Next note, that the Eel seldom stirs in the day, but then hides himself;
and therefore he is usually caught by night, with one of these baits of
which I have spoken; and may be then caught by laying hooks, which you
are to fasten to the bank, or twigs of a tree; or by throwing a string
across the stream, with many hooks at it, and those baited with the
aforesaid baits; and a clod, or plummet, or stone, thrown into the river
with this line, that so you may in the morning find it near to some
fixed place; and then take it up with a drag-hook, or otherwise. But
these things are, indeed, too common to be spoken of; and an hour's
fishing with any angler will teach you better, both for these and many
other 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 what Snigling is
I will now teach it to you. You remember I told you that Eels do not
usually stir in the daytime; for then they hide themselves under some
covert; or under boards or planks about flood-gates, or weirs, or mills;
or in holes on the river banks: so that you, observing your time in a
warm day, when the water is lowest, may take a strong small hook, tied
to a strong line, or to a string about a yard long; and then into one of
these holes, or between any boards about a mill, or under any great
stone or plank, or any place where you think an Eel may hide or shelter
herself, you may, with the help of a short stick, put in your bait, but
leisurely, and as far as you may conveniently; and it is scarce to be
doubted, but if there be an Eel within the sight of it, the Eel will
bite instantly, and as certainly gorge it; and you need not doubt to
have him if you pull him not out of the hole too quickly, but pull him
out by degrees; for he, lying folded double in his hole, will, with the
help of his tail, break all, unless you give him time to be wearied with
pulling, and so get him out by degrees, not pulling too hard.
And to commute for your patient hearing this long direction, I shall
next tell you, how to make this Eel a most excellent dish of meat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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