242 THE COMPLETE ANGLEE. [FAST I. 



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 



1 The best method of sniggling is this : take an ordinary- sized needle, 

 whip it only about the middle part, to three inches of the strongest fine 

 twine, waxed, and fastened above, to several yards of whip-cord or pack- 

 thread : thrust the end of your needle into the head end of a large lob- 

 worm, and draw him on till you have got it up to the middle of the worm : 

 then in the end of a small long stick, which you may fix in a joint or more 

 of your rod, let there be stuck another needle, fastened well from slipping 

 out, with about half an inch of the point appearing : put this also into the 

 head of the baited worm, and holding the whole length of the cord in your 

 hand, together with the stick, thrust your worm between the cleft of any 

 clods or piles in shallow water, till you have lost sight of it ; then gently 

 draw your stick away, laying it aside, keeping the line still in your hand, 

 till you perceive it to draw, and after some time strike as directed. The 

 needle which before this lay buried straight in the worm, will, by your 

 stroke, be pulled quite across the throat of the eej, and hold him fast. 

 When he is landed, you may, by squeezing one of the points through his 

 skin, draw that and the whole line after it. 



Bobbing for Eels is thus performed : String a large number of worms 

 with a needle, on a fine but strong pack-thread ; running them from head 

 to tail, till you have strung about a pound ; then wrapping them about 

 a dozen times round your hand, tie them fast with the two ends of the 

 thread, that they may hang in hanks or links : fasten these to a strong 

 cord, about two yards long ; and about eight inches above the worms tie 

 a knot ; upon this let a plummet of lead rest, being bored through, 

 that it may easily slip to and fro : it is made in shape of a pyramid, 

 of about half a pound weight : let the broad end 

 hang downward. Tie the cord to a strong taper pole, 

 about three yards long. Angle with this in a muddy 

 water, in the deeps or sides of streams. You will 

 find the eels tug at it eagerly : then draw up worms 

 and eels, not with a jerk, but with a steady, swift, 

 and even hand ; and giving it a smart twitch, shake 

 them suddenly off on land, or into your boat, and 

 turn your baits directly over into the water again. 

 You may take in this way three or four usually at a 

 time. BROWNE. 



Spearing for Eels is a practice resorted to very 

 generally during the cold months, when eels lie, 

 almost torpid, deeply embedded in the muddy banks 

 of streams or pounds. Eel-spears have usually six or seven prongs, with 

 long handles, and need only be jammed into the mud in likely places and 

 immediately pulled out again. ED. 



