Workaday Armor

Rick · 11th August 2016, 10:06 PM

Most of the old ones I see here are blacksmith made, Ken.
Eeling used to be quite a fishery around here.

A friend has collected a nice selection which I will try to photograph tomorrow.
The designs are quite varied.

David R · 12th August 2016, 10:55 AM

I used to have an eel spear that I bought in Denmark, but not really in my main area of collecting and only had space for just so much. Interesting items in themselves.

Rick · 14th August 2016, 01:10 AM

In Winter here the Eels ball-up in voids that exist in the salt marsh I live next to.
In the old days around Christmas and New years there was an increased demand for this delicacy.
Lucky was the fellow who discovered one of these 'dens' ; he could dig the top out and spear maybe a hundred or more in one place.

mariusgmioc · 18th August 2016, 01:57 PM

Very interesting! Had no idea that you spear the eels and not catch them with a normal fishing hook.

Rick · 18th August 2016, 03:19 PM

Well, here we also catch them in eel pots; the smaller ones wind up on a hook, but as live bait for Striped Bass in season.
No one spears them much in Summer anymore around here.
They'll spear them in the cold weather when they have gone into the mud for the winter. There is still a good demand for them during the Holiday Season.

Eels have a very interesting life cycle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_eel

Jens Nordlunde · 19th August 2016, 04:23 PM

In Denmark they were cought by night, going out in a boat with a light in front, and a man armed with an eel iron - like shown above.
I think it is now forbidden to fish eels in Denmark as there are too few.

kronckew · 19th August 2016, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Very interesting! Had no idea that you spear the eels and not catch them with a normal fishing hook.

you CAN catch them on a hook. i caught one fishing for bass on the lake behind our house on long island once as a teen. it's outlet was only a hundred yards or so from the great south bay. about as fat around as my wrist. nasty slimey thing wrapped itself around my line then in a ball, was rather difficult to get the hook out. granma happened to be watching and cam e out and claimed it before i could throw it back. she thumped it once and it departed for other realms. musta weighed 5 pounds. she gutted it and cut it into about 2 inch sections and fried it. tried to get me to eat some, i ran. she jellied it and ate the whole thing over a couple days. she took great glee in sucking on the head in front of me with gusto. she was originally austo-hungarian from galetia. now part of poland.

Jens Nordlunde · 19th August 2016, 04:49 PM

It has a very fine tast cooked or smoked - I especially like the smoked version, but I have also heard that many find them snake like, so they wont eat them - what a pity for them :-).

Rick · 19th August 2016, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

you CAN catch them on a hook. i caught one fishing for bass on the lake behind our house on long island once as a teen. it's outlet was only a hundred yards or so from the great south bay. about as fat around as my wrist. nasty slimey thing wrapped itself around my line then in a ball, was rather difficult to get the hook out. granma happened to be watching and cam e out and claimed it before i could throw it back. she thumped it once and it departed for other realms. musta weighed 5 pounds. she gutted it and cut it into about 2 inch sections and fried it. tried to get me to eat some, i ran. she jellied it and ate the whole thing over a couple days. she took great glee in sucking on the head in front of me with gusto. she was originally austo-hungarian from galetia. now part of poland.

Hey, I got a bite!
And you reel in a living bowline knot..

11th August 2016, 10:06 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,348	Most of the old ones I see here are blacksmith made, Ken. Eeling used to be quite a fishery around here. A friend has collected a nice selection which I will try to photograph tomorrow. The designs are quite varied.

12th August 2016, 10:55 AM	#2
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,125	I used to have an eel spear that I bought in Denmark, but not really in my main area of collecting and only had space for just so much. Interesting items in themselves.

14th August 2016, 01:10 AM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,348	In Winter here the Eels ball-up in voids that exist in the salt marsh I live next to. In the old days around Christmas and New years there was an increased demand for this delicacy. Lucky was the fellow who discovered one of these 'dens' ; he could dig the top out and spear maybe a hundred or more in one place.

18th August 2016, 01:57 PM	#4
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	Very interesting! Had no idea that you spear the eels and not catch them with a normal fishing hook.

18th August 2016, 03:19 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,348	Well, here we also catch them in eel pots; the smaller ones wind up on a hook, but as live bait for Striped Bass in season. No one spears them much in Summer anymore around here. They'll spear them in the cold weather when they have gone into the mud for the winter. There is still a good demand for them during the Holiday Season. Eels have a very interesting life cycle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_eel

19th August 2016, 04:23 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	In Denmark they were cought by night, going out in a boat with a light in front, and a man armed with an eel iron - like shown above. I think it is now forbidden to fish eels in Denmark as there are too few.

19th August 2016, 04:49 PM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	It has a very fine tast cooked or smoked - I especially like the smoked version, but I have also heard that many find them snake like, so they wont eat them - what a pity for them :-).