Striped bass bite eels because eels are a threat, invasive, not because stripers are hungry, a charter captain said to me.

How do you know? I asked.

He was silent.

A threat to what? Eggs or something?

Yeah, he mumbled, and changed the subject.

No matter the reason, stripers bite eels.

Daddy Mac Lures introduced its 12-inch Viper Eel in recent years, and the 6-incher this past year.

The action is the thing.

But don’t take my word for it: Watch a video.

The lure's swimming looks alive, and that's largely because of the joints.

The 12-incher, fast sinking, features 11 splits, and the 6-incher, slow sinking, has seven.

The lures clack, they rattle.

They're available in several colors.

These patented hard lures are part of the company's Viper series of jointed lures that include sunfish, trout, minnows and more, even a chain pickerel.

They're something.

The joints, by the way, are connected with Kevlar, a strong synthetic fabric.

At press time, Daddy Mac was also about to debut 12-inch floating and 9-inch sinking Viper Eels at the New England Fishing & Outdoor Expo from Jan. 27-29.

The company also makes a top-water lure, a glide bait, swimmers, many different metal jigs, soft-plastics, and blade baits, including a blade for ice fishing.

One of the metal jigs is even jointed.

Anyway, eels.

How do I know stripers bite eels?

I’m not answering that.

Maybe the captain just thought my questions were silly.

For more info, visit Daddy Mac’s website.