Batray

Different techniques used by different people.

• Have lots of squid and chum that sinks to the bottom.
• Pick the nights that have the most exchange of tide the nights of tides higher than 5 feet and go down to zero or negative tide are the best usually. Try to get out there and time it so it’s 2-4 hours before high tide and the tide is coming in.
• Go and set anchor in the areas of the bay that you can see the current really ripping thru.
• Get some chum going or drop a bucket down tied to a rope so it lets chum drift along the floor of the ocean .
• Rig your lines as follows, main line 10-30 lb test depending on your sportsman ship level.Sliding egg sinker 1-2 ounces depending on how much current there is . Next a swivel, then tie on a leader of 25 lb -60 lb test.Next tie on a small no. 2 hook and then 6 ” back further a larger hook i:e: 2/0 hook.
• Hook the smaller hook thru the pointy end of the squid and let the other hook dangle free behind the squid. Let the line out and it should end up anywhere from 15′ to 50′ behind the boat and sitting on the ocean floor , remember it’s shallow , 10′ -70′ deep depending where you are fishing. Your lines will go straight back behind the boat , if you vary the weight of the sliding egg sinkers , you can stagger the lines to have more out there. I have had up to 6 lines before using the outriggers. Yes using the outriggers! I have at times had all 6 lines go off at the same time and what thrill it is!

Batrays will quite often school up and cruise the bay’s together, some nights I have had the spreaders lights on and you can actually see them swim under the boat before they hit the lines. When they hit , they hit hard and the first pull is awesome , especially when you use light gear with 20 lb test or less , you can quite often get spooled in 2 minutes , no time to pull the anchor unless your ready to go! Local rays average 20-80 lbs and 100 plus are not uncommon . I have hooked a few and only ever got one to the boat .

When you first hook a batray it will take tons of line so any boating traffic will be a danger to you losing your fish. Batrays love to come up to the surface once you have them turned around, sometimes they will circle the boat a half a dozen times and then you have the anchor to contend with. It’s pretty well sit and wait , a good night things usually happen within 20 minutes or less once all the lines are out and the chum has been set.

Batrays are not good eating and they all should be released unharmed. Be careful when handling them the tails have a spike that is not to nice have stuck in your face! Use a big net if needed, don’t use a gaff ~~~this will hurt them.Using a net will enable you to weigh them if you wish.When things are slow and you want the big one , batray fishing can be a blast, look for big bass to be caught quite often as well.