Connemara Plague of Ray

People:Meself and a first time Ray angler

Duration:2pm-8pm

Tide:dropping, low water at 6:30

Weather:windy, overcast but dry

Bait: mack, squid , sandeel

Rigs: 2 hook flapper and pulley , 4/0 barbless hooks

Results: me: 15 thornies , Gina 10 thornies, 2 doggies





Report:
First Ray hunt this year, my friend Gina had invited me surfing down in Lahinch, but I told her I'd rather use the Atlantic as it should be used, so she tagged along. I'd brought 12ft beach caster and conger rod/reel for me, and had set her up with my scratcher rod - a zebco telescopic and crappy leeda reel, thinking she'd get scorpions and doggies.....
The first fish fell to me after only 10 mins.. then Gina got off the mark with a doggie, which she was really happy with- her 'little shark'... After this the Thornies came thick and fast, bait would soak about 10 mins then that tell tale bit or nearly pulling the rod over, they mixed it up....
I actually got tired of catching them at one point, as I was trying to put fresh line and setup the conger rod, so put down my thornie rod for 30 mins.... Conger bait in- 3/4 a whole mack, jsut down past the weedy edge..... bites came fast on this too.. more ray . and doggies, tryin to swallow the whole thing, only letting go at the water's edge... but no eels showed up.
most of the ray were in the 5 - 6b bracket, biggest I had was 8lb 4oz , gina got 7lb 8 oz. the scratching rod really stood up to them! the smaller ones were puttin up the better fight, at one stage I thought I had a huss, the way it was pullin and zippin about, but turned out to be a wee yoke of 3lb....

we had loads of bait left and could've fished on, only we had to hike back before darkness fell, only made it to the van as it became too dark to see the rocks...
Good session and a great day for a novice Ray angler!

Daire

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Great session, very jealous

I think this signals for me to head west for another unsuccessful hunt! Why break tradition

Lovely report what a session on the Raymonds fair play to you.

well done excellent results and report

great fishing folks well done

nice going mate.... im woundering what i was doing wrong the last time i was out ...... happy days.........

great session guys


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Well done great fishing,just like myself using barbless hooks

Bubonic rays , lovely bit of fishing there and decent quality too.

well done you have got to love the way every one has its own pattern and are different like little snow flakes with big razor sharp spikes

great pics and report daire
that was a powerfull run of rays you had. i hope you told her it is'nt like that all the time

Hey guys, sorry to go a bit OT- I'll be up in Connemara in a few weeks and was hoping to go ray fishing myself. I was hoping if I caught one I could get the hotel chef to cook it for me but I don't know what the stocks are like for thornbacks.

Obviously if stocks are threatened I'd catch and release but if there's plenty I'd like to take one for the pan.

So what(if any) species of ray are in healthy enough numbers that I could eat one?

Thanks!

Ye had A busy time of it great fishing

cheers , lads. It does make a change from getting pin whiting/ palmsized flounder.. long may it continue

well done great to here the ray are back over there i was thinking they had not showing up yet over the west after reading others reports but now i know i will be over soon to killary to get my first of the year

Well done to the both of u great session

close ups

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Hey guys, sorry to go a bit OT- I'll be up in Connemara in a few weeks and was hoping to go ray fishing myself. I was hoping if I caught one I could get the hotel chef to cook it for me but I don't know what the stocks are like for thornbacks.

Obviously if stocks are threatened I'd catch and release but if there's plenty I'd like to take one for the pan.

So what(if any) species of ray are in healthy enough numbers that I could eat one?

Thanks!

plenty of ray about your only problem is if you eat it to fresh i find there better if wing them asap and leave em in the fridge for two days before eating , yummy. i will head west myself soon enough and grab a few for the table

Hey guys, sorry to go a bit OT- I'll be up in Connemara in a few weeks and was hoping to go ray fishing myself. I was hoping if I caught one I could get the hotel chef to cook it for me but I don't know what the stocks are like for thornbacks.

Obviously if stocks are threatened I'd catch and release but if there's plenty I'd like to take one for the pan.

So what(if any) species of ray are in healthy enough numbers that I could eat one?

Thanks!

plenty of ray about your only problem is if you eat it to fresh i find there better if wing them asap and leave em in the fridge for two days before eating , yummy. i will head west myself soon enough and grab a few for the table

I read the exact same thing in Hugh FWs River Cottage Fish Book (absolutely excellent book btw). Cheers!

sry forgot to say no shortage of em out there