278 



THE EEL. 





large as you will, and you cannot find the least appearance ol 

 spawn ; on the contrary, take a sea Eel in the latter part of 

 winter, and you will find it full of spawn.* 



Since, then, they are an object of sport, and the truly scienti- 

 fic angler, when in want of excitement, is sometimes seen by 

 torch light, with spear in hand, striking for him in the depths 

 below, it will be well to remark on some of the methods pur- 

 sued in his capture. 



In England they have a mode of taking the eel called snig- 

 gling, which, says Elaine, is a practice so ingenious and full of 

 artifice, that it might reconcile the sportsman to Eel fishing. 

 For the benefit of country friends, who are fond of Eel fishing, 

 the following description of the tackle, and mode of operating 

 is here given. A stick two yards long, with a cleft at each 

 end, a strong needle whipped to a small whip-cord line, from 

 the eye to the middle, which, with a lob-worm stuck on the 

 needle, leaving the point to be inserted in the cleft of the stick, 

 constitutes the simple apparatus. The art consists in putting 

 the worm, needle, and line softly into the mouth of the Eel 

 holes, which are suffered to remain until taken by the Eel, 

 when the line and hook are again reclaimed, but accompanied 

 by the Eel also. The most common modes of angling for 

 them in this country are with the hook, bob, pot, and spear. 

 For hook fishing, take an ordinary line, such as used for 

 pickerel, in fresh water, or black fish in salt water, attach by a 

 short length of line, gimp, or twisted gut, a size Black fish or 

 Eel hook, suited to the size of fish expected, and a sinker ac- 



* Dr. Mitchill says the roes or ovaria of Eels may be seen by those 

 who will look for them in the proper season, like other fishes. Yarrell 

 also remarks, Eels that have lived in brackish water all the winter, 

 under the constant influence of the high temperature of that locality, 

 probably deposit their spawn earlier in the spring, than those who have 

 passed the winter in places from which there existed no probable egress. 



