Bait Angling for Common Fishes 



In such water they are speared at night- 

 time, when the spearer wades down, and 

 with the aid of a lantern, sees them swim- 

 ming about. The best way to angle for 

 eels is to drop the bait in some sandy or 

 muddy bottom; always near long grass or 

 weeds. Use a strong, light rod without the 

 reel, and have the line tied at the tip ; or, if 

 the angler wishes to play him, with the reel 

 in the usual way, much more sport is the 

 result, though an eel often runs under a 

 rock, and no amount of tugging will loosen 

 him, so that both the line and gut leader 

 should be stout and strong. A float may be 

 attached to the line to keep the bait out 

 of the weeds and give the angler more free 

 play with the line. Use No. 7 or No. 8 

 hooks baited with a small red worm, which 

 should be allowed to drag and lie at the 

 bottom. The worm as a bait for eels is 

 the most deadly, as it is with all bottom 

 feeders. While the eel will take almost 

 anything in the shape of food, worms are 

 exceedingly attractive, even more so than 

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