Common eel with a long thin body that resembles that of a snake, there is no mistaking them for any other type of fish, they have small pectoral fins each side of the gills, with the dorsal, caudal and anal fins forming a continuous fringe, they have scales but where they are so small they appear as if they have none, leaving the skin very smooth and slimy.
There colour does vary but generally they have a brown body with lighter yellowy flanks.
The Eel has had more mystery surrounding it than any other fish, what triggers these fish when as adults, reaching a certain age decide to leave the freshwaters where they have lived for years and make their way back through streams and rivers until they arrive back at their place of birth in the Sargasso Sea where after spawning they die, the eggs hatch and the new born starts the cycle all over again.
Eels can be found in many of our Stillwater ponds, reservoirs, gravel pits, lakes and slow moving rivers, they are bottom feeders which forage in the weed beds and silt for most things edible either dead or alive.
Best Bait: Dead or Live bait (small fish), maggot, worm, flavoured cheese
The British Record eel, 11lb 02ozs
Caught By: Steve Terry, 1978.Kingfisher Lake, Ringwood, Hampshire.
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Common eel:
Family: Anguillidae.
Latin Name:
Anguilla anguilla
The Biggest River eels: 1. C Bone, 10lb 3oz River Lea, 1984.
2. J Macfarlane, 8lb 4oz River Tees, 1964.
Jt 3. M Pootle 7lb 8oz River Kennet 2009.
G Moss, 7lb 8oz River Thames, Romney Lock, 1964.
G Moss, 7lb 8oz River Thames, Winsor, 1964.
4. L Elson, 7lb 6oz River Medway, 1982.
5. R Parkes, 7lb 3oz River Severn 1975.
Information gathered from the National Anguilla Club.
2. J Macfarlane, 8lb 4oz River Tees, 1964.
Jt 3. M Pootle 7lb 8oz River Kennet 2009.
G Moss, 7lb 8oz River Thames, Romney Lock, 1964.
G Moss, 7lb 8oz River Thames, Winsor, 1964.
4. L Elson, 7lb 6oz River Medway, 1982.
5. R Parkes, 7lb 3oz River Severn 1975.
Information gathered from the National Anguilla Club.
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Common eel
Contact: mail@watersidediary.co.uk