Conger from the shore - Recommendations?

[Portland Jon]

I would love to catch a conger, probably fill my pants if I hook one. I hooked a sizable one in Chesil Cove last year but lost it after 20 minutes, not suprising as I was using standard beach gear. I live on Portland and am thinking of trying the rocks off the Bill. Can I use an old beachcaster and uprate everything or should I get a cheap boat rod and cast short?

Thanks

Portland Jon

[pixybasher]

I use a powerful beachcatser and a diawa sl30sh loaded with 20lb line.
Its probably a bit light actually but thats what I use.
You can use a boat rod cos i have done from the end of the break water last year.The only trouble is its a bit short for casting, but you can still get a good bait out 20 yards or so.
Good luck.

[devondave]

i have a greys orion and a penn 525 mag and ive landed em on that..the thing i found with them was hit the bites early and wind like hell for the first part of the fight..once you have em up off the bottom your laughing

[Olde Danny]

I DO NOT BELEIVE IT !!
As i've stated i'm a former member of the grey funnel line (RN) and having fished all over the world my best conger have come from Portland Dockyard. If you can fish anywhere in the dockyard go for it, and DON'T give-em a chance. The best place was near those weird concrete blocks, but not over the top of em. I used an 8' rod, old mithch.. multiplier reel - 120lb multiplatt line - 100lb plastic coated wire trace with as light a running lead as possible. On the buisness end was a day or two old herring held on by two hooks , one through the eye of the other with the sharp end facing the opp. way. OHH you minght want a few keep fit classes first.. those things don't give in easy especialy if you let em backup into a/their hole.

Best of luck..

P.S. .. it's a good few years since i was there so they should be even bigger by now!!

[Devon Born & Dorset Bred]

My mates Grandad was a portlander and would go to the right of pulpit and fish for conger but would only use a hand line!!! Mackerel as bait and a good size hook! But he was a quarryman, with hands like shovels & as tough as rhino skin!!!

[iowangler]

hi fella`s i live on the isle of wight and this is what i use for my conger bashing, i use a pair of grey pz300t`s and a pair of 525`s with 0.40 teklon
and 80lb leader, a pully rig and a new type of wire and a pair of owner hooks in a size to match your bait, pout, squid, cuttle, mackrel,etc,
this is the tackle i use and had a few up to 40lb and a few suprise bass taking eel baits upto 10lb,
dont be put of using a big bait as i lost a BIG EEL a while back on a pout that took a squid bait that was a pound and a half lost it at the gaff my mate said it was a very good fish
hope this helps

[rigmaster]

Originally Posted by pixybasher

I use a powerful beachcatser and a diawa sl30sh loaded with 20lb line.
Its probably a bit light actually but thats what I use.
You can use a boat rod cos i have done from the end of the break water last year.The only trouble is its a bit short for casting, but you can still get a good bait out 20 yards or so.
Good luck.

i use the same setup as u mate with the beachcaster and sl30sh, do u use an axxelerator rod?

[rigmaster]

Originally Posted by iowangler

hi fella`s i live on the isle of wight and this is what i use for my conger bashing, i use a pair of grey pz300t`s and a pair of 525`s with 0.40 teklon
and 80lb leader, a pully rig and a new type of wire and a pair of owner hooks in a size to match your bait, pout, squid, cuttle, mackrel,etc,
this is the tackle i use and had a few up to 40lb and a few suprise bass taking eel baits upto 10lb,
dont be put of using a big bait as i lost a BIG EEL a while back on a pout that took a squid bait that was a pound and a half lost it at the gaff my mate said it was a very good fish
hope this helps

ye mate i find cuttle is the best bait because its really tough and rubbery so the crabs cant get at it and providin u dont have a bite it can stay on ya hook for ages!

[steve devon]

Agree with pixybasher apart from the 20lb line part need heavier to bully em in!

[rigmaster]

wots the conger shore record?