Conger fishing.

S

Sea_Troot

Well-known member
looking to do a bit conger fishing but knw very little about it or them. i know wire traces or 100lb thick mono traces are a must and know a little about baits.

can anyone tell me is there anywhere near our shores we can target them such as eyemouth st abbs or some of the heavy rock marks up northumberland.

tactics, tackle rigs and best time of year etc would be great, really want to add one of these to the species list this year.

cheers ben
 
Hi.
I wouldnt bother on the north east coat mate, not to say they arnt there, but you would be much better of driving over to the mull of galloway. pm sent:)
 
Conger

Conger

Have fished for conger up the Mull but never tried fishing for them on the East coast, but it doesn't say that they are not there.The gear I use is a Shimano Aerlex fixed spool filled with 80lb line and an old Daiwa Sea Harrier beach caster, the business end is 60lb line with an 8/0 hook fitted with a rotten bottom.I also found that if I put whole mackeral fillets on the conger would lie on the bait and strip the meat off the fillet only to be left with the skin.Last year I cut the macky fillet into 2" squares about 6 pieces and threaded it onto the hook flesh to flesh, this resulted in a cracking take with the rod bent double, but after a struggle got caught in the kelp and lost the fish.Also leave your reel on the ratchet as the eels pick up the bait and gently swim off, this is the time to strike put pressure on the eel and wind as fast as you can. This is exciting fishing and gets the adrenalin rushing. Good luck in your search.
I have caught them from June onwards.
 
Sea_Troot said:
looking to do a bit conger fishing but knw very little about it or them. i know wire traces or 100lb thick mono traces are a must and know a little about baits.

can anyone tell me is there anywhere near our shores we can target them such as eyemouth st abbs or some of the heavy rock marks up northumberland.

tactics, tackle rigs and best time of year etc would be great, really want to add one of these to the species list this year.

cheers ben
Click to expand...

only fished 4 them once m8, 1984, pembroke, wales. defo wire trace, we bought the rigs local, the bait was a whole fish, can`t remember the name, if not mistakin something like a whole bluey/herring. it was great sport, the one`s a got were 3 to 4 foot long, fought great (a was 14 at the time). a do remember a local lad up the dock got a 7 footer while a was there, it tried to eat the dock. ! . would love to do it again m8, good luck.
 
thanls for replies chaps i just want to catch one as i know they put up one hell of a fight, i know they not there tail in rocks/snags so you need a decent strike to get them. i have a trip to mull in 8 weeks so will be targeting them there hopefully i get one even a small one will do me.
 
I've seen more than one conger brought in from the cliffs behind Dunstanburgh castle and another NESA forum member tells me he has witnessed ling caught at the same venue, and I believe him.

I used to experiment now and then fishing a heavy rig with a big mackerel bait while I was float fishing or spinning up there, and several times I have had savage takes and a couple of seriously scary rod-bending hook-ups which resulted in lost fish both times, either due to the rig snagging or the trace being chewed through. Every time I've had a hit like that it has been when I've lobbed the rig out maybe 50 yards or so rather than fishing close in. I keep meaning to speak to some of the divers who frequent the area to get a better mental picture of what lies beneath.

I don't think they are as common as we would like but they are up there, and lads I know who regularly fish Eyemouth and St Abbs have reported them too.

Biggest shore-caught conger I ever caught was at Kirkcudbright harbour off the jetty. I have a photo of it somewhere - I was about 13 years old and its tail trailed on the ground while I held its head up near my shoulder. Nearly crapped myself when I was trying to get the damned thing in - especially when I saw what it was.

My mum still reminisces about that one :D
 
Persues said:
I've seen more than one conger brought in from the cliffs behind Dunstanburgh castle and another NESA forum member tells me he has witnessed ling caught at the same venue, and I believe him.

I used to experiment now and then fishing a heavy rig with a big mackerel bait while I was float fishing or spinning up there, and several times I have had savage takes and a couple of seriously scary rod-bending hook-ups which resulted in lost fish both times, either due to the rig snagging or the trace being chewed through. Every time I've had a hit like that it has been when I've lobbed the rig out maybe 50 yards or so rather than fishing close in. I keep meaning to speak to some of the divers who frequent the area to get a better mental picture of what lies beneath.

I don't think they are as common as we would like but they are up there, and lads I know who regularly fish Eyemouth and St Abbs have reported them too.

Biggest shore-caught conger I ever caught was at Kirkcudbright harbour off the jetty. I have a photo of it somewhere - I was about 13 years old and its tail trailed on the ground while I held its head up near my shoulder. Nearly crapped myself when I was trying to get the damned thing in - especially when I saw what it was.

My mum still reminisces about that one :D
Click to expand...

dying to catch one i know you can get them up eyemouth etc but i have a few species on my list this year, decent bass, plaice and a nice conger and a good pollack hopefully will get all four with my trip to the mull.

Barry i was just thinking before i started this thread that dunstunburgh castle would be a good shot for them, i am sure they will be there its just rights bait and rigs.
 
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would love to fish for them myself but the eels from the Tyne freak me out, no way id go near a conger unless i just cut the hook off, which I wouldn't like to do.
 
URGH not for me like, did you see that program where the bloke used to dive and feed this one conger with his bare hands. One time he was feeding it and it accidently took his thumb off, they have this funny extra set of teeth that come from down the throat that latch onto food/prey.

Ok on googling it was a moray eel lol, still though.

moray eats thumb - YouTube
 
Conger fishing

Conger fishing

Sea_Troot said:
looking to do a bit conger fishing but knw very little about it or them. i know wire traces or 100lb thick mono traces are a must and know a little about baits.

can anyone tell me is there anywhere near our shores we can target them such as eyemouth st abbs or some of the heavy rock marks up northumberland.

tactics, tackle rigs and best time of year etc would be great, really want to add one of these to the species list this year.

cheers ben
Click to expand...

Congers are more for wrecks and rocky areas in the deep as that was the last place i caught one off wrecks and they are ferocious things and yes need wire trace okay :cool::cool::cool::cool:
 
west coast of scotland (mouth of the river coe )about 20 years ago i caught my one and only conger only a bairn it was have to say the hardest fish ive ever caught fought like a fat lass with a hand on a maccy ds but the best tasting fish ive ever had
 
am gona try dunstabrough castle for 1 myself this year or a ling be nice t get some new pbs this year got my cod 1 last year but am a bit limted t what i can carry on the mountain bike but av got my eye on a nice 20/30lb 4piece boat rod t give it a go with my slosh 30
 
Fish for them when we go to Ireland. Used wire traces at first but if they get into a spin they'll be knacked. Found 100lb mono to be better. Just fish a 3ft length to a heavy swivel and then bead and ball lead on 40lb mainline. That's just fishing at your feet though, then hang on for the fight. 6/0 - 8/0 viking or similar and side of mackerel. We take the sides off and use head, guts and tail for another bait so three baits out of one fish. The head etc doesn't seem to make any difference to a fillet.

P1030521.jpg


Best I've had about 17.5lb

Last year we lost bigger ones which pulled like hell. Experimented with circle hooks but think I pulled back early as it pulled the fillet off. Leave the reel on ratchet until you get a bit of action, let them have time to take the bait, as they move off hit them and watch your jewels :o
 
Got talking to ones of the guys in Hardy's in Alnwick. As I recall he said he had conger from Craster harbor night fishing
 

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