The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutOctober 16, 2003 - Shining the light on eeling The Suffolk Times • October 16, 2003 • • � inin e 1 TF��►t�'s �3F�.��.ry n i.<��r going on this � � week,what with sceing shorebircls on �� thc sod farms and going moonlight �� eeling anci thEn smoking the eels.The shorebirds we saw were pectoral sandpipers,water pipits,golden plovers,buff-breasted sandpipers and,to top it all,my son watchcd a percgrin.e falcon comc in and dive on I�ICIII.W�1$1 3 SI Ilt It ITlUSt �7dV0 hCCll� � � y ' ` � � h,d�bg�l r Vii� � ✓��P�!ii,"r�i; g �� l�� ,m�� f;V,l�d , ��r��y�,w��j � �AA��"�H°��'"� 7 It's rcmarkable how alert these birds �� ✓ �� °�' must be to escape such dangers as a � ��i��' � „l/�n i� , , � , �GI'G�1'1118�c11C011. � � i � ii��l�l��¢r p� � � �4�� i�p ti4�.. jj� OU Ilc'1 (,11 i i��y ��H �� l ��ll��i" u vr4�ii i .�� lM�ll il�� rl Y PP' p �� ' ,�h��u�"��r�� , ��i��,� , l�d � � ��„ un r � ��9 � r , ��G V S to be passing by � ��,�,��r u��l��ir�n,��r;�Hw��: �; ��,��4�� .l i 7{ ia il�qi�r i il i any of these car- � �F��,�� 1��i��ul�ti� �� ON petS Of g2'eell, ��vr��ii�Nda��i��N✓�m��' i V� llrr i rl l 4/u I�1�� v NATURE ta1C0111110 t0 ��;�n n+'�, yv> ti � ; ��, � �� , "r �l�i � ��v+� � f �v �qy��y"fid � �!��i�v�� T i'��n �� 1tl y i ri '�yM'�� slow up and look , W r �,� ��u�y" � ,�� , �,�� / �� by Paul �. � .,� � �1� � ,�-t„uy them over. [ � � �� ; ti ��,�� Stoutenburgh � �� a � � � � _ know it's diffi- �'�,"°�� ; � ,i' '�� cult to recognize � r � � � �'-�'� c�� these little visitors,for they all blend '� '� � 1�� , '� � "Rw , �" in so well with the earthy back- � � - N � ' ��, ,; grounds. It's hard to pick them out, , '� ' ` � � �yxu�-, but just to see them gives me hope to „ � ' � ' � think these little creatures have made � �" , � �, �,W � � � ,� it from the Arctic,where they nested, ' � �, all the way back here.They're now � � � �, Rw k ��,�� ",�� rcplenishing themselves with insects � �� `� a� �� and worms.Then it's off on the next fl � � � % � � �� `` �� f , a � „ � , Icg of their journey,somewhere down s , � � a in Delaware or Georgia or Florida, � � ; � � � � ; ya,� ,��,�� and some will even cross the ,�� , � f" � � �� Caribbean. Remember,it's easy to , � �, '� ��, check these sod farms whenever r' ° ' � � � �� r��%�Fti ��,�� yqu're out. . �" , p,�,"4 i� "i ��ti,;%�, � ,. The cooler weather slowed the but- � ;,:;, �,/;u�;, �;,,� terflies down.I see only an occasional ' �� monarch on my butterfly bushes now. %� �� There are just a few blossoms lei't to tempt them as they stop by to enjoy °��;'� the nectar.We've seen some warblers, those small,colorful birds that pass ��' ,X IIIT'OUgh OUI'aT08 CaC�1 SUTT1Ille]"at]C� Tlmes/Heview pholo by 13arbara S(ou(cnburGh fall.We had a black-throated bluc One of the rewards of living near our creeks is the eels found warbler stop by the house for a drink there. Spearing at night with a light can be a lot of fun or a al our fishpond,and a pine warbler disaster. It all depends on your ability to choose the right madc; a quick stop at the picnic tablc. time, the right place and the right spear. So kcep your eyes out for some of thesc colorful warblers on their way south. It's lhesc little mini-adventures Barbara and I take that make it A siciclinc c� s��cttring at night is the widc varicty of marinc life yo�i worthwhilc going shop- see while out on the water.Often ping or for a doctor's you'll see bill eels—green eels mcas appointment or on somc uring 12 ind�es or longer,with long other errand that lets us bills—that swim near the surface ��f Ycars hack, in my gct away from the endlcss the water.I remember when we went youtll,wc oftcn went ccl- routine of everyday lifc. � snapper fishing these bill eels werc ing,and one night I When we go we always . c;xperts at stealing our bait. Every speared an 11 1/2 pound try to take thc back roads once in a while+we'd hook one and weaki`ish.You never can and check here and there then we'd see close up that long bill tell wl�at you'll see and along the way.`I�ey often with its needle-sharp teeth that that's what makes it so worthwhile. produce a bit of outcloor snapped away at us as we tried to 'I'here's always the chance that in cntertainment. unhook it.We never did try to eat the low water you might bump into Wc spoke oP geCting them,but I don't know why they some submerged object,and that crabs last week when my wouldn't be good. catches the t'ellow up in the bow with son and I went firelight- Then there's the multitude of little the spear and light off balance. ing.This week it was eels fish you see,including silversides,or Remember,he's just standing up there and the sudden sto to les —smoked,at that.When spearing,as we used to call them. p pp you go eeling at night Often we'd see them la in with a him,spear and all,into the water. In there are three things little floating object in the all we've had great times in our necessary for success: water.They'd jump ovcr creeks,so take advantage of them. cicar water,a fairly low it,back and forth. IYs out there for you to enjoy,just get tide and no wind. Put Occasionally you'll sEe out and do it. But let's get back to those three together and small stripers and at this the eels we caught this weck... you've got thc ingredients ti�ne of the year you'll see When you get the eels home you for a good night of eeling. snappers that are pretty have to dean them and,iP you have Of course,you have to nice size. If you get up �ver tried cleaning an eel while it's have a good light of some into the head��aters oC the Still alive,it becomes quite a chal- sart and a good sand crcek where the water is lenge. Once again,a persuader slows spear.Ours is the type more brackish,you'll find them down a bit.When you re going that has just straight wh.ite perch.These are to smoke them,you merely gut them prongs on a seven-inch good eating and we occa- and soak them overnight in a brine bar that's attached to a sionally take them and solution of half kosher salt and hali' 12-foot wooden handle. smoke them along wi[h brown sugar.Some people put herbs The pointed prortgs are the eels.The one that fas- �n as well. about an eighth of an cinates us all is the mantis �e next morning,after I have a inch in diameter.It's on shrimp.These three-to- fire going in the smokehouse,the ecls these that the eels get six-inch or longer bottom- are taken out of the brine,dried and caught.When you bring dwellers are often seen deslimed.We hang them up using S the eel into the boat it's resting just inside their hooks I made out of heavy wire.Then not too happy.It winds holcs,waiting for a we let them cook and smoke for the itself around the spear passerby,which they rest of the day. By that 1 mean we and,if it's big enough,it pounce on with their heat�them up pretty well to start,so will wrap itseli'up the handle. sharp,pointed mandibles. they're cooked.Then,once they're The next job is to get the eel ol�l' You don't want to pick cooked,we let them hang in the the spear. It's always smart to bring one of these up becausc smoke over a smoldering l�ire.We use along a"persuader"to knock them they have the ability t�� hickory ar cherry wood to add flavor, o1�f,hopefully into the bucket.The snap quickly with thc �i��d I have plenty of both. By after- bucket has to be deep enough so they sharp appendages on noon they're a golden brown.Of can't get out Many an eel has gotten their body,which can course I always have to taste one to out on me and squirmcd around the inflict a really painful make sure it's cooked.That's the best bottom of the boat,making every- wound.So if you evcr get �'ay to enjoy smoked eels—hot out thing slippery and slimy. Ever try a mantis shrimp in your ��the smoker. ��icking up an agitatcd ccl'?That's a net or on your s��car,hc st��ry in it�cll�. careful.