Thornies from the Shore

[Gillies]

Hi

 

Have a small "fun comp" this Saturday of the shore, the mark I hope to fish has been producing a number of Thornback Rays over the past few months, even last week a nice 11 pounder was caught.

 

Any suggestions on best kind of rig to use?

 

Gillies

[Davy Holt]

Gillies:

Hi

Any suggestions on best kind of rig to use?

 

Gillies

Hiya,

I aint an expert on the shore but I think a pully rig would probably be the best bet for you.

 

One other thing.. thornies are the same as Commons and other Rays as in they tend not to take to well to deep hooking

[SandTiger]

That or a short up and over rig should give you the distance.

[Hesos Christos]

I'd agree with the up and over rig approach which can give you a much longer snood - something at around 6 foot would probably be best. Also suggest using a plain lead if you can get away with it to nudge the rig back along the bottom a couple of yards to straighten out the snood.

[Harold.]

Agree, the up and over is what I use for Rays, usually 4ft snood and size 1/0 Kamasan with Sandeel (fast flowing water in River Mersey). Others will use their own, so best to get a wide opinion as some tactics work better in different areas.

 

Rememeber, too short a snood and the Ray can hit you rig body or weight with wing/tail (turning onto bait), this will spook the fish, you get a indication of good bite on rod but nothing hooked. :confused:

 

Good luck

[Gillies]

Thanks for all the tips, look forward to giving them a go !!! I pulled out of the shore competition though - The venue was changed due to the tides.

 

New venue is a well known small sea loch up here that produces Cod into the 30 pound bracket from the shore, and small boats. I have fished this place loads, but my best fish is an 8 pound 12 oz Coalfish (the Cod hide on me) I've not had anything in ages from the place, though my friends have had some great Cod.

 

At its deepest the place is only 9 foot deep, and is full of crab - hence the big Cod. Large Squid and Mackerel cocktails seem to be the most widely used baits, though some big Cod have came to Tobies tipped with Mackerel, either trawled or span from the shore.

 

The big Cod though, also attracts the locals of that areas nets

 

Gillies

 

[ 27. December 2003, 12:44 PM: Message edited by: Gillies ]

[Kieran Hanrahan]

I have started to use VMC circle hooks to avoid surgery. I only have 1/0s at the moment and they look a bit light for an 11 lb thorny but...

 

The best bait to use with circle hooks, IMHO, is crab which is not I agree ideal for rays but it will take most fish. Shirring elastic is essential and since circle hooks are self hooking, you had this addded advantage for fishing at distance with a mono main line.

 

I have yet to have a fish which has not been lip hooked. BTW it snowed a bundle last night and there was me off to catch some whiting today - off to build a snowman with the kids instead!