# Big Rays in the surf question



## scrambler (May 28, 2004)

When I started surf fishing in the late 80s and early 90s we used to catch a lot of 30-40 pound stingrays along with an occasional 100 pound plus ray in the surf of west Galveston beach in late summer and the fall.

I took a couple of decades off from serious surf fishing to raise kids and build a business. Since buying a place in Galveston this year I have gotten back into it and surf fish a lot. 

I haven't caught a single ray in the surf this year. Have any other long term surf fisherman noticed this?

Here's one I caught near SLP around 1993.


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## Big Guns 1971 (Nov 7, 2013)

Yeah It seems like they are getting harder to find these days. More people killing them and using them as shark bait.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Last year, they were really thick. I caught a bunch of them and one big one stuck me last June in the surf. This year, we caught a bunch early in the year and they seemed to disappear but I doubt if the shark fishermen made any dent in the population whatsoever.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

We get big ones on the beach in Sargent every year, doesn't seem to be a shortage to me.


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## captnickm (Feb 16, 2011)

We caught this one about 3 years ago just west of SLP. She was well over 100lbs


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## hereford (Aug 25, 2005)

Got this guy at High Island. One hell of a fight. He was a monster. I'm 6'4" for a simple reference.


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

There still around, we CPR'd this one at Matagorda beach.


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## edjman (Aug 13, 2013)

I've been surf fishing several times and I've only seen one being caught a few years ago. I always kind of wondered why I never caught one before myself. Getting thin at Mcfaddin I guess...


:work::work:
HARDHEADS


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Are they still around? Yes.

Are they as numerous as they were in years past? No, at least not in some locations.

I primarily fish McFaddin. Back in the '70s it was a rare trip when we didn't catch one or more each trip. I've had many trips when they were a downright nuisance. Nowadays, I seldom catch more than one or two a year down there.

I've wondered what happened to them.

Here's one from recent years.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I've never have caught one but have seen a couple caught and really haven't thought much about them. I assume they are accidentally caught while fishing for Sharks, Bull Reds, and Etc. If you wanted to catch one, what would be the bait of choice?


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

My experience is like Bigfosts', when I first started surf fishing for big fish I caught them too often. 
I didn't like hooking one as they usually went to the bottom and took a lot of time and energy to get back up and fight.
Sometimes one would fight swimming mostly and I would bring them in for a release.
If they sucked down on the bottom right off, and went right back if I could banjo twang them up, then I would break them off.
It has been five years since I last caught a big one.


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## larebo (May 8, 2006)

I do not catch near as many big rays in the surf now as I did in the 70's and 80's off the upper Texas coast. Seemed like back then, swimming a live 12" mullet off the beach in the Summer or Fall almost always ended up getting a 75+ lb ray assuming a shark did not get the bait first. As mentioned by others, they are out there, but seem to be much less in numbers. Maybe it is cyclical, or maybe due to fishing pressure.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

troutless said:


> I've never have caught one but have seen a couple caught and really haven't thought much about them. I assume they are accidentally caught while fishing for Sharks, Bull Reds, and Etc. If you wanted to catch one, what would be the bait of choice?


I'm not sure why anyone would want to target the big ones. They are pretty much a pain in the arse. 99% of them make one good hard run as soon as they are hooked. Then they just lay on the bottom and you have to drag them in. It's no fun.

Back in the day, we caught so many, as soon as one "sat down", as we called it, we would break them off so we could get back to fishing. That's still my philosophy. The big one in the picture in my previous response didn't sit down until it got to within 10 yards of the beach where I could walk out and drag it in by the leader.

But to answer your question Monty, they will eat anything a red or shark will eat. I've even caught them on pieces of shark, back when that was a legal bait.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

they must be attracted to me, maybe I stink. I catch a lot of them, always have. Cut whiting is best bait for them, like candy to them. 

All the scientist type folks say there are more rays now compared to the past due to less sharks eating them. Now if this is true for southern stingrays I am not sure


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## skooter2 (May 3, 2011)

Jolly Roger said:


> they must be attracted to me, maybe I stink. I catch a lot of them, always have. Cut whiting is best bait for them, like candy to them.
> 
> All the scientist type folks say there are more rays now compared to the past due to less sharks eating them. Now if this is true for southern stingrays I am not sure


 I haven't noticed any decrease in sharks or rays. Like Bigfost says, they'll hit anything. I target reds less than 28 inches so I seldom fish past the second bar. I also only use 25# line and 80# leader for an easy sacrifice when the ray hunkers down.

I landed a washtub size ray for the amusement of my grandson last week. Cut crab on the second bar with a flood tide. It only exacerbated my redfish elbow.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

The only reason I would catch one to say that I have. But they will be accidental catch then for me after your replies. 
BTW: TJ Are you doing any surf fishing these days?


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

troutless said:


> BTW: TJ Are you doing any surf fishing these days?


Still hitting the surf a couple times a year, but nothing like in the past where I was surf fishing 100 days a year.


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## JustSlabs (Jun 19, 2005)

Caught two this size one day between the old piers in High Island 4 or 5 years ago. Haven't caught any since.


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