Aggressive Congers

[Finless]

Originally Posted by Mick F

Anyone know why Conga's come out hunting in daylight?

On the YD Ireland gig at the weekend. I was attacked twice by hunting conger eels. Now the first time I had picked up a fishermans filleting knife, so I guess the shiny blade attracted the eel. Dropping the knife meant the eel went for that & left me alone.

The second time (about 20 mins later) we were watching a free swimming hunting conger when I got snagged up in mono-filament. I was trying to free myself when Midnight shouted a warning; the damn eel was coming straight for me and it took a couple of swipes with my torch to turn it away.

Both eels were in the medium size range, (about 4-5 feet long). The dive was to 38M in good light and they were actively hunting in the daylight. I always thought they were nocturnal hunters. I know they have bad eyesight & I've always found them placid enough, but these were definitely showing aggressive behaviour.

Any ideas before I have to ask the Dude to lend me his Conga Prodder? (TM)

Maybe the knife was flashing in the torch light and looked like a conger sized nibble?

Maybe you looked like an ailing and very large fish when you were snagged? You weren't flashing were you?

[al kennedy]

you must spread some reputation around before giving it to mick f and buchhawk again

touché!

[Mick F]

Originally Posted by Finless

Maybe the knife was flashing in the torch light and looked like a conger sized nibble?

I reckon that's what attracted the first one alright.

Originally Posted by Finless

Maybe you looked like an ailing and very large fish when you were snagged? You weren't flashing were you?

Large yes. Flashing no.

[Midnight]

Originally Posted by Mick F

I was trying to free myself when Midnight shouted a warning;

More like I was in the middle of the third verse of "I am sixteen, going on seventeen" when I saw what was about to happen and started laughing my arse off!!!!

Midnight

[angleseydiver]

Many moons ago, before the Castillian was banned as a dive site, I was wrestling with swag in 12 m, vis was 15m at least, so really daylight down there. Anyway I noticed a strap conger swim past me and thought the "that's unusual-free swimming etc" thought. A few mins later another one and soon after another... I looked round and saw Elfyn about 10m away looking like Medusa with around a dozen of the buggers circling just above him- the cause of that one was obvious... he had a nose-bleed and kept snorting the blood out of his mask. Impressive site, made it an unforgettable dive Impressive too, the sense of smell on the critters.
Thinking about it, Conger encounters seem to be in a fair chunk of most memorable dives-
Surprise!

ATB,
Terry

[ardhill]

Originally Posted by Mick F

Any ideas before I have to ask the Dude to lend me his Conga Prodder? (TM)

You gotta ease off on those animal pheromones Mick

[Mark Chase]

What do you expect when we all know Howard'd been going up and down the country shoving drain rods (conga prodders) up the arses and down the throts of any conga he finds.

They were bound to start fighting back


On a side note i dived an unknown off the back of the isle of white earlier in the year and found a conga so massive it beggered beleife. Its head must have been 18" (4-500mm) across. It didnt even moove and it scared me.

I realy dont trust them. If one that big got pissed off I dont think you would stand much chance. I know dno diver has ever died from a conga attack but it dosent stop me thinking i might set a trend

ATB

Mark

[Diving Dude]

FFS, scared of a little fishy! what a girley

EDIT

That's aimed at El Chasey as well as potato boy.

[Peter M]

Originally Posted by Mick F

Any ideas before I have to ask the Dude to lend me his Conga Prodder? (TM)

No none at all not one idea


Vist pikey petes conger training website at....................... now mick i am not jeaous and you know it !!

[Mick F]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

FFS, scared of a little fishy!

It was two bloody big fishies, so there!!

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

what a girley

Only on Saturday nights