To gaff or not to gaff congers?

[Norfolk and Goode]

A question about Gaffs.

Do I or don't I?? And where is the best place to grab a conger with a gaff if I do as not to inflict too much damage?

I have a gaff at present that is telescopic for ease if transport. My concern is, the gaff has a screw in gaff hook and also the handle, you have to twist, extend and then twist again to lock. Is this type of gaff any good? I know congers can twist and I've also heard that some congers can twist the head off. Would this be a regular occurance?

If this type of gaff is really useless for conger can you please recommend one that is strong and reliable to purchase?

If I need to purchase a gaff head, do I just attach it to eg brush shaft of is there a good quality dependable gaff already made up?

Thanks

Last edited by Norfolk and Goode on Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If its avoidable don't gaff the Blighters, Any gaffing is going to do an Unavoidable amount of damage to the Eel.

mustad do a good landing net for £20 which should manage anything up to about 20lb or so, but if you have to gaff them perhaps an idea to attach rope to one end and hold it if they start spinning badly once gaffed?i wouldnt be too well up on the subject but just a couple of ideas? perhaps an extra heavy shockleader and handline them in that last bit?

[Donagh]

For a drop net get one as big as will fit in the boot of your car say around 1 metre with a metal ring for stability. Getting a 25lb in a net this big with tide run can still be tricky and impossible without help.

Donagh

Last edited by Donagh on Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Been wondering why u need to gaff the conger. They leave a mess when they are boated. I prefer to use a t-bar and remove the hook outside the boat. just watch for other hook swinging around the place when ur reaching over the gunnell.

If you must set a gaff on a conger, under the chin, i.e. lwoer jaw from outside in is the spot. It causes the least amount of damage to the eel.

FWIW

NG,

Be careful, very careful if you gaff a decent size Conga, if you lose your grip and that thing is either on a deck or the rocks it will have that gaff flying around in all direction......brave is the man who tries to get hold of it the 2nd time :lol: :lol: :lol:

As long as you keep it coming forward on the line it will not have any chance to coil up, I've never yet seen on coil up. IMO a good net would be the right way to go....now a days, its not good to kill just for the sport.

Years ago in Scotland, the guy on the peg next to me (he now writes for Sea Angler) caught one about 20lb, it was his first and he was scared of it. he asked me how to kill it, so I took his knife and stuck the thing through its head into its brain, leaving the knife still in. At the end of the comp he asked me "do me one last favor...take the knife out for me" he got more stick than the Conga back at the weigh-in :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tom.

I never normally gaff them. I tend to leave the hook trace of 100lb mono quite long which gives you something to grab onto when you get them at close quarters.

Pete

That's smashing lads. It looks like a dropnet is the way to go from the conservation side of things, and we are all into conservation were possible.

An extra long leader is a good idea also, although I might need a set of gloves to get a proper grip on procedings.

NG,

I would also advise the use of a single hook, some use a double. If both go in, they can be hard to get out of a fish that bites.

Good luck :)
Tom.

I hear the faithful wet towel is the best way to hold onto one. I also hear that if you can get them on their back for a minute or so or cover their eyes with a towel they stop trying to beat the heck out of you paint you with slime. Dunno if it works though. We used to get them in pots. Generally just made a grab for them and over the side they went before they knew what hit them.
Great fun in small boats and confined spaces....

if you turn them on there back and rub your finger and thumb along the length of the fish seem to put them to sleep or trance for a while have seen boat skippers do this and it works.

Right sandman,

I know a couple of the south east UK skippers keep a wet potato sack handy for that reason.

I haven't seen that many caught, but the only ones that seem to go berserk are the ones that are badly gaffed through the body, some deckhands like to use 2 gaffs, they may know better.

definatley gaff them under the chin(as kieran said) and if they spin the gaff will spin in your hand till you get it away from the waters edge.i bought a very large drop net last year and it came in very handy when high up,took about 5 seconds to get an 18lb conger in it and it could probably take double that weight or more
p.s. dont run with the gaff in your hand or you might get to see how the conger feels :wink: :lol: :lol:

If u can get thumb and second finger up inside it's gills and squeese hard on the inside u'l be amazed with the result. I've done it with 20lb. + conger and they go limp. Have taken out hooks by hand this way.

Doesn't that damage their gills? Do they revive ok and swim off?

More to the point in a way, if you do have to gaff a conger, might as well get the lowdown from the experts....

http://www.britishcongerclub.org.uk/conger/GAFFING.htm

I always fish a pirk type rig above the hook, even a large german sprat will do, then you can hold it like a pirk and t-bar / disgorge the fish without any fear of harm to you or the fish. Doesnt seem to put the fish off either but thats just my experience of em.

I was surprised that Conga Club info page never mentioned what came back to me from years ago as I read it.

I got to know a skipper from Australia who ran a game boat out of the GBR and what he told me goes for Conga as well as any other fish regarding where and how to gaff. Like they say don't have to big of a gaff, get the bend of the gaff in the open mouth, twist so that it comes out of the bottom of the jaw, control is better, the fish will go back alive easier and if you do want to keep the fish for the table the meat is not spoiled.

BTW....the skipper on the home page, Bill Warner is without a doubt the best Conga skipper in the UK, not just my words but everyone who ever met the guy said the same. Not only for his skill but his whole presence on board, just one very nice guy.

Tom.

Best to use barbless hooks and a T bar- I'm ashamed to say I,ve damaged or killed many congers in the past trying to get the hook out.
If you gaff it through the lower jaw as suggested by someone earlier, don't hold the gaff tightly or the fish will break it's jaw when it spins-- and it will spin.
Holding under the gills works but is difficult to master as the fish jerks every time you touch it.
Laying it on it,s back and pinning down with the aid of newspaper works best for me.