bait for ray??

whats the best bait/cocktail for shore fishing for thornbacks. hopefully getting out for them in the next couple of weeks. we generally only use mackeral for them off the boat, wondering if any body has used other baits, squid, sandeel crab etc. i presume its related to location though.

Off the shore it depends on the location but sandeel wrapped in squid is a good option. razorfish is a superb bait over sand but its soft and needs something else. Lugworm can be good and mackerel works fine too but it all depends on the location. Crab is not commonly used but in some marks it is the only thing that works, in others you need to use king rag.

FWIW

cheers for that kieran. tink il just bring wcery thing so. heard that the place im thinking of heading to produces best with mackeral and sandeel but i'm entriuged with a squid and sandeel cocktail. further research needed

i would use mainly sand eel and mackerel, but have used crab but with no success. but just rag does work well too

Chunks of herring, we used to swear by chunks of herring in the Thames Estuary in Spring. Just grab a herring and cut it into 1 - 1'1/2 inch chunks. No gutting or filleting involved. Snick the hook through the spine and out the other side.

Not very streamlined for casting mind you, we did it boat angling........ :?

normally any thing tall and blonde and i'll go right for it!

Watch out BigPhil! :shock:

julie from carrick took two rays at FAHAN last year on ordinary rag ,but most are taken on sandeel and mackerel.

lug and mackerel cocktail unbeatable in the estuary

Bit of a mixture there.

Sandeel on it's own seems to work best around here, followed closely by sandeel/squid cocktails and next s mackeral.

I have to say your the only person I've ever heard recommend lug combos for Rays. Thats normally used as a tactic to catch other species with the mackerel to attract rays, dogs and huss. Are you sure you wouldn't catch with mackerel alone.

I normally fish for rays with sand eel or Mackerel and combinations of both. Wrapping the baits in squid not only helps repel crabs but can be the killer combo on the day. On other days it can put fish off.

Donagh

Found straight mackerel best, the fresher the better.

Pete

cheers for that lads. been doing a bit of research on the topic and in the area we intend to fish its sandeel followed by mackeral so i may give that a try. will be bringing lug and squid as well for scratching so may chuck a cocktail with these as well.
on the topic has any body had any luck using prawn for ray. seen that they are the bait in the tamar in england and wondering if anybody has had success with them in the bigger esturies over here. have used them live for wrasse and found them brilliant. just a thought.

ya defo the lug and mackerel i mean, alternatives being lug and squid or mackerel drowned in pilchard oil.

have seen them taking lug and razor cocktail at times ahead of other fish baits, crab doesnt seem to work up here, any one ever try strips of rainbow trout??? great oily bait due to the feed they are feed in farms and tough to stay on the hook too, had sucess from boat for a variety of species and also a degreee of success from shore for some, if you try it let me know the results.

wudnt know never even seen one landed :( :(

have used the smaller rainbows you see in the supermarkets for huss and conger with a degree of success but to be honest havnt used it enough to really comment. have seen brown trout used to good effect as well, think a speciman huss was taken on one in kenmare last year if my memory serves me right

one of BigPhils skate baits

[img]http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/4651/albumpicphp6gx.jpg[/img]



:D


Andy

JAYSIS! Imagine castin that from the shore :)

looks a lot like hard work to me :shock:
fairweather man i know :roll: