62 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



and pull if from the stick ; when the angler feels the tug, he 

 should draw the stick gently away from the spot, and give the 

 eel time to swallow the worm ; when he has reason to think it 

 has done so, he must give a slight pull, and the needle, which 

 has gone inside the worm straight down the eel's throat, will 

 turn across in his gullet, and hook him safely. Now comes the 

 tug of war. The eel will refuse to quit his hole very likely, and 

 turning his tail about in its sinuosities, will firmly resist all 

 efforts to withdraw him ; but the angler has only to be patient, 

 and keep up a steady strain on the string, and he will in time 

 tire the eel out, and it will come out of its hole, when it will be 

 easily captured. Eels of two or three or even more pounds 

 weight are often thus taken. 



CLOD-FISHING is another way of taking eels. It can hardly 

 be called angling, though it has a rude resemblance to it. A 

 large number of lob worms are strung on pieces of worsted, and 

 these are all tied up into a mass somewhat resembling a small 

 mop. This is called the " clod," which is attached by means of 

 a stout line of convenient length to a suitable pole. When the 

 eels are running or migrating, the angler takes his stand with 

 a pail half-full of water beside him, and placed almost the 

 length of the pole from him. He drops the clod into the 

 water, and allows it to sink to the bottom ; presently an eel 

 attacks it ; as soon as the angler feels the bite, he raises the 

 clod with a steady lift from the water, and holds it over the 

 pail. The eel's teeth being entangled in the worsted, he cannot 

 easily of himself let go ; but he is shaken off into the pail, and 

 the clod is once more dipped into the water. 



STICHERING is yet another method of catching eels. It is, I 

 think, peculiar to Hampshire, as I never heard of it elsewhere ; 

 but there is a good deal of fun at times in a stichering party. 

 The apparatus used is an old sickle, worn short and chipped so 

 as to be roughly toothed. This is tied on to a light pole some 

 twelve feet long. Armed with one of these and a bag the 

 sportsman sallies forth to the water meadows, where the wide 

 deep drains for irrigative purposes are situated. Peering about, 

 at the bottom of one of these, he presently espies an eel, or the 

 head of one, projecting from under a leaf or weed ; he then 

 gently and cautiously thrusts the hook under the eel's body, 

 and with a sudden toss pitches him high and dry on the bank, 

 and puts him in the-bag. An unskilful sticherer will sometimes 

 chop off his neighbour's ear, or poke out his eye, which doubt- 

 less lends excitement to the sport. 



