any tips on avoiding sting rays? beach fishing sydney

[HenryNSW]

Hello 

I have been fishing the eastern suburbs beaches over the past few weeks and I have lost a lot of rigs due to sting rays

my rig typically is set up for salmon/tailor fishing

main line -->  sinker --> leader with gang hook

main line = 50Lb mono,    leader = 40LB fluorocarbon

 

bait i use a whole pilchard. (fresh from local fish store, or frozen service station bait). 

 

I fished this morning from 5am-7am and I have lost 5 sets of rigs (including sinker.....)  to stingrays, also a lot of lines

 

I tried using paternoster with gang hook but it usually just tangles together   

 

is there a particular set up  or bait spray I can use to deter sting rays? 

is it the flurocarbon that is attracting the rays? should i make my lines more visible?

 

thanks

Henry

Edited November 10, 2020 by HenryNSW
typo

[PaddyT]

Are you sure they are stingrays, 5 in one session sounds a bit odd

[noelm]

How did you lose your rigs? Stingrays off the beach are usually pretty small to medium and easy to land, not too sure about using 50lb line off the beach.

[Rob81]

Depends on the beach Noelm. Have you seen the size of some of the Sting rays in Botany? they were wider than the boat I was in when I saw it. I was shocked, itll easily cover the SUV I drive.

Regarding the rays, best bet is to avoid fishing the bottom. The higher up your bait sits, the reduced chances of hooking up to a ray but not 100% guaranteed.

[Green Hornet]

If its salmon and tailor you're after, consider lightening your outfit considerably and throwing metal lures instead of bait.

A 2.5-3.0 metre rod rated around 6-8kg, a matching spin reel with 8-10kg braid, a 10kg mono or FC leader and a lure like a 40 or 55g Halco twisty is a great place to start.

Keep moving until you find fish and I'll guarantee you'll catch more fish than with bait. Also sharks and rays will be a thing of the past.

 

[Couta]

I don't like using ganged hooks on the sand because if you hook a ray its almost impossible to get the hooks out as they have a relatively small mouth and tough flesh around the mouth. Then the poor thing has to swim around with all those hooks trailing out its mouth. It's better to use a single hook on the sand. If you are confident there aren't rays around then by all means use gangs. Just a suggestion.

[HenryNSW]

Yes one of them I got it onto surface before it dived down again....  ruins the whole fishing experience because it is so tiring try to fight these things pulling my rig back in. 

 

I use gang hook for whole pilchard because I manage to catch a king fish once from the spot, long time ago so still hoping for miracles

 

I use bait because surfers and swimmers don't like us fisho walking up and down the beach... so have to stay in 1 spot. 

Sounds like no sure way to deter sting rays...  

[campr]

Fishing from a boat at night for jewies I sometimes use a 1 inch cube of foam right down in front of hooks to float bait off bottom.  Doesn't deter the jews and reduces stingrays.  Unfortunately this may cut down casting distance from the beach.  Ron

[rickmarlin62]

A small tip to stop breaking your line at any time is use a piece of soft rubber tube like fly screen rubber and thread on line between sinker and your knot  lead bashing your knot will make your line break   i use these pieces on most rigs from blackie floats to beach

[Rebel]

I use Metals off the beach, never have a problem.

If you are using ganged hooks drop down to 15lb Mono and a 20lb Leader.

Cheers.

Edited November 12, 2020 by Rebel

[Green Hornet]

5 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said:

A small tip to stop breaking your line at any time is use a piece of soft rubber tube like fly screen rubber and thread on line between sinker and your knot  lead bashing your knot will make your line break   i use these pieces on most rigs from blackie floats to beach

Great tip using the fly screen rubber. I've got miles of that stuff in the garage.

[SquibblyDibbly]

Hey Henry,

Get your bait up off the bottom to avoid the rays. If your paternoster is tangling it could be because you aren't using a swivel connecting the main line to your paternoster rig?

20lb mono is more than enough for salmon and tailor.

My favourite off the beach for sambos and tailor is 20lb braid, 20lb mono leader. 50g metals. Hard fast rewind with a few long pauses along the way to let the lure return to the bottom. Walk the beach and have a few casts everywhere you stop until you find them.

[Berleyguts]

If you’re chasing salmon and tailor, I reckon 50lb mainline and 40lb leader is way overkill! 12-15lb mono is all you need (or a similar braid if you prefer). If using pilchards on gangs, keep working the pillie slowly back towards you - it won’t sit on the bottom then and is less likely to attract rays. Only use the smallest ball sinker you can get away with for casting and conditions and run it straight to the gang with a short section of rubber/plastic, as Rick says, to protect the knot. If you use an Alvey you can cast unweighted pillies quite far. 😉 Keep the swivel above the rig to avoid line twist. Also, try spinning metal lures as another’s have suggested.