OBSERVATIONS OF THE EEL 



Thames, and in many mud-heaps in other rivers, yea, almost as 

 usually as one finds worms in a dunghill. 



Next note, that the Eel seldom stirs in the day, but then 

 hides himself, and therefore he is usually caught by night, with 

 one of these baits of which I have spoken, and may be then 

 caught by laying hooks, which you are to fasten to the bank, 

 or twigs of a tree ; or by throwing a string cross the stream 

 with many hooks at it, and those baited with the aforesaid baits, 

 and a clod, or plummet, or stone, thrown into the river with 

 this line, that so you may in the morning find it near to some 

 fixed place, and then take it up with a drag-hook or otherwise : 

 but these things are indeed too common to be spoken of, and 

 an hour's fishing with any Angler 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 covert, or under boards or 

 planks about flood-gates, or wears, or mills, or in holes in 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 that 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 double in his hole, will with the 

 help of his tail break all, unless you give him time to be 

 wearied with pulling, and so get him out by degrees, not pulling 

 too hard. 



And to commute for your patient hearing this long direction, 

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