FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
115 
Weems, Rappahannock River, Va., July SB , 1921. 
An interesting incident was observed when a fish hawk caught an eel fully 20 inches long in several feet of water. The bird 
■dropped the fish twice, recovering it each time, and several times it almost lost it. The hawk circled about several times with the 
eel before flying away. The fish could be seen plainly, squirming frantically to get away. 
The eel reaches a large size in the Chesapeake region. Individuals 3 and 4 feet in length are 
seen occasionally in the markets. These large individuals are females, for the male probably does 
not exceed a length of 2 feet (Smith, 1907, p. 109). The flesh of the eel is firm and well flavored, 
but, owing to its resemblance to a snake, many people will not eat eels. In Europe this prejudice, 
if ever it existed, has been much more generally overcome, and the eel fisheries are of much greater 
importance than in America. 
The eel is one of the important food fishes taken in the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Dur- 
ing 1920 it ranked eleventh in quantity and tenth in value, the catch being 318,008 pounds, worth 
$33,704. Among the Maryland fishes it ranked seventh both in quantity and value, the catch 
being 197,293 pounds, worth $21,395. Of this amount, 77 per cent was taken in eel pots, 10 
per cent in fyke nets, 7 per cent in pound nets, 4 per cent with spears, and 2 per cent with seines. 
In Virginia it ranked fourteenth in quantity and twelfth in value, the catch being 120,715 pounds, 
worth $12,309. Of this amount, 63 per cent was caught in eel pots, 21 per cent in fyke nets, and 16 
per cent in pound nets. 
This fish is taken principally in the vicinity of Rock Hall, Love Point, Oxford, and Crisfield, 
Md., and all western-shore rivers. A special fishery is conducted by means of eel pots in many of 
the tributaries of the bay. The majority of the pots are cylindrical in form with a conical entrance 
and are constructed of fine-meshed chicken wire. Sometimes many eel pots are attached to one 
cable, which may be from 500 to 2,000 feet long, similar to the gear used by lobster fishermen. The 
traps also are attached to the stakes of pound nets, for in such localities eels are attracted by the 
presence of dead fish. 
Habitat. — Atlantic slope of North America from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Panama, and in 
the West Indies, ascending fresh-water streams east of the Rocky Mountains. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Virtually all tributary streams. (6) Many 
specimens were taken during the present investigation from all parts of the bay and its tributaries. 
Comparison of lengths and weights of Anguilla rostrata 
[Actual lengths and weights of individual fish are given] 
Inches 
Ounces 
Inches 
Ounces 
Inches 
Ounces 
2.7 
0.03 
20.8 
11. 1 
23 
12.4 
3.1 
.04 
20.9 
10. 4 
23 
12.0 
3.9 
.07 
21 
11.3 
23 
14. 1 
7.9 
. 4 
21-1 
11. 6 
23.. 
15. 5 
12.4 
1.7 
21.3 
10. 1 
23.4 
13. 6 
13 
2.3 
21.8... 
8. 5 
23.7.. 
16.9 
15.1 
3.4 
21.9 
12.0 
24.2 
17.1 
16.3 
4.0 
22 
10. 2 
24.3 
14. 4 
16.4 
5.5 
22.2 
10. 7 
24.3. 
19.9 
17.1 
5. 1 
22.5 
12. 4 
24.4 
20.0 
19 
7.5 
22. G 
14. 2 
24.8 
19.9 
20.2 
8.1 
22.6 
14. 2 
30 
44. 5 
20.7 
8.0 
22.8 
14. 8 
30.1 
33.9 
It will be noted that eels of the same length vary considerably in weight, due to the fatness of 
the individual. Thus, two fish, each 24.3 inches in length, differ in weight 5J^ ounces, and two 30- 
inch fish differ by over 10 ounces. The 44J^-ounce fish was abnormally fat. The sex of these 
eels was not determined, but it is not believed that a marked difference in weight due to sexual 
difference would occur between fish of the same length. As the male eel is said to reach a length of 
only 2 feet, the two largest fish of about the same length in the above table apparently were females 
and at the same time varied considerably in weight. 
