Stingray Fishing

[HeadBanger]

G'day everyone, I was just wondering if anyone on here targets stingrays. I know a lot of you view them as pests when fishing for larger and more aggressive species, but for someone like me who is used to fishing for whiting and bream, they give a bit of fight.

I was fishing up at the quieter part of the Spit yesterday just before dusk, and was messing around throwing a small soft plastic over sand banks while my mates were pumping yabbies. Anyway, before I knew it, I was hooked and getting taken out. After about 15 minutes, I had the stingray where I could see it, but the line snapped about 3m from shore. I was expecting it, as it was just my plastics rod and had 6lb line on it, but I was still disappointed.

I will be fishing for rays with a 5'6" Ugly Stik with a Shimano Alivio 4000 with 12lb main line and a 15lb leader. I can change the line and leader to suit my needs, but I'm in no position to change my rod or reel at the moment. If anyone could give me any tips at all (eg- bait, rig, best way to hook, etc) about how to go about catching a ray, I'd be extremely grateful.

If it helps at all, I'll be fishing in the inlet at the Spit, using a mixture of bait and soft plastics.


Thanks in advance,
Kaidon

[tailorboi99]

I've never really targeted String Rays, and as you mentioned above they tend to be a pest and aren't highly rated as a sport fish. However, when I have caught them as by-catch I've been targeting Sharks with rather large Baits such as Mullet and Catfish. The Rays I've caught when using that sort of Tackle, Bait and Rigs are well over the 10KG mark and fight rather sluggish but seeing you're using lighter gear you'll have some fun. Now, the line and leader you've decided to use are good choices so stick with those, and if I were to give you any tips, with the Sting Ray knowledge I have, it would be to use medium-sized Baits around the 5"-7" region. These Baits would include Mullet Fillet, small whole Mullet, and even big whole Prawns, note how none of these are Livies, this being because Ray's are rather lazy and like to suck up anything lying dead on the bottom, unless it is a Worm or Yabbie.

Good luck!

Thanks Tom

[cuzzamundi]

Mate can't go past squid or dead herring IMO. You'll catch em on just about anything though. Just use small baits (6cm piece of squid), fish the bottom, and if they're there, you're on. Up leader size to above 30lb to assist in leadering to shore in the final stages of the fight. Heavy gear wont matter. And also remember 1 ray per person, with max limit of 150cm. Enjoy the fight, theyre beautiful creatures.

Cuzza

[flatzie]

Mate the whole of Moreton Bay and adjoining estuaries is Stingray Central.
They eat every kind of bait Ive ever had out for other fish, they love yabbies!
I would ramp up on the 12 lb line tho.
They give you a lot of fun tho with big runs but when they stick on the bottom they take some budging!
Good luck
Flatzie

[Fishobloke]

I remember a post fom you earlier, there are heaps of rays in the coombabah creek. I have almost stood on a few wadding out on low tide.
We have caught them on yabbies by accident plenty of times.
But to stop the, yes sounds mad, whitting and brim taking your bait, put a pilchard on with a couple 4/0 hooks to hold it on.
Have fun,
Fishobloke

[Nico.d.R]

3 gangs with whole squid and big enough sinker to keep it on the bottom will get you a ray for sure . like cuzza said it will be easyer to land with heavyer leader , i would go 30-40lb leader so you can lift a ray onto its back to get the hooks out .

cheers nico

[HeadBanger]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys.

I'm just wondering, what size hooks and sinkers should I be using? I'll be targeting them in a maximum of 1.5m of water. If I was to gang hooks (which I was thinking about, and which Nico.d.R mentioned) would I be using smaller or larger sizes hooks than if I was just using a single? Also, would a rig with a running sinker be more effective? I also read somewhere that a wire trace may be effective, but would I really need it for catching rays in the estuaries?

Also, I've seen a few baits here mentioned, but what would the best bait be to stop toadfish and other bait takers from eating it? The one that I had on the other day was also caught on a soft plastic, which I was trolling slowly across the bottom. Has anyone else had any success with soft plastics for rays?


Sorry about all the questions guys, but these are the first fish I've really wanted to target, and I would really like some success.

Cheers to all that have answered, and thanks in advance for those that haven't,

Kaidon

[BR65]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys.

I'm just wondering, what size hooks and sinkers should I be using? I'll be targeting them in a maximum of 1.5m of water. If I was to gang hooks (which I was thinking about, and which Nico.d.R mentioned) would I be using smaller or larger sizes hooks than if I was just using a single? Also, would a rig with a running sinker be more effective? I also read somewhere that a wire trace may be effective, but would I really need it for catching rays in the estuaries?

Also, I've seen a few baits here mentioned, but what would the best bait be to stop toadfish and other bait takers from eating it? The one that I had on the other day was also caught on a soft plastic, which I was trolling slowly across the bottom. Has anyone else had any success with soft plastics for rays?


Sorry about all the questions guys, but these are the first fish I've really wanted to target, and I would really like some success.

Cheers to all that have answered, and thanks in advance for those that haven't,

Kaidon

Mate, we cut our teeth on ray fishing off tghe old bridge or Cabbage Tree Creek, Mud Jew we used to call them, not a lot of big sport fish available to a kid on a push bike in the Sandgate area.
We used alvey reels with 15lb line, whole winter whiting or squid on a single hook rig, with a big enough sinker above a couple of foot of trace to hold bottom, you dont want a mobile bait here.
You wont need wire, up the leader size like the boys have suggested to aid in tracing and releasing.
By catch included big shovelies and the odd flathead and small bull shark.
Good luck, enjoy, and try to release them un-harmed.
cheers
brian

[Damned67]

For me, I've always found the best way to catch them is to try and target something else.....

[Freeeedom]

I catch heaps of them when fishing for whiting up on top of the yabby banks at high tide. On the whiting gear they give you a good workover. I usually just work them back to the boat and cut the line as close to their mouth as I can
Cheers Freeeedom

[danielsydney]

I remember my grandfather caught quite a few on the creek he lived on when we were kids. They do really fight and they take off when they are caught. They were great fun. Have not caught one for years and I think if I went back there I doubt I would catch one again.