Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-11-03
How Eels are Caught In the Delaware,

grounds. winch are along the shores of
the stream where the water is suflicient-
ly shallow to permit the light of the
jack to penetrate to the bottom. thew
leave the boatand enter the water The
man with the spear and the torch bearer
take their positions one on each side of
the bow, while their attendants pusb
the boat slowly along up stream. The
eels always hunt their prey close along
the bottom OF the stream, which is as
plainly visible beneath the glare of the
torch as the shores are at MONDAY
When an eel is discovered, which is at
every few yards if the night is favorable,
lack OF dexterity on the part of tho
sportsman alone will lose him. for he
lies as still as stick in the water. the
working OF his gills and his fins beino
the only sign that he is alive. The spear
is three tined and barbed, and fitted by
means OF socket to long hickory
handle. When the eel is discovered tho
boat is stopped by a signal from the
sportsman. He lowers the spear eau
tiously into the water until it is within
three or four inches of the eel, which he
aims to strike short distance back of
the head. Then he launches it with a
quick movement, and rarely misses his
mark. The impaled eel is brought
writing to the surface and thrown into
the boat. No matter how old hand
one may be at eel spearing, he will al
ways experience painful suspense from
the time an eel is sighted until the spear
Is thrown and he feels the well-defned
crunch" that ,ells him the shaft went
true and the game is his. Crisp, star
light nights add zest to the sport, and
SO enhancing is it that one will not feel
the chill of the water nor the nipping
of frosty September night until the
nights hunting is over. A skillful party
will capture in two or three hours fishing
from fifty to one hundred pounds of cells.
The set line has been favorite mode
of eel fishing along the Delaware River
from time out of mind. The set line, as
used years ago, was small rope or
heavy Irvine, long enough to reach from
one shore to the other At intervals of
few feet pieces of fish line, from three
to five feet in length, called "snoods,"
are attached to the main line. The
hooks used are large and strong and
baited with young ''lamper" cells, live
minnows or larger fish cut into bait.
The lamper is the favorite lure because
of its tenacity and toughness. The
young hampers are dug out of the sand
along the river shore, and are found as
deep as three feet below the surface. To
properly fish with set line the fisher
man should remain with it all night. in
order that he may 60 over it every hour
or so, to remove the fish that may have
hooked themselves, and to rebait hooks
and keep the lines in order. Sometimes
set-line fishermen build little hunks on
the shore, covered with boards and well
Uttered with straw, in which to snatch
sleep during the waits. Usually, how
ever, large fire is built and kept up,
around which the fishermen lie on the
bare ground, ''with no covering but the
sky" There is singular weirdness in
night spent in this way. Notwithstand-
ing the roar of some swift rift in the
river, and the constant voicing of the
mysterious "peeper," there is a hush
and mournful silence in the surround
ings that fills the novice, at least, with
awe, and the relief with which he halls
the coming of dawn is as the passing
from him of great burden.
well-managed and cared-for set line
will reward the fisherman with, q large
catch, not only of cells, but frequently
of bass, perch or clubs. Once in a
great while lordly trout is cajoled into
irving some of the tempting morsels
offered by the set line, but not so fire.
auently but that when it does happen it
is town talk for days. A rainy night is
best for set line fishing, but If there is
thunder and lightning the line might as
well be taken in. Eels will not hunt in
a thunderstorm, but keep to their
hiding places.
The days when ''bobbin' for cells"
was the prime amusement OF those who
loved sport for the sake of sport are now
only memory along the Delaware. 1t
is largely INDUCED in still, but, with
the exception of the irrepressible small
boy, principally by those who fish more
for profit than recreation. There is no
doubt that on proper night an expert
fisherman with his bob may catch more
cells than by any other style OF fishing.
A bob to be properly made should be
made out of the toughest and largest
earth worms that can be found. The
worms, eolloquially known as might
walkers" are the best. These are
large, dark-colored worms, which can
be found only at night in gardens where
the ground is rich. In the day time
their holes may be seen perforating the
ground like a sieve. At nightfall the
occupants make their appearance. They
come out of the ground stealthily, and
are so timid, and can seek their holes
so quickly on being disturbed, that It
requires an expert to catch them. 1t is
not an uncommon thing to find these