Blackhead Antrim Friday 8th April

[yngkmd]

People Me and Dad

Duration 830-1130pm

Tide LW 8pm

Weather Quite nice and calm but a bit of a nip if you caught the breeze

Bait Mackerel, Coalfish

Rigs Free Lining, Float, Running Ledger

Report After reading yet another report from Drew it drove home the fact i hadnt been out fishing in 2 weeks so something had to be done about it. Convinced the old man to come with me so headed up the blackhead for spot of coalie bashing. had lines in the water by 830 and bites were pretty slow. first half hour saw dad get a coalie about 25cm and me nothing. Dad didnt bother with his conger rod and although i brought mine i didnt bring any thing for bait since i wasnt really expecting to catch anything i figured why waste the money so sliced up the coalie a bit and chucked it out. set the conger rod over to the left out of the road and left it to its own devices. next hour or so the fishing hadnt picked up any at all. Dad managed another coalie about the same size and i managed one myself then he got a pollock. Just after 10 we were sitting, neither of us had caught a fish in a whileand were just sitting chatting. Suddenly the conger rod started screaming at me, so i says to dad, calm as you like "Is that my conger rod running?", he cocks an ear then turns and says "aye right enough so it is" we both look at each other for 3 or 4 seconds, couldnt really believe that i was getting a run and then it hit us that i really was, and it was a run like ive never had before. any conger run ive had before has usally just been wee short runs or few clicks then slightly more clicks etc. this one had picked up the bait and was heading for open sea, it had already been running (fast) for a good 20 seconds before i got to the rod and was still going. havent caught a conger in 6 months so picked the rod and first thought was "how do i do this again" clicked in gear, and hit it. after the solid strike it was hard to keep contact with it as it had turned direction and was swimming neary straight towards me, reeling frantically i finally made good contact, but by this point the fish was having a wee rest and it was like pulling in a dead weight. got it within a few feet of the surface and it finally realised what was happening and went apeshit. nearly pulled the rod out my hand and i knew i had a bit of a battle on my hands. fought the beast to the surface but it wasnt done yet. kept diving down and swimming left and right and every now and then i could feel the trace pinging of the rocks. had a feeling it was going to part company but i persevered. it was at this point i realised i was 8 foot above the water and then was no way down to land it. i had to walk it 30m round to the right to a small ledge. it was hard going as the rocks are very up and down. trying to scramble across the rocks, climbing up and down with a rod in one hand and all the while the conger was still going mental and having to keep the trace rubbing on the rock. well lets just say it wasnt my most graceful moment but i managed to get it over to where i could land it. at this part there is a big thick bed of weed so obviously as soon as i got there it made a last ditch effort and went straight into it. horsed it to the surface and handed dad the rod and climbed down, felt a huge relief when i was able to grab the trace and hauled it ashore. got it weighed, took pictures and returned it to the sea. it swam off with not a care in the world back into the weed and away. fished for another hour and i managed 1 more coalie. pulled in the shrimp pot i had out before going home and had half a dozen crab, 2 rockling and the biggest sea scorpion i had ever seen.

was pleased i was able to christen 2 recent purchases in fine style. My Penn Longbeach 65 and my new bison boat rod http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-8-BISON-MULTI-TIP-BOAT-PIER-SPIN-TRAVEL-ROD-TUBE-/390303565257?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Fishing_FishingRods_EH&hash=item5adfe7c5c9. as it was cheap i was wondering how the rod would stand up to the job but it handled itself nicely. and with the light tip and strong butt section it meant for a good fight. used it in its 8ft config with the medium tip.

best part was the conger weighed in 15lb. which is not only a new personal best conger but also a new personal best biggesst fish ever. i had said earlier in the year it was my intention to get a double figure conger at blackhead this year but i didnt actually think i would, nor that it would it be my first of the year.

correct me if im wrong but i think this may be the first conger reported this year?

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Last edited by yngkmd on Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

One of the best reports i have read good man , felt like i was there with you
Fab conger and indeed the biggest sea scorpion i have ever seen .
We got a good few conger this year all around 10lb-18lb the best bait we use is live whiting or pouting, we go to a place in cork and guaranteed 15 runs for two guys a day but you might only land two or three as ther beasts , they either break the steel traces or go back into a hole.
Best thing we found out is if they are in a hole is keep the line really tight for 2-3 mins then quickly let the drag off they then think there free, and bam they usually come out.
only bad thing is a 4 hour drive for us but worth it
We mince six mackerel then freeze them into 3x3 inch blocks drop them along the harbour wall, they'll melt slowly, set up a little rod drop it over the side with tiny 010/ trout hooks with small pieces of mack to catch the live bait and just sit back and wait for that rachet to scream
Did you cut the coalie into a chunk or fillet? Did you try the head?

After reading yet another report from Drew

lol mate, so I spurred you into action??

Well done man, a cracking conger indeed! And an absolutely solid report! That's some Sea Scorpion in the pots, would love one of that size on Rod and Line!

Again, well done, and don't let yourself off the hook for 2 weeks again!

Did you cut the coalie into a chunk or fillet? Did you try the head?

cut three deep gashes into either side to let the juices out and used it whole.

i like your groundbaiting idea. will give it go in the summer when there are free mackerel to be caught. think it maybe be too expensive using the shop bought stuff though

Cracking conger, haven't been out in a couple of weeks myself and after seeing this report i'll be dropping herself to the mother in jaws tomorrow

great report yngkmd.
crackin conger
good stuff

wow, well done. fantastic fish and report

great pics (some size scorpion fish) and cracking report as usual.

great fishing mate well done on a great conger

Cracking fish, well done!

Crackin conger

cracking conger m8 its 1 of my wishlist went after conger and huss last year and i got 1 each but when i was lifting it out of the water the trace snaped so they aluded me bigtime and im back with avengence this year, so well done m8, i just hope i get 1 this year aswell.

I know i have a chest freezer full of mackerel that we catch in the summer and do us throughout the year.
You just can not beat the natural food thats around them, its a little bit cruel but if you cut the tail off the fish and them put a 8/0 hook through its top jaw the fish cant swim properly and struggles to move it puts a lot of action in the water and bang the congers strike.
Fish a lot in spain and thats what the skipper does for big amberjack and even stringray.
Exellent method and suppose if the fish are dying natuarlly thats the way the predators attack.
Works on a live launce in halve float fished for bass

Well done mate, i have never caught a conger but reading your report i felt as though i was reeling it in myself.. great pics..

WELL DONE thats a some beast !congrats on your pb also went rying a couple of times here in cork but the a guide i go out with still reckons it too early!good pictures and good reading
tightlines
fergal

great report and what a way to bet a pb, well done

Bucky Lastard!

Seriously: What a cracking fish Invite me next time? I love you long time???

Great catch, well done !

The conger is a fine fish but the sea scorpion is a beast, biggest ive ever seen by a long way

Great read and super fish. Well done on the PB!!