ray hunting question
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Midnightrider
Well-Known Member
seems awful early for skate, you sure they weren't going after carp? I know i have seen a few hunting for carp in creeks over the last month or so.
Hunting skates or snake heads? Snake heads are growing in popularity especially when they have buyer's lined up.
They were all hunting in the shallows and flats around the island, where the skate often hang out or cruise through in schools. Certainly were not carp hunting..those are not around the island. But I haven't seen any skate in the cove yet this year (they are easy to spot when they roll in ) and I didn't see or hear of anyone catching any last weekend either. Of course it does not require much to justify putting around in a boat drinkin' beer all day.....
Midnightrider
Well-Known Member
the shallows and flats are also where the carp like to hang in the spring, same with snakeheads. up until about 2 weeks ago we had carp splashing and thrashing all over the creek and its just a short distance up from the island....
If they are out for skate i'd say they are about a month or more early.
Never seen one...or heard of anyone taking one, around the island or any of the local waters (Piney Point area). I know they take some pretty big ones much farther up river though; some of them look like cows that swim..
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SquirrelBait
Look at her SMILE
Yes it is a little early
They are Cow Nose Rays and there is plenty of carp around here in the spring spawning
Yeah I guess that's technically correct...funny that they have always been called skate, local waterman included. I've yet to see or catch a carp in the waters surrounding St. George's Island. The cove on the creek side that everyone was bow hunting in last weekend is only a few feet deep at most and is a popular hangout for skate,,or rays......would it have been carp they were looking for?
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Hank
my war
Snakeheads... Buddy of mine pulled in 8 this past weekend with a bow. He said you hunt them in shallow waters.
That could be!..and there have been a couple caught near here recently too but not by bow.
Jeebus!..8?? So much for keeping that problem under control.
Baja28
Obama destroyed America
They hunt them at night too. I've seen some pretty elaborate rigs with powerful lights. I'd just like to catch one with hook and line....
Hank
my war
Yeah. Apparently there are plenty out there.... He cleans & freezes. Said it's quite tasty.
Hank
my war
They hunt them at night too. I've seen some pretty elaborate rigs with powerful lights. I'd just like to catch one with hook and line....
Are they hard to hook?
Baja28
Obama destroyed America
I haven't researched it much. I read fishing reports of people catching them fairly regularly at Mattawoman while bass fishing. There is supposedly a good population in Allens Fresh where I fish a lot but I haven't hooked any yet.
Hank
my war
My buddy hauled the 8 in at multiple places along the Potomac.
Well that definitely describes several of the ones fishing the cove over the weekend. Big platforms..lots of lights.
I've heard that from many. Can't wait to try one myself.
Thanks for the answers, we were in the Patuxent and at least one boat was looking for rays, he stopped and asked if we had seen any. Two nights ago the water was full of them, they were all around the BFs kayak, but none that night. Lots of croakers though. I like to watch the rays so it upset me some to think people would shoot them just because they could, I'd rather think they were using them for food.
Lots of snakeheads in Mattawoman, the BF hooked one in the back several years ago, that was one nasty looking fish. There was a snakehead contest at Smallwood, fishing and cooking them. I read about it in the Post, sounded like a neat thing to go to.
Lots of snakeheads in Mattawoman, the BF hooked one in the back several years ago, that was one nasty looking fish. There was a snakehead contest at Smallwood, fishing and cooking them. I read about it in the Post, sounded like a neat thing to go to.