Boat rod V's beachcaster for conger

[Norfolk and Goode]

Hi folks, just looking a bit of info.

What is the best option for handling conger?

A strong beach caster or something like a 50lb boat rod. I'm aware that normally you do not need to cast far to catch them. I was looking at both an uptide rod 6-10ozs or even a 30-50 pirker for ease of use on the likes of a pier.

[Drew]

I'm going to say Boat Rod For Safety here, But saying that, Maybe Consider an Uptider, For those Situations where you have to Lob a bait a Bit of Distance, But still need some Grunt for Bullying Eels. 8)

[beachcaster]

as you know if a conger can wrap its tail around anything then there is very little chance of moveing it at all,either rod will do the job but if you go for a beachcaster make sure it is fairly stiff so the conger cant take much line as its the first 10/20 feet that are the most important.in som where like a harbour i would use a boat rod or uptider,anywhere else the beachcaster.hope this helps john

[BigPhil]

a big stiff ignorant beachcaster!itll give you that wee bit move leverage on the fish and more give if it decides to run off or down on you mid fight.

[Norfolk and Goode]

Thanks lads for the info.

I have a Abu suveran sport 4-8oz beach caster. It's like a brush shaft with a reducer incorporated into the handle. I think that might be the way to go?

[Lee337]

It depends where you are fishing for them and what size you think you may catch.

I use a beachcaster for 99% of my shore Conger work and it's only in a few places where either space is restricted or very large eels have been taken that I would go down the boat rod option.

A shorter rod will give you more leverage against the fish but not as much control to guide it round rocks etc as you try to land it.

I fish this way as I think that Congers are one of the few species left that can be caught fairly easily from the shore and prefer to give them a chance to show what a great fight they can put up. :shock:

The one thing I would say is that when fishing for Congers I never use stainless hooks and flatten the barb slightly to ease unhooking.


Lee

[glengormley-gavin]

N&G,

you've really got the Conger Bug!!!! I assume this is from the mark we talked about last night?

If you are going down to that mark, give me a shout and we can team up....

GG

[Donagh]

One thing mentioned to me about longer rods up in a rod rest is they can have more give than a boat rod left on the rocks so the conger aren't spooked. The likes of the SL30s rachet can be stiff and I've heard of rods being lost of the clare rocks when they were left down with the rachet on. One other advantage of the longer rod is the first lift or strike into the fish can be bigger to get them away from the sea floor and obstructions. Being able to keep a conger that extra few feet from a pier wall as mentioned is also a factor.

Donagh

[kieran]

Donagh

Good points about moving the fish with a longer rod, uptider seems the logical solution...

If someone lost their rod off the rocks because the rachet was stiff (I have an SL30 and use it for the congers off a boat rod) it was because they had the drag set far too high. You can wedge the rod into most rock marks to give it some purchase.... Whether it is on a rod rest or wedged into a cleft, if you are leaving any rod to fish unattended, maybe setting the rachet on and dialing the drag right back practically to zero is best?

Now I know that it might take you a few seconds to spin the drag up either on a multiplier or a fixed spool, and in conger fishing the first few seconds can be vital, but how many of us strike at congers on the first run (where all you might achieve is to pull the bait out of its mouth)... I think the proper question is: is it better to lose a fish than lose the rod!?! :?

I have a limited budget, one I have to sneak past the financial controller - I know which option I would prefer...

FWIW...

[Donagh]

I'd have to clarify that and say the cases I heard were when the rods weren't wedged into the rocks. For pier fishing I use an old mitchel 600 reel (which is to slow with a 3:1 ratio for the rocks) where the rachet is very light and the pull can be set by the end cap tention. With this reel I can leave leave the rod on the pier deck for the maximium room to lift into a fish. I wouldn't do that with my SL30 without it being secured. The only disadvantage is watching to make sure the rod doesn't get walked on by some dog walker in the darkness.

Donagh

[Rockhopper]

If your fishing for anything that can whip your rod out of the stand and take it out to sea then you need to have the drag set right and if the reel has one the ratchet also.

I always carry a lanyard, about 10ft long made from strong cord with a quick release clip (like what you see on a Kidney Harness) on each end, if your an angler this thing has many uses.

Clip the Conga rod to anything you can with enough weight to hold it safe, even your ankle if need be, that's how the Hawaiians fish from the shore and they get bigger species than we will ever get.

This is needed more if your fishing 2 rods, and more likely than not an angler would need to fish 2 rods, if one was set-up for Conga, otherwise he will get mighty bored waiting for Mr Black to knock.

btw......I would recommend an up-tide rod on either piers, jetties or rock marks for Conga fishing, if you don't have one, I would go for a longer boat rod, say 9ft plus.

Tom.

[Norfolk and Goode]

All good advice lads, way too go!! This forum is Fantastic. 8) :wink:


Thanks

[pete]

I normally use my beachcaster for them, the extra length comes in really useful in the latter stages of the fight when trying to steer them to where your going to land the eel.

Good point Lee about flattening the barb and not using stainless hooks. Congers are great fish and it really is a shame not to treat them as carefully as possible. For all their supposed toughness they really have a nasty habit of bleeding from the gill area when handled roughly which no doubt lessens their chance of full recovery.

Pete

[BigPhil]

the bigger beachcasters should suit this, the likes of the conoflx nemesis premier/anubis plus, greys nitra/apollo, zziplex xtr's /lt14's etc even the abu suveran xp, they are all built with big fish and rough ground in mind, they should shift the big stuff!look at the magazines and see what the guys use who target and specialise in congers, big rays ,cod etc around wales,north east england and the river tamar in devon etc use.