EELING

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 262, 8 November 1988, Page 13

EELING

The torch shone brightly, casting ghostly shapes onto the trees. Silently, quietly we crept along the dirt track. Below we could hear the stream sounding like a swollen river in the quietness of the night. Armed with bait, hook and line we made our way down to try and catch the eel we had seen that day. Talking in excited whispers we baited the line and let it plonk into the motionless, dark water. Now impatient of waiting, Katrina shone the torch down into the water. We were just in time to see the eel's head disappearing back into his hole. Dust moths played in the light of the torch and away from us the sound of an opossum's screeching could be heard. A hard pull on the line told us that the eel had taken the bait, It took both of us to pull the line in but half way up, the line went loose, it was no longer heavy. Although the line had been quite thick the eel had been strong enough to break it. In the light of the torch we once again saw the eel's head disappear back into its hole with the hook, sinker and line.

Half-heartedly w e walked home but we were determined to catch the eel next time.

by

Rachel

James