308 AMERICAN FISHES. 



EEL FISHING AND TRIMMERS. 



With regard to the Eel, if I consulted my own tastes only, I should 

 remain in utter silence, holding them totally below the contempt of 

 the angler, although en matelotte, or a la tartare, on the table they 

 certainly are not despicable ; there are, however, those who probably 

 think otherwise, and who would regard it as an omission, perhaps a 

 slight, if I were to pass over their favorite wriggling reptile. I there- 

 fore quote from Hofland's British Angler the following, which com- 

 prises all that can be said on the subject, and is no less applicable to 

 the Eel of America, than to that of Great Britain : 



" To angle for Eels, use a strong gut line, with a light float, and 

 No. 9 hook, and bait with a large red worm ; or use a No. 6 hook, 

 and bait with a marsh-worm, and let your bait touch the bottom ; but 

 the most alluring bait I know of for an Eel is, Salmon-roe ; and when 

 fishing for Trout with this bait, the angler will frequently take Eels, 

 much to his annoyance, if, like myself, he detests their dirty slime, 

 and serpent-like writhings. I shall say nothing of bobbing for Eels, 

 or of sniggling, as they are practices below . the angler ; but as the 

 largest Eels are caught by night-lines, and this method is a necessary 

 resort for the supply of the table, I shall give the instructions of 

 Daniel on this point. 



"'It is of little consequence where they — i. e. night-lines-— are 

 laid, as they wiU succeed in streams, when the Eels are in search of 

 food, as well as in the still, deep holes of rivers ; and they will take 

 frogs, black snails, worms. Roach, Dace, Gudgeons, Minnows— which 

 two last are the best — Loaches, Bleaks, and Millers' thumbs ;' a suffi- 

 cient quantity of links, of twelve hairs, should be doubled — or use 

 twisted gut, and a hook tied to each link ; these are to be noosed, at 

 proper distances, to a piece of cord fifteen feet long ; bait the hooks 

 by making an incision with the baiting-needle under the shoulder, and 

 thrusting it out at the middle of the tail, drawing the link after it ; the 



