eel out of the bag and cast it out into the water.  You never have to handle the eel.  Works GREAT.

I have left eels on ice over night in bags...you have to work really hard to kill them.  Though you may be too late for Stiper .  Take a rod with some gulp or bass assasins that you can cast while you soak your eel.  There should always be some hanging around. 

If that does not work for you.  Post up and meet some club members at the HRBT at night and you will get all the small striper (15-22 inches) you will want.

 As long as the winds are calm, and you are dressed for the water temp ships can be done alone assuming you are fairly accomplished paddler.  Only you will know if you feel safe.

If you want a striper sure thing, serriously, HRBT at night.  Plus shot at flounder, specs, blue fish and others.

Hope it helps.

 Jay

All good stuff so far and I'll second or third of forth the opinion that the Big Striper fishery at the ships especially with eels is a winter time fishery only. Some will tell you that that area is a natural winter time location for eels in general so that's why they work so well for bait.  Eels are very easy to keep alive and most of us just put them in the floating bait bucket and handle them to the hook with a rag or gloved hand to compensate for their slipperyness.

Something different that I tried this year was hooking them in the tail instead of the head and that was for a few reasons; one they seem to swim better away from the hook and look more natural that way, two they don't tend to wrap themselves around the leader as much when hooked that way and three they live for another days fishing better when not hooked through the brains.

You can catch all you want.  Just don't keep any.

Usually I'll split a dozen with another member, but my windows are usually smaller than some others.

Just about any shop southside should have them in season, and Chris's in Kipto as well.