wrasse/conger fishing inishowen co donegal

[cl1]

was looking to try for conger/wrasse round inishowen all hints and tips would be great thanks

[tincatinca]

Never fished that area but for wrasse find a shore line with some reasonable depth close in (including low tide). Wrasse love rough ground so fish close to these features and use simple bait like limpits, hard back crabs etc Cheap and easy to collect.

I usually use 15 to 20 lb line, 3 way swivel with main line attached to top of swivel, hooklength to the middle and a rotten bottom to the end of the swivel holding your weight.

Lob the bait out and feel the line or watch the rod top for those familiar knocks! If there are Wrasse around you should get bites fairly quickly. But beware they can be hard to hit.

Conger are a different ball game in terms of tackle, robust rod, 30 to 50lb main line, stronger hook link and big hooks. This is more of a waiting game but similar ground to wrasse should be a good start and of course you cant beat fishing for them at night. Off a deep pier would be a good bet for conger at night, safe and easy also. If you get a take hit them hard and pull like mad as they are experts at getting back to the safety of their rocky home!!

[Sweetwrasse]

Don't know much about conger fishing but you could try any pier like moville (upper or lower pier) in the dark!

[cl1]

thanks lads looking forward to getting out

[Big Ben]

Hi,
You will get congers at the upper pier at Moville or off the rocks at the back of Greencastle pier.If you walk as past he old co-op building and turn left at the end of the ice-plant you'll see the entrance to the rocks. Directly behind the gate is a good spot but you have a chance anywhere along the back of the pier. Best to go at night when they are out of their holes. The area is well lit up by the pier lights so you are able to see what you are doing. I've taken wrasse to two pounds there in the past as well.

[scara]

You can fish both from culdaff pier but to be honest it's abit early yet for both, another month and it will be better.

for the wrasse fish a small piece of lug or rag on a small hook. 6-8" snoods. fish both snoods above the lead. but have the bottom hook about level with the lead. fish straight down don't cast, just drop down until the lead just touching the bottom(same way you would fish from a boat. hold the rod all the time or you will miss most of them. learn to tell the diffrence between the ballan wrasse and the corkwing wrasse. you will be suprised by how many you will catch of each.

While fishing the wrasse you can have a strong rod out fot the conger. use a small colie or pollack that you catch on the wrasse rod for bait.
keep it simple . couple of ounce lead, running ledger to a 8/0 strong hook. snood of about 150lb. I know of a conger thats been caught a couple of times from the pier thats 35lb last time he was seen. just drop the bait a cout 6-8 foot from the pier and keep a good eye on the rod. It would be great if you could relase the congers again. it's good to see them get bigger.

The funny thing here is the wrasse will hit like a maniac but the conger can be super gentle. they might just sit with the bait in there mouth. when they start to move off with the bait reel in and pull hard. then don't stop. this is the fun bit it will really start to fight you. if you let the fish get back to the bottom or back into its hole then its gone you will struggle to get him out.

good luck

[cl1]

great advice lads thanks hope to get out soon weather bit crap but like the idea of a catching a few wrasse

[weedave]

thats 35lb last time he was seen.
good luck

i've definatley hooked that bad boy!!!!

we had one in the port very much like it although some idiot non local angler killed it recently...pure shame and no real reason other than selling it to the chinese!!!

dave