How to Catch Conger
A beginners guide to conger fishing
Best location
All around the british and irish coastSeason
Generally speaking conger can be caught year round from offshore wrecks, conger can also be caught inshore between May and October when the weather starts to warm.Fishing grounds
Conger like hiding places such as wrecks, rocky areas, deep holes, under piers and jettys, alongside harbour walls and breakwaters.They generally stay put unless forced out by cold water, growing to big for the hiding spots or if a passing fish takes there fancy then returning to there homes until the next unsuspecting fish swims past!
Best bait
Fish baits work best either whole live or fresh or large fillets of fish such as mackerel, Pollock, whiting and pouting. A well known good bait is a mackerel flapper which consists of a whole mackerel with the back bone and fin cut off leaving the head and two fillets flapping, hence the term flapper.
Also you can use squid and cuttlefish for conger bait
Methods and rigs to use:
Shore fishingRunning ledger rig with a wire trace for the snood these eels have teeth and will tear through mono. Lead is obviously dependant on tide, Hook size 6/0 - 8/0 is essential and you want a really strong hook as these beasts pack a hook bending punch!!
Boat fishing
The same as shore a running ledger rig with a wire trace. The hook size should be 6/0 - 8/0
Hints and Tips
1. Live mackerel on a long flowing wire trace is a killer bait for big conger2. Head as far offshore as you dare try and find features in deep water for monsters!
3. As soon as you have hooked into the fish keep the line taught and try and get it off the seabed asap they are know to dive back to there holes and anchor themselves in meaning you have no chance of getting it out!!!
4. Oily fish are the most effective
5. The biggest conger come from the English channel and there are rumours of 300lb + fish!!
6. They are great tasting fish but are becoming very rare so if you insist on eating one try and go for a 20lb - 30lb fish!
