Sand Eels are a favorite baitfish of fisherman in the North Atlantic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Three species of Lance-fish inhabit these waters: the American Sand Lance, Ammodytes americanus; the Northern Sand Lance, Ammodytes dubuis; and the Pacific Sand Lance, Ammodytes hexapterus. All are very similar in appearance having long cylindrical bodies that resemble Eels. Their bellies are always white. Their sides are silver-grey and some times pink. Their backs range from the most common color black, to brown, olive, and blue-green. All have a pointed conical head with a protruding lower jaw and they all grow to a length of about six inches.

Sand Lances are schoolers that inhabit the shallow sandy areas of the shoreline and can bury themselves quickly, snout first, to escape being eaten by predators. Sand Eels are often dug up by people searching for clams in the intertidal areas of sandy shorelines. Sand Lances are used to catch a variety of fish; Striper Bass, Fluke, Artic Char, Coho Salmon, Mackerel, and other gamefish. They are hardy baitfishes that are used both alive and dead.

The following patterns were created to imitate the entire color spectrum of Sand Eels. They can be tied larger or smaller by differing the length of material and size of hook and eyes. They can be made heavier or lighter by using different styles of eyes. For heavier patterns, the Spirit River Real-Eyes can be replaced with the Spirit River I-Balz. I-Balz is a round dumbbell instead of the hourglass shape and is about twice the weight for the same size of Real-Eye. For lighter patterns Aluminum Deep See Eyes by Spirit River can be used instead of Real-Eyes. Deep See Eyes are hourglass shaped and about half the weight of Real-Eyes.

Black/Silver Sand Eel

Shape: A slender cylindrical fish.

Size: Adults are 4”-7” long.

Hook: Mustad #33903, #2-#6.

Thread: Gray, 8/0 Uni-Thread .

Eye: Nickel or Black, Real-Eye by Spirit River, 1/4” for #2 hook, 7/32” for #4 hook, 3/16” for hook.

Eye Insert: Abalone Shell, Pearl White, or Priz Silver, 3-D Molded Stick–On Eye by Spirit River.

Tail: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Body: Silver Bodi-Braid by Spirit River.

Lower Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Upper Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River. Snout or Change of Thread: Black, 8/0 Uni-Thread.

Belly: White Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Back: Black Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Black/Pink Sand Eel

Shape: A slender cylindrical fish.

Size: Adults are 4”-7” long.

Hook: Mustad #33903, #2-#6.

Thread: Pink, 8/0 Uni-Thread .

Eye: Nickel or Black, Real-Eye by Spirit River, 1/4” for #2 hook, 7/32” for #4 hook, 3/16” for hook.

Eye Insert: Abalone Shell, Pearl White, or Priz Silver, 3-D Molded Stick–On Eye by Spirit River.

Tail: Prawn Pink, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Body: Silver Bodi-Braid by Spirit River.

Lower Sides: Prawn Pink, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Upper Sides: Prawn Pink, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Snout or Change of Thread: Black, 8/0 Uni-Thread.

Belly: White Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Back: Black Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Brown/Silver Sand Eel

Shape: A slender cylindrical fish.

Size: Adults are 4”-7” long.

Hook: Mustad #33903, #2-#6.

Thread: Gray, 8/0 Uni-Thread .

Eye: Gold, Real-Eye by Spirit River, 1/4” for #2 hook, 7/32” for #4 hook, 3/16” for hook.

Eye Insert: Abalone Shell, 3-D Molded Stick–On Eye by Spirit River.

Tail: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Body: Silver Bodi-Braid by Spirit River.

Lower Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Upper Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Snout or Change of Thread: Camel, 8/0 Uni-Thread.

Belly: White Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Back: Brown Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Olive/Silver Sand Eel

Shape: A slender cylindrical fish.

Size: Adults are 4”-7” long.

Hook: Mustad #33903, #2-#6.

Thread: Gray, 8/0 Uni-Thread .

Eye: Gold, Real-Eye by Spirit River, 1/4” for #2 hook, 7/32” for #4 hook, 3/16” for hook.

Eye Insert: Abalone Shell, 3-D Molded Stick–On Eye by Spirit River.

Tail: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Body: Silver Bodi-Braid by Spirit River.

Lower Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Upper Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Snout or Change of Thread: Olive, 8/0 Uni-Thread.

Belly: White Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Back: Olive Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Sea Blue/Silver Sand Eel

Shape: A slender cylindrical fish.

Size: Adults are 4”-7” long.

Hook: Mustad #33903, #2-#6.

Thread: Gray, 8/0 Uni-Thread .

Eye: Nickel, Real-Eye by Spirit River, 1/4” for #2 hook, 7/32” for #4 hook, 3/16” for hook.

Eye Insert: Abalone Shell, 3-D Molded Stick–On Eye by Spirit River.

Tail: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Body: Silver Bodi-Braid by Spirit River.

Lower Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Upper Sides: Grey, Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Snout or Change of Thread: Light Blue, 8/0 Uni-Thread.

Belly: White Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.

Back: Sea Blue Fluoro Fibre by Spirit River.