Book Title: The Book of Eels

Author: Tom Fort

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 0-00-711593-8

The Book of Eels follows the now endangered and declining species out to the Sargasso Sea and back. How the tiny transparent glass eels make the journey back, and why, for instance our eels choose Europe and not Japan is a fascinating story. There's a little fishing in the book too, most about fishing lakes and inland water for eels.
The science is fascinating but not too heavy, and Fort interviews some of the eccentrics who have devoted their lives to what we too often treat as a slimy nuisance. The last three eels I caught came from the beach at Deal, and along with several bites I missed they enlivened a brief holiday session under a blazing sun. I was grateful to them and once they were disentangled I put them happily back. After reading this book and appreciating their amazing lives I'm really glad I did.

They are a much maligned species, I think I only had one proper one last year, I was annihilating Geno at Cart Gap. I think I took him for two Stella's too that night, oh happy days..

Aitch