Skate mark question

Thought that I may have a go at trying to find a skate mark this year.

Can anyone give me an idea of what might be the general characteristics of a skate mark.

I seem to recall that a depression in deep water sand is good.

It is the case, however, that I have never targetted skate.

Peter

im starting to think to myself that they can turn up anywhere!!!seen them caught at 100m at ballycastle and in clew bay they are caught a lot shallower, and then there was one caught off fermoyle strand wasnt there???
at ballycastle they are caught over sandy, muddy, and patchy broken ground....ive even heard of people catching them over dirty ground etc at reefs and stuff while targetting conger!

get the scent down with rubby dubby, this will attract dogs etc etc, fish for them too, this will get activity going in the area and attract the bigger predators(skate), add a few big baits in what you think is a suitable area with a bit of tide and current and let them come to you!

if its your own boat basically fish a couple of skate rods and a couple of normal outfits at the same time, that way you should catch something if the big boys (or girls) dont show!!!

i herd of one caught straight out from barna but i think that was a fluke rather than the norm

Any skippers I've talked to have recommended rough ground or just on the edge of the clean. Have a spot in mind this year to try, even if i was fluky to hook one I haven't clue how I'd get it on board a 16ft orkney :shock:

what class of rod/reel would you need to tackle skate,? i wouldnt mind targeting them also but dont think i have any gear suitable.
Steve

Same question was asked on world sea fishing here is the answer from the skate master davy holt

Hiya,

I find mine over a variety of grounds, but they do all tend to be reasonably hard bottom types. As yet I’ve never caught a Common off a muddy bottomed area. My most productive areas tend to be areas of heavy gravel & small stones.

The main thing you need is a reliable food source to bring the skate to your chosen area, on my areas there is a high population of Squat lobsters which make up a good part f the skate’s diet. I’d be looking for areas with good shellfish beds, esp Scallops.

Tide wise, I find they are quite happy with a bit of tide but don’t seem to be happy in strong tides.

Depths, it’s not really a thing to worry about, I’ve had them from 67’ down to 550’ and I know of areas where they are regularly seen by divers in down to 20’ of water… the key is finding an area with a reliable food source for them.

Forgot to add, remember these fish are Apex predators and are, despite their appearance very active hunters and are able to take any species of fish in our waters, so fish wise.. if you are under 10lb your potential skate food.

I've heard that if your fishing and getting pestered with doggies and all of a sudden they clear off, there is a good chance a big skate has moved in - seems the doggies know when they're outclassed and on the menu. This suggests two things. One, anywhere you get lots of doggies, skate are a possibility; two, when the doggies split, it's time to get the big baits down. Anyone tried doggies for skate bait?

Hi

Yes, dogfish is the skate bait in parts of Clew Bay, and also used in Donegal. 10/0 hook too!

Interesting. Have no intention of fishing skate myself for a number of reasons (one being I get enough donkey work in my day job without trying to wrestle one of the monsters you get up here off the bottom from 50 odd fathoms :lol: ) but I'd be interested to learn more. Do people livebait with doggies - lesser spotted, huss, spur etc - any species make a better bait etc? Or does deadbaiting be the more common method?

Used to see a few back in my commercial fishing days. Massive beasts, which invariably fell out of the net at the side of the boat, which was just as well as trying to get them in through a hauler with a 2 foot aperture would not have been pretty....

When you see how far one of them can move with one or two flaps of it's wings, you get a feeling that trying to fight them on a rod is a recipie for serious back injuries.....

Mind you, if you're an angler that prizes sheer size in your target species, then these, tope or tuna are the way to go in Irish waters. I'd also recommend one of the weightlifters belts if you want to avoid doing your back in....

I can say from experience that there are plenty of record-breakers out there, if you can get them on a rod and line.

dogfish can be used as bait along with others like small spurdogs, pollack and coalies. just cut of the tail section by a few inches so as to let the blood out. dead is best as a live dogfish will just cause tangles.

by far the best bait is mackerel. just knick of the tail.

mount the bait on 10/0 or bigger. i use 12/0's. barbs crushed.

tackle wise. depends on the depth. a good 30lb class outfit will deal with a skate in shallow water but if its 100m+ i would plump for a 50lb outfit.
things like a 4/0 senator, tld 20 or 25 are more than enough.
last time out we had 5 skate on 15lb class tackle but that's a ball buster.

trend here is to keep the hooklengths short to say a metre of 300lb long liners nylon. that way when a skate takes it you see the bite quickly and it avoids gut hooking.
one thing i can guarantee a skate will find any weak link in your gear.

Great info Iona, thanks
Steve

Did you know that Bray sea anglers club once held the Irish record for the common Skate caught off Bray head! I think it was back in the 60's or something. How things have changed... I doubt there are any common Skate on the East coast these days. :shock:

I read somewhere that the top bait in parts of scotland is a dogfish and rainbow trout cocktail used whole and lashed to a 12/0.