When you catch an eel, are you not supoosed to touch with your hands?

Question

I was fishing in the Connecticut River today, and a man caught an eel. He didn't touch it and tried to kill it. Will it sting you? What will eels do? It also looked pissed.

Answer 1

An Eel has teeth and therefore can bite you. Nature had to give it some type of self defense for it to survive. I would not touch an Eel the same as I would not intentionally touch a Stingray. The man should have just cut his line and let it go. Ignorance is the reason for the killing of both sea and land creatures.