Thornback Tactics.

Lads, going beach fishing for Thornies on Wednesday, Any Schools of thought on rigs, Hook Sizes, Leads, Beads?

Was gonna tie a couple of Long, Beefed up loop rigs with 1/0s? Should they work?? Would beads for attraction make any difference?

Hi Drew
My advice keep it simple, a Pulley rig with size 1/0's is what I normally use. Bait, sandeel, double sandeel (Thread the first one on the hook, lightly wip on with elastic, then wip the second to the first) (Sandeel cut just behind the gills and tail taken off), or mack.

Mick

For clean beaches I use loop rigs, 20lb/25lb amnesia snoods and size two's..would only use pully for rough but one hook could help if distance is a factor

If you're heading to the most obvious place around here then the fish you're after won't be massive so I'd not worry too much about hook size. Any reasonably strong 1/0 or 2/0 should be sufficient tied up to something like 20-30lb amnesia should be fine. They have rather nasty grinders for gobs so any lighter will probably get mauled by them.

You'll need grip leads although 5oz should be sufficient for the tides then, the weekend you may well find you need more.

Rigs wise, you're not casting too far so a 2 or 3 hook flapper should be fine. Go too far and you'll be over the channel and back into shallow water.

Bait? Fish, you chose the flavour and they'll let you know what they prefer. Mackerel and sandeel seem to be the favourites though.

Cheers Boots... would I be best going by Rathmullan tides for said mark?

Cheers Boots... would I be best going by Rathmullan tides for said mark?

You would indeed.

Be aware there's a rather steep drop off nearing low water so don't even think about wading to cast (not that you need to) and be aware you may lose the odd set of gear reeling in over it (I have, and I've reeled in sets that others have lost too).

Remember, 40m is plenty far enough to chuck at low water. There's a red buoy that marks the channel, just past that and you're in! If you can belt it one then it's probably fishable even at high water.

Gave it a go yesterday but got pretty much blown off the beach due as storms came through. No point in staying long as it was pretty much unfishable although there was a couple taken by others there by all accounts.

Thanks for the info man, legend.

hi drew try mackerel feathers baited with a good chunk of mackerel or sandeel the older the mackerel is the better,don't use grip leads as they scare off the ray use a beach bomb weight and let it roll around a bit,best of luck

hi drew try mackerel feathers baited with a good chunk of mackerel or sandeel the older the mackerel is the better,don't use grip leads as they scare off the ray use a beach bomb weight and let it roll around a bit,best of luck

I love using the old watch leads for fishing for ray as they give a bit more stability to the rig but give very little resistance to the fish

My preferance for bait is a mix of crab and mack wrapped together as it catches ray and will also attract an odd smoothie or bass


Best of luck OP

keep it simple as possible, 1/0, 1up 1down, 20lbs 12"-18"snood (clipped if going for distance), use either a pyramid lead or plain depending if there is strong current, sandeel as bait, cut off the tail fin and just before the gills (thats where most of the blood will come out and attract the fish) thread it on to the hook nice and tight and hope for the best..
depending on areas different baits work better than others.. so try a few variations
sandeel tipped with mack
strip of mack and strip of squid
just sandeel or just mack
these seem to be the most favoured combinations for thornies I've caught in different areas..

but sure what would i know about catching ray??

keep it simple as possible, 1/0, 1up 1down, 20lbs 12"-18"snood (clipped if going for distance), use either a pyramid lead or plain depending if there is strong current, sandeel as bait, cut off the tail fin and just before the gills (thats where most of the blood will come out and attract the fish) thread it on to the hook nice and tight and hope for the best..
depending on areas different baits work better than others.. so try a few variations
sandeel tipped with mack
strip of mack and strip of squid
just sandeel or just mack
these seem to be the most favoured combinations for thornies I've caught in different areas..

but sure what would i know about catching ray??

Cheers Steve...

when i fish that mark drew it is 2 rods, one with a 2 up one down, size 1 b940, 30lb snoods at 18-24inch each, with 3 8mm lumi beads on top and bottom hook and a lumi gemini floater on the middle. baits, mack strip or sandeel the length of the hook, on certain days a thin strip of mack hooked once on the end to tip it too helps.
on the other rod i go for a beefy pulley or bolt rig...whole fillet or likewise on. someday, someday, a tope will be pulled outta that channel, im sure!!! but i have also pulled rays in the 3-6lb range (and dogs) there on 6/0 hooks etc.
best ive had was just over 8lb on the 2up one down.
may also sound daft but worth having to try is nipping to your butchers for a bit of liver!bit whipped alongside your mack adds more scent!
go prepared, i use rolling leads when i can, but have had to resort to gemini 7 oz leads with uptde insert to get a hold in it at times, indeed it is when it is like this i find it fishes better.
also worth having bluey, squid, lug rag and crab.... the ray occasionally have a taste for the crab here, though not often, when they are on it they touch little else.
it also has decent flounder around, also some tubs maybe still early for them here though.