There are only two genuine species of eels which anglers in the UK encounter – the silver eel and the conger eel. True eel species can be identified by their elongated body, a single fin that continues around the tail and the slimy, scaleless skin. Sandeels, eelpout and other eel-like creatures (such as wolfish, rockling and hake) are all fish species and not true eels. However, there are a few other species of genuine eel found in UK waters (such as the slender snipe eel and spiny eel species) which live at extreme depths and are never encountered by anglers.
