THE EEL. 



As eels do more damage to young fry and spawn 

 than any other fish, the proprietor of a trout-fishery 

 will do well to exterminate them in every possible 

 way. Though eel-fishing may not be considered 

 sport, the fish is one of the best for the table. The 

 eel is a puzzle to many of the wisest of anglers and 

 scientists. I have seen them migrating up stream, 

 little thicker than thread, in incalculable numbers, 

 but have never seen a tiny eel come down. During 

 the first flood after August, eels descend the rivers, 

 but they only really " run," as it is called, on very 

 dark nights, when wind makes no difference. On 

 a bright moonlight night, eels are hardly ever taken 

 in the nets. They feed well at night, and the best 

 bait is a dead gudgeon, threaded on a double hook 

 with a baiting-needle ; and the eel must be given 

 time to gorge the bait Dead roach or dace are 

 good baits, but there is nothing like a gudgeon ; 

 any fish bait is better than a lobworm, though that 

 is a good bait. I once took a large eel with paste, 

 bream-fishing with a travelling bait ; this was in 

 the Wey, at Pyrford, and about 1 1 a.m. Very 

 Night- large eels may be taken on night-lines, par- 

 lines ticularly in ponds and lakes ; the hooks 

 should be tied on piano wire or very strong gimp, 



