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Name: Vicky
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Question:
I have only saw this happen once fishing when a kid and never seen it again. It was a fish like snake looking creature with these red eyes that got hooked while fishing in Mississippi River in SE Minnesota. I have seen eels and this looked like a snake it wrapped itself around a rock and on shore and broke line and flew back in water . Do you have any idea what it was? Those red eyes I remember well as snake look.

Replies:
Vicky,

I am fairly certain that this is the American eel. It's larger eyes will reflect red under the right light conditions much like a camera flash to humans in photographs. The behavior you describe is conducive to this species.

Steve Sample

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