PB Ray (nice)

[Fisherman Paul]

Up at 5am got to venue at 6.54am and landed this girl
at 8am.

High water at 10am (spring tides) so i knew the window
of any sport was very short, after i landed her and
pic was took i put her back, she swam of without a care
in the world, beautiful fish. I had no weighing scales but
she defo smashed my pb of 6lb 3oz.

I was geared up for tope (1 rod).

Rod used was my 20+ year old Diawa pmb 122m.
Reel used was my 25 year old penn 850ss (fixed spool reel)
Trace was a 3 foot nylon wire with a barbless 4/0 hook,
for ray's of the beach i normally use 25lb mono and a 1/0 hook
but i wasn't after ray but i will not turn my nose up at a beautiful
fish like the Thornback ray, better than a blank you will agree.

I think she was waving getting her pic took lol.

[Shark Hunter]

Beautiful Ray Paul!

[Fisherman Paul]

Beautiful Ray Paul!

Hi Daron, glad i went down a couple of hours before
high water, she sure is beautiful, lovely fish, not a tope
but a bonus fish like that saved the dreaded blank.

[Steve-O]

Nice! Thanks for sharing and yes, anything beats blanking except not fishing.

[Fisherman Paul]

Nice! Thanks for sharing and yes, anything beats blanking except not fishing.

Your right, just the thought of getting a session in
gets the heart racing.

No bait fish showing (info from boat owners) so il give
it a few weeks and fish it on a neap tide, they do come
in it is just a question of when.

Ive told the wife if i die before her to just leave the
lid open and change bait every 20 minutes lol.

I don't give in that easy, makes me more determined.

[Steve-O]

No doubt about it.  I am a carp or rather a rough fish angler ...UK styled ...slightly modded for my home swims and do my best to get in a weekly session...sometimes 3 a week...if the missus needs me smiling more.

Yesterday's reward was a new PB grassie. Plus some commons and a third time captured Mirror. My son and daughter each captured and released the same mirror.

Over across the pond here , rays are thought of similarly to carp ...ewww, yuck, gross. Whereas to those who know they are both formidable quarry. Eating wise the ray wings over here are poor man's scallops. Carp? Not so much but many nationalities eat them with gusto.

[Fisherman Paul]

No doubt about it.  I am a carp or rather a rough fish angler ...UK styled ...slightly modded for my home swims and do my best to get in a weekly session...sometimes 3 a week...if the missus needs me smiling more.

Yesterday's reward was a new PB grassie. Plus some commons and a third time captured Mirror. My son and daughter each captured and released the same mirror.

Over across the pond here , rays are thought of similarly to carp ...ewww, yuck, gross. Whereas to those who know they are both formidable quarry. Eating wise the ray wings over here are poor man's scallops. Carp? Not so much but many nationalities eat them with gusto.

I was geared up for tope, big spring tide so not ideal but
i saw a window and off i went.

Rays will put up a cracking fight if one uses not to stiff a rod,
my norm ray rod is a penn affinity 15', the tip on the rod bends
clean over and once in hand you feel every movement, if
he or she sneezed i would feel it, great fun on a light set up
rod.

Saying that i had reel in free spool and ray took line, even that
gets the heart rate up.

Bit like lead heading for pollock on a light rod set up,
on a fast sinking line on a fly rod is nuts.

Too stiff a rod rays are like brining in a bag of dead weight
but on a light rod it's totally different, gets the heart rate up
that's for sure.