Flounder.—­The other is the flounder (Pleuronectes flesus), the only flat-fish which ascends British rivers.  It is common a long way up such rivers as the Severn, far above tidal influence, and it will take almost any flesh-bait used on the bottom.  A flounder of 1 lb is, in a river, a large one, but heavier examples are sometimes caught.

Eel.—­The eel (Anguilla vulgaris) is regarded by the angler more as a nuisance than a sporting fish, but when of considerable size (and it often reaches a weight of 8 lb or more) it is a splendid fighter and stronger than almost any fish that swims.  Its life history has long been disputed, but it is now accepted that it breeds in the sea and ascends rivers in its youth.  It is found practically everywhere, and its occurrence in isolated ponds to which it has never been introduced by human agency has given rise to a theory that it travels overland as well as by water.  The best baits for eels are worms and small fish, and the best time to use them is at night or in thundery or very wet weather.

Sea Angling.

Sea angling is attended by almost as many refinements of tackle and method as fresh-water angling.  The chief differences are differences of locality and the habits of the fish.  To a certain extent sea angling may also be divided into three classes—­fishing on the surface with the fly, at mid-water with spinning or other bait, and on the bottom; but the first method is only practicable at certain times and in certain places, and the others, from the great depths that often have to be sounded and the heavy weights that have to be used in searching them, necessitate shorter and stouter rods, larger reels and stronger tackle than fresh-water anglers employ.  Also, of course, the sea-fisherman is liable to come into conflict with very large fish occasionally.  In British waters the monster usually takes the form of a skate or halibut.  A specimen of the former weighing 194 lb has been landed off the Irish coast with rod and line in recent years.  In American waters there is a much greater opportunity of catching fish of this calibre.

Great Game Fishes.—­There are several giants of the sea which are regularly pursued by American anglers, chief among them being the tarpon (Tarpon atlanticus) and the tuna or tunny (Thunnus thynnus), which have been taken on rod and line up to 223 lb and 251 lb respectively.  Jew-fish and black sea-bass of over 400 lb have been taken on rod and line, and there are many other fine sporting fish of large size which give the angler exciting hours on the reefs of Florida, or the coasts of California, Texas or Mexico.  Practically all of them are taken with a fish-bait either live or dead, and used stationary on the bottom or in mid-water trailed behind a boat.