Ive seen some wierd stuff written about eel fishing. On the lower severn belowe Gloucester where I was dragged up we fished for Eels with 9 ft rods size 8 hooks and 10ib line simple rigs lead tied on with a bit of string to the main line(lead from the local church roof was fave) the flowe was always very fast until just before the tide, that was the time to fish for the big eels. the biggest I ever got was just under 6lb, you could get plenty of bootlaces up to a couple of pound anytime. And of cource we went elvering in late winter when the bore was on, at night you hade to be quick up the bank when the wave was due as that was when you caught the biggest net full of elvers, many the time I dived up the bank with tha waters tugging at my heels half drunk on scrumpy usuelly.
)