THE SAND-EEL. 43 



to the sea through seaweed-covered rocks they frequently 

 abound. They spin well on a Chapman spinner, or may be 

 arranged on the small, eel-trailing tackle shown on page 28, 

 Fig. 25. 



The Sand-eel, Lannce, Lant, or Horn-Eel is eagerly 

 devoured by all kinds of large fish, and is the most valuable 

 of baits. There are three varieties: The grey or brown back, 

 the green back, and the plum-coloured or purple back. 

 The two latter are launce, the first-named being the sand- 

 eel. In shape they are not unlike an eel, but are silvery. 

 They are found buried at the edge of the sand, when the 

 water is at its lowest, and are commonly obtained by digging 

 and raking, the best times for finding them being moonlight 

 nights during spring tides. Immediately one is seen, it should 

 be seized, for they bury themselves in the sand with great 

 rapidity. A better method of taking them is with a seine 

 net, worked either from boats or the shore. A seine net, and 

 the method of working it, will be found described in great 

 detail in Mr. "Wilcocks' "Sea Fisherman." As so very few 

 amateurs are likely to require these nets, the description 

 here seems unnecessary. In the Channel Islands, the sand- 

 eel is used alive; and this system has been introduced by 

 Mr. "Wilcocks to this country. To keep sand-eels alive, they 

 should be placed in a pear-shaped basket, called a courge {see 

 page 32), made of fine osier twigs, with an opening, closed by a 

 flat piece of cork, and towed after the boat, or moored in a 

 suitable spot. Dead sand-eels are also excellent baits. They 

 can be either trailed, or worked on spinning tackle {see page 28), 

 for bass, pollack, and mackerel, or used on ground-lines for 

 whiting, mackerel, and, in fact, any kind of sea-fish. To bait 

 with these little fish, put the point of the hook in at the mouth 

 and out at the gills, catching up a small piece of skin below the 

 gills. If the tide is slack, the hook can be put through the back, 

 near the head. When half sand-eels are used, they should not be 

 cut until they are required for the hook. Sand-eels are excellent 

 eating. For spinning purposes, they may be preserved for years 

 in spirits of wine, or King's preservative, sold at 157, Commercial 

 Road, London. 



