Both Lucky And Unlucky (about Catching Eels)

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Fishing tales

When I, together with one of my constant fishing companions, Vadim, was at the Riga seaside, we were very interested in catching eels by local anglers. The fishing of this fish was considered here (and, perhaps, in the whole Baltic region) as the standard of fishing skill. Only those who knew how to catch eels were considered a real, recognized fisherman.

At the seaside, we were just spectators. But, of course, they dreamed of more: to catch (or even better - to catch!) This unusual, in many ways mysterious fish. Of course, we sometimes caught eels with bottom tackle, but these were rather rare, in many ways even accidental captures. We wanted to hunt for this particular fish.

Therefore, when Vadim's friend Igor invited us on a fishing trip near Vyborg: they say, we fish all kinds of fish, including eels, we were overjoyed. And how could one not be happy: after all, our dream was coming true.

… The house where Igor took us (as he explained, a friend of his acquaintances lived here - a local resident, an experienced fisherman who knew a lot about catching eels) was located on a low shore, fifty meters from the bay of the bay. The owner of the house, a nondescript man of about sixty, in a faded shirt, in galoshes on bare feet, did not show either joy or surprise at the sight of us, and did not even introduce himself.

And when Igor outlined the essence of our visit, he, looking from under his brows, somehow muttered vaguely:

- So you wanted an eel?

We didn’t find what to answer and therefore kept silent.

- Ugorek - he, of course, is, - the owner continued to reason, - but tell me how you are going to pull him?

… We laid out in front of him our bottom tackle (mainly "carousels" and "rubber bands"). He carefully examined them, felt with his hands and concluded:

- All this is interesting and costs a lot of money, but I think we will fish with my rods.

He brought from the barn several rods, which were birch rods, each about three meters long. Moreover, it was clear that the owner of these rods did not care about their appearance at all, since they were all crooked, and even somehow planed.

To all the rods-rods, he tied fifteen meters of fishing line with two hooks. At the ends he fixed homemade lead sheet weights. Needless to say, this kind of simple zakidushka looked obviously primitive in comparison with our modern gear, but we didn't have to choose, because as they say: the owner is a master.

Since it was a wonderful time of white nights, which only for a short time obscured the light twilight, we went fishing late in the evening. We went down obliquely from the house to the water's edge and, having walked about five hundred meters along the shore, stopped.

- Eels always keep here, - our guide explained, - you throw fishing rods along the entire length of the line along the grass. The bait - here, - he took out of the bag and put on the ground a three-liter glass jar with small carp.

He himself was not going to fish, limiting his participation only to advice: how best to put live bait on the hook and correctly throw the tackle.

The bites began in a little over an hour. Vadim was the first to catch a half-meter eel.

- Put the eels in a bag, but tie them tightly, - advised our guide. - I have a bag with a secure clasp, the fish won't go anywhere from there, - Igor said confidently. He carried the bag under a bush, a dozen paces from the shore. We put the fish there.

After some time Igor was lucky, then again Vadim. Finally, I got a bite too! … The line twitched at first, but immediately weakened. I grabbed a rod-rod, but as soon as the line was taut, the fish began to rush, I immediately began to pull the tackle towards me. At some point, I felt that there was nothing on the line, because it just sagged. "Is it really gone?" - I thought sadly, mechanically continuing to choose the line. When there was only two meters left to take out, at the very shore I again felt an elastic weight. And so I can hardly hold in my hands a slippery, wriggling fish.

After that, the bites stopped. But after an hour and a half, we fished out three more eels. Then there was barking again. We waited patiently, but to no avail. Besides, it started to rain. I had to finish fishing. We collected the tackle, Igor went to get the bag and …

- Where is the fish? - he looked at us inquiringly.

Vadim and I rushed to him. The bag was zipped, but there was no fish in it! Still not believing in what had happened, Igor began to crawl on the grass around the bush and even raked sand in several places. Alas, our snake-like fugitives literally sank into the water.

- Not a horse feed. I told you to put eels in the bag. So in the bag. And you … - our guide summed up the fishing.

Of course, we were very upset that we turned out to be such bunglers. All that was left was to console myself with the fact that our dream had come true - to catch eels. Caught, but not reported …