Ballycastle, Co. Antrim 27 Aug

People: spgavin and me

Duration: 18.30 - 11.45

Tide: HT 20.40

Weather: Warm and calm, a few light showers

Bait: Rag, mack and squid

Rigs: Pulley, clip down and conger

Results: 1 x LSD, 1 x Coalie, 1 x Dab, 3 Conger, 2 @ 15 - 20lb and 1 @ 8 - 10lb


Report: At last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have managed to pop my Conger Cherry :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

The first one I struck into was at least 5' long, I got it to the surface and managed to hold it there for a good while while I tried to work out how to get it onto the pier - a drop net would have been ideal but we didn't have one :( :(

We tried to hand line it up but as soon as we head about 1/4 of it out of the water, the uni-knot I had tied gave way and he sunk back to the depths :oops: :oops: :oops:

I hooked into 2 more after this, one spat the bait and the other snapped the line.....

I gave the conger rod a rest and spgavin had a bash. After about 45 mins, he managed to hook up to another monster. He fought it for about 10 mins before we managed to get it to the surface, again after some deliberation, we decided to hand line it up. This attempt was more successful and I got it up out of the water.... 1' from the pier edge, the crimp on the wire trace gave way and he slipped back to the depths. We reckoned this was the same one that I lost earlier, it was easliy 15 - 20lb.

That incident gave me the impetus to try again so I rigged up and dropped another bait down and waited. It was nearing home time so we packed up our gear, I had noticed several knocks on the conger rod when we were packing up but I decided to let them be. All gear was packed and I reluctantly lifted the Conger Road :? :?

BANG!!!!! This boyo was on the move and he didn't want to come to the surface. After a good 10 min fight, I got him to the surface, he was only about half the size of the one that got away but he still gave me a pasting. We managed to manouevre him to a lower section of the pier and got him onto dry ground -

What a scrap, what a night - my 4 month quest for Conger is now complete and I am as happy as a dog with two charlies :D :D :D

- FORGOT TO SAY, THIS ONE WAS RETURNED ALIVE - AS ALL CONGERS SHOULD BE.....

Jude

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Last edited by glengormley-gavin on Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

well done jude . it took a while , but i bet you feel releived. nice pics. julie and me are going up soon , give me a shout when your next trip out is . again well done.

nice one jude :D

Thanks John and Rab - it took a while but it was worth it...

Those buggers know how to fight, my arms are aching today.

Jude

Good report Jude, nice pics too.

Nice one jude well done :D :D .....is that the big platform at the top of ballycastle peir :?:

Congrats Jude,

Your pateience has paid off! 8)

Lee

Congrats Jude,

Your pateience has paid off! 8)

Lee

Thanks for all your help Lee - I wouldn't have had a scooby how to catch one without your tips and advice.
much appreciated.

JUDE

Cheers Jude

Good going.

i take it it was conger rigs that lee gave you that kept breaking on you???!!! :wink: :lol:
just kiddin, well done on the first of the year anyhow!

i take it it was conger rigs that lee gave you that kept breaking on you???!!! :wink: :lol:

Here, will have less of that Phil :lol: :lol: ( was all part of a masterplan :twisted: )

:lol: Lee :lol:

i take it it was conger rigs that lee gave you that kept breaking on you???!!! :wink: :lol:
just kiddin, well done on the first of the year anyhow!

:lol: :lol: Good one Phil....

I could take the easy option here and blame Lee but that would be a lie :oops: :oops:

The rig that broke on me gave way above the link to the main line so my knot wasn't up to scratch or else it snagged on the pier. The wire trace which gave way was one bought from a certain tackle shop on York St. in Belfast - I'll have to give Harry some abuse.....

Jude

See. . . . . INNOCENT 8)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Lee

[Ronald]

good fishing ,theres some massive conger around that place but your need to be prepared for landing them ,get a drop net or the congers around that place will have more metal in their face than a punk concert :lol:
your better to use heavy mono than wire as it doesn't kink as bad when the fish spin ,it's alot cheaper than wire traces as well ,at least 200lb should do you .
Ronald.

Last edited by Ronald on Tue Aug 29, 2006 12:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

well done Jude, john and i where gona go out tonite but our third party is working. all work and no play for lee

all work and no play for lee

Yep, no rest for the wicked apparently :lol:

Lee

good fishing ,theres some massive conger around that place but your need to be prepared for landing them ,get a drop net or the congers around that place will have more metal in their face than a punk concert :lol:
your better to use heavy mono than wire as it doesn't kink as bad when the fish spin ,it's alot cheaper than wire traces as well ,at least 200lb should do you .

Thanks Roger - I use 150lb mono for my rigs. The bro was using the wire but I have agreed to tie up some with mono for him this week :idea:

Even the 150lb mono took a bashing from the conger - but it held well.

Jude