THORN BACK RAY

HI; could anyone please advise where the best place to fish this time of year, in the shannon [south clare] for thorn back ray or huss ive never been to clare so any replies would be very helpfull thanks for your time.

I'll try and give what advise I can as I've fished the area but I only have a rough Idea of some of the marks. Usually the marks further out in the Estuary produce ray first. The perception at the moment is fishing won't really come on for another few weeks because of the cold weather. I can't give any advise on huss fishing in the area as I haven't had much success in Clare other than on mixed ground the odd one will come fishing for ray.

One last piece to all anglers is please practice catch and release with all ray and huss. The small bit of flesh for the destruction of one of the few big fish we have isn't worth it. The Shannon Estuary has seen a dramatic down turn in catchs and what ray and huss are left need to be protected.

Donagh

well said have seen too many people taking ray home barely the size of a dinner plate anyway ive been told theyre not that nice to eat

Thanks for the reply lads i totally agree with you

I have a good idea of the Clare area I fish it quite a lot if you want more information pm me and ill might be able to join you on a ray session as there are good marks for night fishing in the Shannon estuary it depends on the venue at a time of the year and I have some of it worked out.....

We have always managed a Thornie from Foynes this time of the year, crab and macko coctails off the pier on preferably a spring tide, such as next weekend would be ideal, fish first two hours of the flood and expect a huge flow of tide, so fixed grips are advisable there, always got our fish on a 3ft below the lead fixed ledger. Tight Lines :)

unfortunately foynes pier has benn closed to all anglers since last summer and what harm it was the best ray venue i ever fished youll have to find somewhere else

Well then the back of the Yacht club further up the town is equally good.

ya but kilteery takes the beatin over 40 ray from the pier and shore last summer

always did well there too, any tope from it last year?

Robert I asked you before about back of the yaught club but never did fish there as I wasn't to sure about getting in there or if they'd be keen on letting you fish there. Do you just go down the main entrance?

The marina in Foynes will be removed at this time of year so the trailer park will be fishable without a boat hacking up line every 5 minutes. Fairly deep water will be available here. I must give it a go myself. Thing that put me off is it seems to have become the new hang out for the boy racers since the quay has been closed off.

My understanding was there weren't ray in numbers here until the summer?

Donagh

Hi Donagh,

Would you believe that we have had our best Ray sessions there over the years on the Paddys weekend. Going back a few years I actually landed a 10lb and subsequently a 16lb Cod from the Trailer park, you must, must must fish it on a spring tide only, its the only chance you will have and Paddy's weekend are spring tides. The most important thing about that spot is to get right into the channel or else you simply wont catch and be prepare for a huge run of tide. The last two hours of the flood there for Ray and Congers, slack water is a waste of time.

With the Yacht club we always fished off the back off it in the corner with no problems, once we cleaned up after ourselves they did not seem to mind at all. However with the big springer's due for this weekend I would recommend that you go down the slip-way right of the yacht club walk about 300 yards up to the left (low tide only) and fish the first two hours of the flood, that's where we have never blanked when going after Thornie's, the spot always throws up Huss and Congers too. The Rays there are just out side on the channel bank of the main channel so a 60yard lob is your man, and crab and macko cocktail was always the prime bait.

Tight Lines!!

Thanks for that. Off to Wicklow paddies weekend but I'll give it a crack next spring tide if I'm able.

Donagh