TIME FOR A BIG RAY
Warmer weather brings large thornbacks.
As winter draws to a close, the fields that border much of the Bristol Channel coastline fill with spring lambs. Daffodils line the grass verges of country lanes and the gorse bushes that adorn many a headland begin to bloom. These indicators on nature’s clockface let me know that it is time to begin my spring ray fishing campaign.
The upper reaches of the Bristol Channel coast, at least on the Somerset side, are frequented by just the one species of ray, the thornback. Blonde rays are caught here once in a very blue moon, but these are rare, to say the least.
The thornback, often despised by the local angling community for its reputation as a bait thief, can be caught throughout the year, but during spring there is a real chance of hooking a fish exceeding double figures in weight. That, to me, is a fish worth catching and after the February doldrums and the associated bad weather it’s nice to get a healthy bend in the rod once more.
Catching thornback rays is not difficult by any stretch of the imagination, and, as a result, a simplistic approach will see you in with a real fighting chance of landing a specimen fish.
VENUES
I would go so far as to say that as the weather warms and spring leads into summer, the thornbacks can be effectively targeted at most venues. The entire stretch of coastline from Portishead to Minehead holds fish, as indeed do a number of the marks outside of this area. But for the sake of spring ray fishing, I focus my attention on the coastline around Weston-super-Mare.
Water depth is not too critical because these rays will happily feed in just a few feet of water, although if the winter has been a particularly cold one the deeper marks may be favourable. Rough ground consisting of rocks, boulders and reefs giving way to clean ground is typical ray territory, and the fish will often be found here on the mud and sand, feeding on shrimps.
The rise and fall of tide in the Bristol Channel is so extreme that it provides a constant churning effect, ensuring that the sediment here is forever suspended and the water remains a mucky brown colour. For this reason, night or day sessions will make little difference to your end result.
An observation worth considering is that although rays will feed during most stages of the tidal cycle, a spring tide can make it very hard to keep your end tackle pinned to the seabed. This will result in your lead weight clawing its way across the mud before eventually tripping. For this reason, tides in the neap to mid-range offer more practical angling conditions.
A number of marks here involve fishing from an elevated position, and although rogue swells are not something we have to contend with in the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel, care should always be taken when negotiating cliff tops.
It is always advisable to fish with a friend in order for your catch to be safely landed. Modern sea fishing boots that feature studs or spikes in the tread will aid your grip on slippery grass and increase your overall confidence. They are not always cheap, but consider them a worthwhile investment and something that may one day save your life.
TACKLE SELECTION
The fish itself will not put a tremendous strain on your gear, but the venues you fish will often require the use of heavier lead weights, which means you will need a more powerful rod. Anything capable of casting six or seven ounces of lead will be adequate.
A multiplier reel filled with 20lb monofilament (or 30lb braid on a fixed-spool reel) will suffice. A long shockleader may help with landing fish if you are fishing at a considerable height above the water.
The pulley rig remains my rig of choice for thornback rays, and I find a rig body of around three feet in length to be about right. Short pulley rigs just don’t seem to produce the bites, though I’m not sure why this may be.
All my rigs are now tied with the use of a lead weight containing the bait clip in mind. Gone are the days of bulky clips built into rigs, though perhaps with one exception. I’ve been suitably impressed with the Gemini Solo clip and I add this to my client’s traces, safe in the knowledge that the baited hook will not eject mid-flight.
Hooks should be strong and sharp, as they should be for any form of fishing. A Pennell rig (below) will present the bait perfectly and you’ll come to realise that the majority of fish fall to the top hook of this tandem hook arrangement. Construct your rig with strength in mind. A rig body of 80-100lb is standard and I wouldn’t use a trace much finer than this either.
Streamlined components will make for longer casts, which can occasionally produce a few bonus fish.
BEST BAIT
There really are only two baits worth considering. Squid has been my go-to choice since I started fishing here, and nothing can beat a small whole Calamari squid for both its practicalities in the casting stakes and its undoubted fish-attracting properties.
Over the last seven or eight years, Bluey (or Pacific Saury, to give it its non-angling title) has become an equal favourite and seems to work especially well when used in conjunction with squid. Casting a Bluey bait out on a calm day produces a huge oil slick, which gives you some indication of the bait’s potency. Other baits will certainly work, but if you fill your freezer with these two, you really won’t go far wrong.
Use bait elastic to secure your bait to the hooks and ensure it is as streamlined as possible if you need extra yards on your cast.
A useful trick that I picked up from a friend a few years back is to hold a length of stainless wire alongside the bait as you whip it to the hooks. This gives you something firm to hold on to as you wind on the elastic and ensures that the bait is as straight as possible for casting. When you have finished whipping the bait on, simply slide the wire out.