186 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



I might here speak of many other fish, whose shape and 

 nature are much like the eel, and frequent both the sea 

 and fresh rivers ; as namely, the lamprel, the lamprey, and 

 the lamperne : as also of the mighty conger, taken often in 

 Severn, about Gloucester : and might also tell in what high 

 esteem many of them are for the curiosity of their taste. 

 But these are not so proper to be talked of by me, because 

 they make us anglers no sport ; therefore I will let them 

 alone, as the Jews do, to whom they are forbidden by 

 their law. 



And, scholar, there is also a Flounder, a sea-fish which 

 will wander very far into fresh rivers, and there lose 

 himself and dwell : and thrive to a hand's breadth, and 

 almost twice so long : a fish without scales, and most 

 excellent meat : and a fish that affords much sport to 

 the angler, with any small worm, but especially a little 

 bluish worm gotten out of marsh-ground or meadows, 

 which should be well scoured.* But this, though it be 



be sufficient to prove that eels are of the viviparous kind." Taking 

 it for granted then that eels do not spawn, all we have to say in 

 this place is, that though, as our author tells us, they are never out 

 of season, yet, as some say, they are best in winter, and worst in 

 May : and it is noted to be of eels, that the longer they live the 

 better they are (Angler's Sure Guide, p. 164). Of baits for the eel, 

 the best are lob-worms, loach, minnows, small pope or perch with 

 the fins cut off, pieces of any fish, especially bleak, as being very 

 lucid, with which I have taken very large ones. As the angling 

 for eels is no very pleasant amusement, and is always attended with 

 great trouble and the risk of tackle, many, while they angle for other 

 fish, lay lines for the eel, which they tie to weeds, flags, etc., with 

 marks to find them by ; or you may take a long packthread-line, 

 with a leaden weight at the end, and hooks looped on at a yard 

 distance from each other : fasten one end to the flags, or on the shore, 

 and throw the lead out, and let the line lie some time ; and in this 

 way you may probably take a pike. H. 



* The taking flounders with a rod and line is a thing so accidental, 

 that it is hardly worth the mention. The same may be said of smelts, 

 which, in the Thames, and other great rivers, are caught with a bit 

 ( f any small fish, but chiefly of their own species. In the month 

 of August, about the year 1720, such vast quantities of smelts came 

 up the Thames, that women, and even children became anglers 

 for them ; and as I have been told by persons who well remember it, 

 in one day, between London Bridge and Greenwich, not fewer than 

 two thousand persons were thus employed. H. 



