Sunday 12 February 2012

Specimen Painted Ray - 11th February 2012

Saturday morning was very calm but a southerly wind gradually increased in strength through the day. I decided to fish and East Cork beack for a few hours up to high tide. I got to the beach just after 6.00 pm. There was a nice surf. It was a cloudy dark night with a fairly strong onshore breeze so I was hopefully of a good session.

I set up two rods both baited with crab on pennel pulleys. As I was targeting bass I lobbed both baits out a short distance into the breaking surf. About half an hour later I noticed a few small tugs on one of the rods. I picked it up, felt another tug and struck. I felt something heavy on the end, but it didn't feel like a bass. At first I thought I had just snagged a big clump of kelp but when I got it into the shallow surf I realized there was definitely a big fish on the end as it began to pull strongly. Then as I hauled it out of the foam I saw a good size Painted Ray flapping on the beach. However, it was only when I weighed it at 11.5 lb I realized I had a specimen fish.


I took a few photos and quickly released it.

About half an hour later I had a very sharp tug on the other rod. I grabbed the rod and felt a strong fighting fish on the end. There was no doubtling what it was this time and a few minutes later I slid a 4 lb, 54 cm bass on to the shingle.


High tide was at 8.00 pm, I fished on for another hour until the tide started to drop and then pack up. I was happy with that session, only two fish, but two quality fish!!!

5 comments:

  1. lovely ray there Frank, I wish we got painted ray up this way. took me a long time to realise that what I call small-eyed ray is generally referred to as painted here.
    I am going to take a bit of your advice. Although I prefer to hunt big toothy fish with bait I did enjoy a few sessions on the lures last year so this year I will get a few of those tackle house shallows and see how the bass of Clare like them

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  2. beautiful markings on the ray frank, well done, fine fish.
    denis/red.

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  3. Well done Frank...getting a specimen is a bit special. Well deserved!

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  4. Very well done Frank.

    Cracking ray and a nice bass too.

    You are certainly starting of the year very well.

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  5. Thanks Neill,
    Good luck with the Feed Shallows, I am sure the Clare Bass will love them!!!

    Thanks Denis, Pat, Crevan

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