More rays 1/5/11

bassmanrob · #1 05-05-2011, 01:52 PM

After my session a couple of nights previous I couldn't wait to get back for another go at the rays. There was a big open going on that night the night I wanted to fish that finished at midnight. I reckoned the best (and weedless) fishing would come after this so planned on arriving as the match finished and fish the small hours.

I got on the beach and the word was a few small-eyeds had been caught but the weed was terrible. I fset up at my favourite spot next to a match angler and waited until the match finished before casting out. He only had a couple of dogs in the match and kindly gave me some left over bait. Soon all the headlamps were gone and I had the beach to myself.

Plan was to fish solely for rays with sandeel on long and low rigs. I had a bit of weed to start with but when it eased the second rod went out using the same tactics.The weed cleared and the action started, I missed the first bite but soon had a good bite on the other rod....ray on. A good fight and small-eyed number one christened my new salter-brecknell digital scales at 4lb 13oz.

About quarter of an hour later I had another bite and felt another ray like fight. A smaller fish this time, small-eyed number two which went 3lb 15oz. Hope you're all not getting too bored of photos of rays in ikea bags! Ikea bags do make excellent weighing slings and I was on my own!

There then was a bit of a quite spell, I had a chat with a mate to see how the lads at Selsey got on and had a nice pulldown bite which I failed to connect with. Then the rain hit with a single flash of lightening. I sat it out in the beach buddy but the rods were showing signs of weed. The rain was easing so I started to pump the Solent weed fish in on one. I said to myself "probably best to call it a night now" when the other rod had a savage bite!

I hit into it but it was very heavy with weed and fish. I held the rod in one hand and handlined the other rods gear in then began pumping the large fish and weed-fish double-shot in! The weed covered leader-knot came into view as did a glowing eye of a good ray. I beached it and my small-eyed PB was broken again, a lovely 7lb 11oz fish.

The weed had cleared again the session was well and truely on again. Next cast another good bite and no weed meant this was a more enjoyable fight. Number four went 6lb 2oz.

Half an hour passed before my next bite and again I hit it and felt another ray on. Like my small-eyed PB my spotted ray PB lasted only a couple of days. I was chuffed to bits with a cracking spotted ray of 4lb 10oz!

It was now low water and I had used up my packet of sandeels and was using the sandeel and other baits the match angler had left me. The sandeel bait went again and the final ray of a fantastic session was another small-eyed which went 4lb 14oz.

Final tally:

5 small-eyeds to 7lb 11oz
1 spotted 4lb 10oz
3 dogfish