Species › Europe, UK & Ireland · Saltwater › Conger Eel

Saltwater

Conger Eel

Conger conger · European conger, Conger, Congre

Water temp
48–61°F
Peak season
Jun–Sep
Best light
Night
IGFA record
133 lb 4 oz (60.44 kg)
Conger Eel (European conger.jpg)

Photo: West Brom 4ever · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

The European conger is a thick, scaleless grey eel with a large head, powerful jaws, a dorsal fin that runs from behind the pectorals to the tail and a pale belly. It ranges from Norway and Iceland to Senegal and throughout the Mediterranean, living in wrecks, reef holes, harbor walls and rocky gullies from the intertidal zone to 3,000 ft (1,000 m). Conger feed at night on fish, crabs, octopus and cuttlefish, and they spawn once, far out in the Atlantic, then die. Specimen hunters target them because a wreck conger of 60–100 lb (27–45 kg) is as big as European fish get, and the first few minutes of the fight are pure tug-of-war.

Typical size10–40 lb (4.5–18 kg); 3–5 ft
Trophy60 lb+ (27 kg+); 100 lb+ on deep wrecks
Table fareFair — firm but very bony at the tail; eaten in Spain and Portugal, released by most UK anglers

Where & when

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Best from late spring to autumn when water is warmest and boats can reach the wrecks; shore conger feed through mild winter nights, and calm, dark nights with a flooding tide are best everywhere.

Berry Head wrecks, United KingdomDevon; home of the world recordCork Harbour, IrelandDeep harbor walls and wrecks; big shore congerCap de la Hague, FranceNormandy reefs and wrecks

How to catch

Wreck fishing with big fish baitsAnchor over a wreck at slack water and lower a whole mackerel, cuttlefish or large flapper on a 10/0 hook and 1–2 lb lead on a short, heavy running ledger. Give the eel time to take the bait in, then strike and wind hard to lift it clear of the wreck before it backs into a hole.
Shore ledgering at nightFish from deep rock marks, harbor walls and breakwaters after dark with a whole squid or mackerel head on a 6/0–8/0 hook and a rotten-bottom lead link. Use a tight line and strike early; a conger that reaches its hole is nearly impossible to move.

Gear

Rod7–8' 50 lb class boat rod, or 13' heavy beachcaster
Reel50 lb class lever-drag or 8000–10000 spinning
Line60–80 lb braid or 50 lb mono; 150–250 lb mono or wire trace

Baits

Whole mackerelCuttlefishSquidPouting or fish flapper

Regulations

There is no licence requirement for recreational sea angling in the UK or Ireland and conger carry a minimum landing size in EU and UK waters but no recreational bag limit; most specimen anglers unhook and release at the boat. Check local inshore fisheries rules.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 133 lb 4 oz (60.44 kg) — Berry Head, Devon, England, 1995 (Vic Evans). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

How do you safely unhook a conger eel?

Keep the eel in the water or on a wet deck, never let it wrap your arm, and use a T-bar or long-nosed pliers to free the hook while a partner controls the trace. For big fish, cut the trace close to the hook rather than risk a bite; the hook will rust out. Never put fingers near a conger's mouth, even one that looks dead.

Bite forecast — Conger Eel

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Conger Eel.

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