conger antics

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#1 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:49 pm

have had around 8 runs in the last week from i suspect to be conger, but cant seem to hook one, dropped the hook size to 5/0 from 8/0 to no avail and the bait size, apart from the fact im clueless when it comes to these guys can and i jynx the conger king when he comes along, can anyone advise me when to strike or what to do in general?

paulocallaghan · #2 Post by **paulocallaghan** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:55 pm

its a fine balance between giving the fish enough gtime to swallow the hook and giving him enough time to find a hole...... if you can get the balance right i think ul do ok.

could even try dropping 2 smaller hooks again. try a 3/0 or something. should still get a conger and if it turns out to be something else you have a better chance of a hookup

#3 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:59 pm

thanks for that paul, their doin me nut, a few times they went back in the hole, i pulled the bait out of their gobs and got it stuck in there loosing me gear :shock:

paulocallaghan · #4 Post by **paulocallaghan** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:04 pm

where were you fishing?? was it all rough ground or mixed?? could it have been something else??

#5 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:07 pm

not sure im convinced they where fish crabs, wouldn't pull the ratchet of like that, the ground is thick kelp along a pier wall

paulocallaghan · #6 Post by **paulocallaghan** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:22 pm

could you have been caught in kelp that was moving in the current?? prob was a conger. hope you get one soon to tick it off the list

#7 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:27 pm

paulocallaghan wrote:could you have been caught in kelp that was moving in the current??

probably was and the others where too polite to say that,

#8 Post by **Ronald** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:30 pm

swimmer crabs can give you a good run ,they grab the bait and leg it . I wouldn't drop the hook size to much if your certain its conger ,they just inhale the bait half the time and a small bait will go well down the hatch :lol: have you tried using pouting or poorcod as bait ,they can work very well if the fish are being pickie , also I'd try to hit them as soon as you get a run if possible ,if you miss them set the rod back down and wait 5 mins before checking the bait ,in case it comes back for another go .

#9 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:34 pm

tried whiting

#10 Post by **alannelson** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:35 pm

let it have 2 pulls at the ratchet just to make sure then bang let him have it pump it up don't mess about good luck :lol:

#11 Post by **eric** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:41 pm

there only one way to find out if their conger, a dept charge along the wall should do the trick, coming to think about won't need worry about striking them either anymore, thanks lads :D

#12 Post by **Adam S** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:00 pm

why dont you try float fishing and suspending the bait just off bottom out of the reach of shore crabs

very sensitive method to pick up shy congers, i had one session a while back with three congers of 18,20 and 21lbs to the float while three bottom rods blanked

#13 Post by **samo** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:09 pm

eric ,

last year we caught them down the back of the west they were literally coming out of the water for the bait no messing we left a mackeral head on the kelp and a conger came up and took it. the best method we found for catching them was to float fish the bait it gives you a bit more time before the conger gets back down into the hole.