Eagle rays

[Psycho fisho]

Hey guys

l am trying to catch some eagle Ray's and was wondering if l can snell normal j hooks as in previous times when have caught Ray's l have used ganged hooks and they are impossible to get of the Rays mouth without killing it and also if l crush the barbs on the hooks will that work the rig l use is 40 pound braid down to a fg knot then 2 meters of mono leader down to running ball sinker to 2 5/0 j hooks will this rig work? 

Thanks

[Scratchie]

Question.... why would you want to target eagle rays? 

[Short]

Yeah exactly - why would you want to catch them? Plenty of them as bycatch fishing the beach at night for jew.

[Psycho fisho]

20 minutes ago, Scratchie said:

Question.... why would you want to target eagle rays? 

I had a feeling someone would ask that question. The reason is that they fight really hard and that they a relatively easy to catch from shore. And all Ray's l catch are released 

[Scratchie]

3 minutes ago, Psycho fisho said:

I had a feeling someone would ask that question. The reason is that they fight really hard and that they a relatively easy to catch from shore. And all Ray's l catch are released 

Ok that’s fine! Not completely sure of the rules specifically targeting eagle rays. Is there not another species you could target to give you the fight you desire? 

[New Signing]

I can understand this bloke wanting to catch them for a bit of sport. Not too many bottom dwellers make the scorching runs and jumps of eagle rays. Supposedly pretty good to eat if the meat is prepared like scallops in little discs. Haven't been able to convince myself to kill one to try though

[Captain Spanner]

Personally i wouldn't target them but i understand why you want to. If you are intending on releasing them then you should use a single circle hook to make removal easier as the rays will suck the hooks down their throat like a vaccum cleaner. I would suggest you keep the ray in the water and use a dehooker like the shark guys use so you do not have the get too close to the ray and muck around with pliers. The dehookers are basically a stick with a strong metal "S" shaped (blunt) hook on the end. You pull the line taught with one hand and push slide the dehooker down the leader until it engages in the gape of the hook. Then give a short sharp push to try to dislodge the hook. If it is too difficult or he has swallowed the hook just cut it off as close to his mouth as is safe and possible. Be careful of his tail at all times. And obviously do not gaff them at all as you are releasing them.

If you use a heavier leader it will be easier to handle the ray to get the hooks out. I would fish at least 20lb line but preferably more like 50 braid and alot of it (at least 300m). Off the beach you will easily get spooled on a big one. Keep in mind that these guys have soft flesh and when the line is under alot of tension it can cut them as it gets pulled across their face or wing or back, especially on the leader or when the line flips them over during the fight.

We catch them quite alot fishing for jewies and you often get spooled. I like to use 50lb leader for jewies off breakwalls and beaches with rocks so i fish with 65lb braid so that when a ray or shark has my whole spool (300m) out on me and i grab the spool i  have a much better chance of it snapping at the other end and not losing all of my braid (both annoying as you have to have a spare spool or reel with you and expensive to replace).

Edited November 29, 2017 by Captain Spanner

[Psycho fisho]

28 minutes ago, Scratchie said:

Ok that’s fine! Not completely sure of the rules specifically targeting eagle rays. Is there not another species you could target to give you the fight you desire? 

Where l live in WA there are Mulloway that are the other big fighting fish from the shore but they take a lot of time and patience as for Ray's they are in plague prepotions.

[Psycho fisho]

11 minutes ago, Captain Spanner said:

Personally i wouldn't target them but i understand why you want to. If you are intending on releasing them then you should use a single circle hook to make removal easier as the rays will suck the hooks down their throat like a vaccum cleaner. I would suggest you keep the ray in the water and use a dehooker like the shark guys use so you do not have the get too close to the ray and muck around with pliers. The dehookers are basically a stick with a strong metal "S" shaped (blunt) hook on the end. You pull the line taught with one hand and push slide the dehooker down the leader until it engages in the gape of the hook. Then give a short sharp push to try to dislodge the hook. If it is too difficult or he has swallowed the hook just cut it off as close to his mouth as is safe and possible. Be careful of his tail at all times. And obviously do not gaff them at all as you are releasing them.

If you use a heavier leader it will be easier to handle the ray to get the hooks out. I would fish at least 20lb line but preferably more like 50 braid and alot of it (at least 300m). Off the beach you will easily get spooled on a big one. Keep in mind that these guys have soft flesh and when the line is under alot of tension it can cut them as it gets pulled across their face or wing or back, especially on the leader or when the line flips them over during the fight.

We catch them quite alot fishing for jewies and you often get spooled. I like to use 50lb leader for jewies off breakwalls and beaches with rocks so i fish with 65lb braid so that when a ray or shark has my whole spool (300m) out on me and i grab the spool i  have a much better chance of it snapping at the other end and not losing all of my braid (both annoying as you have to have a spare spool or reel with you and expensive to replace).

Thanks for your help mate would a  crushed barb on a j hook work

[Psycho fisho]

11 minutes ago, Captain Spanner said:

Personally i wouldn't target them but i understand why you want to. If you are intending on releasing them then you should use a single circle hook to make removal easier as the rays will suck the hooks down their throat like a vaccum cleaner. I would suggest you keep the ray in the water and use a dehooker like the shark guys use so you do not have the get too close to the ray and muck around with pliers. The dehookers are basically a stick with a strong metal "S" shaped (blunt) hook on the end. You pull the line taught with one hand and push slide the dehooker down the leader until it engages in the gape of the hook. Then give a short sharp push to try to dislodge the hook. If it is too difficult or he has swallowed the hook just cut it off as close to his mouth as is safe and possible. Be careful of his tail at all times. And obviously do not gaff them at all as you are releasing them.

If you use a heavier leader it will be easier to handle the ray to get the hooks out. I would fish at least 20lb line but preferably more like 50 braid and alot of it (at least 300m). Off the beach you will easily get spooled on a big one. Keep in mind that these guys have soft flesh and when the line is under alot of tension it can cut them as it gets pulled across their face or wing or back, especially on the leader or when the line flips them over during the fight.

We catch them quite alot fishing for jewies and you often get spooled. I like to use 50lb leader for jewies off breakwalls and beaches with rocks so i fish with 65lb braid so that when a ray or shark has my whole spool (300m) out on me and i grab the spool i  have a much better chance of it snapping at the other end and not losing all of my braid (both annoying as you have to have a spare spool or reel with you and expensive to replace).

Thanks for your help mate would a  crushed barb on a j hook work

[Captain Spanner]

2 minutes ago, Psycho fisho said:

Thanks for your help mate would a  crushed barb on a j hook work

The crushed barb will make it easier to get out if you can grab it but it still wont prevent it from getting stuck down his throat to begin with. The circle hook will hopefully have a better chance of setting in the hard part of the opening of his mouth and not catching in his throat.

If you are in Bunbury and there are Mulloway where you are fishing then i would specifically target Mulloway and you will catch just as many Rays but at least you'll be ready for the Mulloway and be learning as you go. You will already be spending the hours on the beach.

[Psycho fisho]

15 minutes ago, Captain Spanner said:

The crushed barb will make it easier to get out if you can grab it but it still wont prevent it from getting stuck down his throat to begin with. The circle hook will hopefully have a better chance of setting in the hard part of the opening of his mouth and not catching in his throat.

If you are in Bunbury and there are Mulloway where you are fishing then i would specifically target Mulloway and you will catch just as many Rays but at least you'll be ready for the Mulloway and be learning as you go. You will already be spending the hours on the beach.

What circle hooks do you recommend cheers mate

Edited November 29, 2017 by Psycho fisho

[Captain Spanner]

If we are fishing for mulloway i don't use true circles, i use gamakatsu octopus circles. People will argue that they are no better than standard octopus hooks but i disagree. They do get more gut hooks than a true circle but definitely less than an normal octopus hook. True circle hooks i use Owner Inline Circles or Mutu Circles but not for Mulloway. If you are specifically targeting the rays then you could argue you need a heavier gauge hook because they can crush them with their mouth but i have only seen it a handful of times and they crushed it shut, not open. A lighter gauge hook like the Octopus Circles will penetrate easier and are very strong for their gauge. You just need to make sure you only just put the circle hook through the tip of the bait and allow the ray time to swallow the bait. Then just gradually wind on the pressure.

[Short]

I foul hooked an eagle ray last week off the beach, one of the hooks just caught the tip of his wing right at the end. I couldn't work out what it was until I saw it. 2 x snelled 8/0 gamakatsu octopus hooks with a yakka. Standard jew bycatch. Marginally better than port jacksons. Better than smooth rays that just bunker down on the sand and you cant budge.

[Scratchie]

Last week I was out with my son chasing flatty, I hooked something that took a lot of drag! Never had to chase a flatty before, haha. It ended being an eagle ray! I felt bad that I’d hooked it. Go chase the jewies mate! Much more of a reward! WA is a fishing Mecca! Surely more to chase than rays! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

[Towlersbay boy]

If you want something that pulls hard just target sharks. Like scratchie said WA is a fishing mecca, why scape the bottom of the barrel & target rays ? Why not Target the Cobia that are hanging out with them when they school up ? 

[Psycho fisho]

10 hours ago, Towlersbay boy said:

If you want something that pulls hard just target sharks. Like scratchie said WA is a fishing mecca, why scape the bottom of the barrel & target rays ? Why not Target the Cobia that are hanging out with them when they school up ? 

I live down the south where the fishing is crap and l just want somewhere l can go and catch big fish that l can release sharks take a lot of time to catch

[Loomesy]

People target marlin etc for the sport. Why should he be criticised for Wanting to target rays????

 

Cheers Loomesy 

[xerotao]

He isnt breaking the law. Can target whatever he chooses

[Scratchie]

1 hour ago, xerotao said:

He isnt breaking the law. Can target whatever he chooses

True! Enjoy! 

[JonD]

They will take just about any bait on any sized hook but if you are wanting to catch and release I would be looking at octopus style hooks from 6/0 up on 50lb mono traces min.

Be carefull where you target them as many places now protect them. Here in the Narooma area there is signage around the rivers and inlets stating they are protected ( we tend to see them as pets you can hand feed). 

Tottaly agree that eagle rays give a good account for themselves, I've even regularly had them leap clean of the water once hooked, unlike like the big black rays that just swim off and lie on the bottom. 

Watch out for that tail as I had a sting go through my hand which took months to heal, was extremely painful too.

[Psycho fisho]

10 hours ago, xerotao said:

He isnt breaking the law. Can target whatever he chooses

yeah and there is no way l would kill a ray all l am doing is catching them for the enjoyment of the fight they put up the same what you guys do to marlin