The conger eel, an ambush predator that calls for leaders

The conger eel © Guillaume Fourrier

The conger eel is a marine fish found at sea. They lodge in rocky crevices or wreck structures. This bottom-dwelling fish is voracious and omnivorous, and can weigh up to several dozen kilos!

Scientific name

Conger conger (Linné, 1758)
Also called conger, fiélas (young), felat (young)

Congerfish morphology

The conger has a serpentine body with a round (tubular) cross-section. Its skin is covered with a thick mucus. The conger has fine, sharp teeth. The conger's coloring is dark: very dark gray to brown back and lighter belly. This coloring varies according to the nature of the habitat (light on sand, dark on rock or wreck...).

Petit congre pris en bateau
Small conger caught in a boat

Fishing spots

Conger eels spend the day in shelters (rocky crevices, dykes, quays, piers, etc.). They also hide in the mud in certain mouths and harbor areas. They come out of their hiding places at night to feed.

Fishing techniques for conger eel

The conger eel lives in sheet metal clusters, wrecks, rocks and any hiding place where it can find complete shelter. It likes to leave its head out of its cache to scan potential prey. This powerful carnivore is voracious. It has a preference for cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid) and fish, with priority given to large oily fish: horse mackerel, herring, sandeel, mackerel, garfish, sardines.

We look for them on marked spots. From the shore, they are more likely to be found on dykes at harbour entrances, and by boat on wrecks and large rocks isolated offshore. You'll need to bring along some heavy equipment to dry out specimens that can easily weigh over 10 kg. On board, don't hesitate to reinforce leaders with 100/100 and on boats, at least 80/100 mm.

Un congre pris depuis une jetée à La Rochelle
A conger eel caught from a jetty in La Rochelle

Reproduction

Conger eels mature between 0.75 and 2 m in length, depending on the individual and the sex. Reproduction takes place during the summer.

Size and weight

  • Legal minimum catch size: none
  • Size at sexual maturity: 0.75 and 2 m long, depending on individual and sex
  • Average size: 80 cm to 2 m
  • Maximum size: 3 m (110 kg)
  • French record: 36.1 kg (La Grand Motte, 15/08/1986)
  • World record: 60.44 kg (England, 05/06/1995)

Good to know

Conger eels cohabit with shrimp, which they do not eat. They clean its teeth and skin, limiting the risk of infection.

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