THE COMPLETE ANGLER 183 



will teach you better, both for these and many other 

 common things in the practical part of angling, than 

 a week's discourse. I shall therefore conclude this 

 direction for taking the eel, by telling you, that in a warm 

 day in summer I have taken many a good eel by snigling, 

 and have been much pleased with that sport. 



And because you, that are but a young angler, know 

 not what snigling is, I will now teach it to you. You 

 remember, I told you, that eels do not usually stir in the 

 day time ; for then they hide themselves under some 



THE EEL 



covert ; or under boards or planks about flood-gates or 

 weirs or mills ; or in holes on the river banks : so that 

 you, observing your time in a warm day, when the water 

 is lowest, may take a strong small hook, tied to a strong 

 line, or to a string about a yard long ; and then into one 

 of these holes or between any boards about a mill or under 

 any great stone or plank or any place where you think 

 an eel may hide or shelter herself, you may, with the help 

 of a short stick, put in your bait, but leisurely, and as far 

 as you may conveniently ; and it is scarce to be doubted, 

 but if there be an eel, within the sight of it, the eel will bite 

 instantly, and as certainly gorge it ; and you need not 

 doubt to have him if you pull him not out of the hole too 

 quickly, but pull him out by degrees ; for he, lying folded 



