Rayofdelight
BY LOUIS FEROX THE thornback ray is a common catch during the summer, particularly on the west coast.
But while they may have been a welcome treat on prior Loch Etive boat trips, my limited knowledge of the rods, weights and rigs needed for beach casting meant I’d never had one off the shore.
I’ve always been happy to tease my sea-fishing pals for using 6oz leads and telegraph poles to catch tiny fish. I think it’s the bias of having fished the spinner or the fly too long. But I was chuffed to get some shore-fishing lessons with some friends last summer.
With a decent bit of weather and an evening flood tide over smooth ground, they were full of confidence for a good session as we headed down to the Solway Firth.
We were using clipped-up pulley-style rigs baited with cocktails of oily scented squid, mackerel, crab or blueys thrown uptide, allowing the grip leads to hold bottom on the seabed in the right-to-left flow of the tide.
Rays tend to feed hard on the bottom and the clippedup rigs allow an extra-long hooklength, so the bait can settle on the sea floor a good distance away from the grip weight spikes.
A 60 to 80-yard cast from a raised position on the shore is nothing when you’re a well-practised sea angler and my pals managed both their rods no problems.
As the enthusiastic amateur, I was fishing a single rod to prevent tangles or breakages. After some woeful attempts, I managed to get into the swing of things and put a bait respectably near the targeted gully.
The first few knockings did bolster my confidence. Small dogfish had come in over the baits and were munching away. “Definitely no need for the big rods,” I joked.
A cast with fresh bait was met with a tell-tale lift of the tip as the lead came free before slowly bending the rod over as the fish swam away. I lifted into a fish that charged away on the tide.
Carefully clambering down to the chosen landing spot, I played and landed a smashing smiling thornback for my troubles.
Those beach boys might well have the right idea. Blasting a carefully prepped bait out to the horizon to catch thornies is a fantastic way to fish.
I’ve invested in a bit of budget gear for shore fishing, picked up a bit more nous and look forward to a day or two at the beach with my bait bucket and spade.