Do freshwater eels ever travel overland?

Question

I know they travel up rivers, but how do they reach freshwater ponds not apparently connected to a river?

I don't know anyone who has ever seen one travel overland, and it seems absurd that a fish would do so.

Answer 1

Yes they do.

Answer 2

yes

and I have seen it too

It is done during the dark, and (at the time I saw it) was shortly after rain had fallen.

{up near flatford on the Essex/suffolk border}

Answer 3

Usually has to be wet or raining but yes they do travel overland.

http://calamvalecreek.awardspace.com/elw...

Answer 4

It depends on the species of eel. Some eels (and several other types of fish, like bettas) can breath air and survive out of water as long as they're in a moist environment and do not dry out. Eels can also crawl along the ground like a snake if they need to, and can recognize bodies of water and crawl towards them. I once caught a big eel of some kind, dropped it when removing it from the hook, and it easily slithered along the shore and found its way back into the lake. So if you have a bunch of muddy puddles between large bodies of water and it's nice and cool outside, they would have no problem working their way overland for short distances.