Best Setup For Shooting Rays

[strangelove]

Cliffsharker

This seems to be a controversial subject, but I've shoot many rays in my lifetime, often to give it away to families in need (they beg me - could you bring me back a ray) not every one can aford to by fresh fish in Brazil. I've never lost a gun, I've use pneumatic guns or regular euro-guns all of them with reel. Make sure start line feeding just after you shoot (I had a reel break once). One thing to make sure is quality of shooting line, if you don't have a brand new line, you may loose your shaft. Also I've avoided shooting on a deep place.
About positioning the shoot, I like wing shoots, that makes the ray circle (It is impossible to kill it with a single shoot), instead of giving you a lift.
The last thing is I've always done it at the end of the dive; it is likely to bend the shaft, if it is a sting ray make sure to cut the sting before bringing it to the boat (I am used to diving on small boats).

 

[Alison]

rofl
Sorry End of the day, Sara could do alot worse than an Esclapez

 

[island_sands]

rofl
Sorry End of the day, Sara could do alot worse than an Esclapez

yeah like shoot nesim in the foot by accident! (sorry Nesim) rofl rofl

 

[calispearo]

Pretty impressive collection Nesim. Do you hunt mostly bluewater or reef?

 

[Cliffsharker]

Hey Spearos,


I hesitate to use the expression that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I have noticed there seems to be conflicting views or choice of technique on how to shoot a ray. So, I have a few questions being well aware of the risks in shooting one .

Rigdvr- Do the guys that shoot rays in the Gulf go for a brainshot or do they
use the same method as Strangelove because a one shot deal is unlikely?

Strangelove-I know that you said from personal experience that rays cant be taken with one shot. Can you clarify why it isnt possible ? Does that count out a brainshot? An angry circling 70lb ray seems a bit daunting. How do you really handle this situation and when do you place your second shot?
Is their a reason why you prefer a reel to a float?

I am not doubting your method. You seem to be one of the few that has first hand experience and I am interested in your choice of technique.

I figure that choice of approach in shooting xxxx depends on what equipment I choose to use. I intend to freedive with a kayak in about 20-30 feet of water. I had originally thought of using a good float , boarding the kayak and clipping the tail off with a long handled tree trimmer . I do not intend to get close to the tail until I gain more experience or I am 100% certain that it is dead.

My concern still lies in shot placement cosidering the risks involved and want to examine all possible techniques.

I would appreciate any more input -on this thread or through a private message.

Thanks to all who tried to help me with my query inspite of its controversial
nature .

Thanks, Charlie.

 

[calispearo]

I'd think i would go for a slip tip (not generally a fan of these) but they work well with halibut. You can ruin th eslip tip easly and they don't always work, however used with a float and floatline you can really tire the ray out.

However, unlike Halibut, rays do not have soft flesh and there isn't really that chance of loosing it on the line anyways. So you can keep constant pressure on it. A slip tip might work well though as they can be explosive.

Hey Spearos,


I hesitate to use the expression that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I have noticed there seems to be conflicting views or choice of technique on how to shoot a ray. So, I have a few questions being well aware of the risks in shooting one .

Rigdvr- Do the guys that shoot rays in the Gulf go for a brainshot or do they
use the same method as Strangelove because a one shot deal is unlikely?

Strangelove-I know that you said from personal experience that rays cant be taken with one shot. Can you clarify why it isnt possible ? Does that count out a brainshot? An angry circling 70lb ray seems a bit daunting. How do you really handle this situation and when do you place your second shot?
Is their a reason why you prefer a reel to a float?

I am not doubting your method. You seem to be one of the few that has first hand experience and I am interested in your choice of technique.

I figure that choice of approach in shooting xxxx depends on what equipment I choose to use. I intend to freedive with a kayak in about 20-30 feet of water. I had originally thought of using a good float , boarding the kayak and clipping the tail off with a long handled tree trimmer . I do not intend to get close to the tail until I gain more experience or I am 100% certain that it is dead.

My concern still lies in shot placement cosidering the risks involved and want to examine all possible techniques.

I would appreciate any more input -on this thread or through a private message.

Thanks to all who tried to help me with my query inspite of its controversial
nature .

Thanks, Charlie.

 

[Nesim]

Pretty impressive collection Nesim. Do you hunt mostly bluewater or reef?

I hunt both blue water and reef, where i dive (Musandam), reefs drop off to 60+m you could be at the edge of a reef at about 12-18m to your right you would be reef hunting and to your left you woudl be in Blue Water 60m - 160m !!!!

my setup is a reel with about 60m line, and my guns attached to a 25m float line and a Large Rob Allen Float just in case!!!!

 

[strangelove]

Cliffsharker

Luckily, I am yet to meet an angry ray, the ones I've shoot on that 70 lb range, they swim for a while (I think they just drag you less with a wing shot they would with a brain shot). Often I could land them with a single shot. Normally I let them swim for while they eventually get tired, then I swim toward to boat dragging the ray under the water, or signal the boat to pick me up, ... Them I go up into the boat and pull the ray using the line (normally a 2 mm parachute line - that is what I use on my reel). A second holding shot is nice, just to make sure the shaft is not going to come loose. At last on the boat edge we cut off the sting, (as soon as the ray is close to the surface, use the two holes under the ray eye to pull it), I put the ray in the boat, with the knife finish it off.
Once I've shot a 80 Kg ray, that was not pretty, I've used a pneumatic gun with a cheap plastic reel, the ray broke my reel, the whole thing tangle on the gun nozzle (I was too cheap to let go of the gun), but it drag me under water. Luckily I was in a shallow place, my friend gave a second shot, then I let the gun go. Both of the shots where brain shots, none of them kill the ray.
I am yet to see a ray be killed by a single shot, therefore I think wing shots are the best.
In Brazil the folks really like to salt dry the ray, it also makes a very tasty deep fried snack.
Also if you use euro-guns with 6.5 mm shafts the ray would probably bend it pretty bad.

 

[strangelove]

Cliffsharker

Sorry I did not read the rest of your note. Any way in Brazil 99% of the divers use reel just because of the environment, we fish close to rocks, currents are strong, dragging a float it normally get stuck to on rocks, reel works best I think. We normally anchor floats close to the place we fishing (to put the fish).
If you are going to use a kayak probably a float would be the best, the way I would do it, I would shot the ray as the last fish of the trip, also forget about killing the ray in the water it is impossible. After dragging the ray to your kayak, tie the float to the kayak, and head to shore with the ray in the water, where I would finish the ray.
You can try picking the shaft up and also toeing that onto the kayak. Normally the shaft will go through the ray all the way to the line.
Make sure to shoot it close to the boat, the worse part is dragging the thing in the water, also pick a shallow spot, make sure to have a knife.

 

[calispearo]

WoW Nesim.... sounds like paradise.

You get to develope both BW and Reef skills on a single trip!

 

[Seal]

Riiiiight.....ok all you treehugginhippies rofl just kidding!

Ok back on track. Well where I come from Ray hunting is perfectly legit, and that has it's reasons. We hardly ever see rays and they are not considered food for most people, so when they get one in their net (nets are the devil) they toss them to the seagulls.

Ok what gear?

My dream Ray-gun, JBL Sawed-off Magum XHD

I would go for a JBL speargun, they have heavy-duty spears that won't break in a rayfight. And you can put a breakaway tip on. And then put a wheel on it.

Shoot, surface, pull up, slice wings, cook, eat & enjoy

 

[Spearingfish]

Small rays taste likes scallops below 50 pounds. If trophying the rays tether two bluewater floats attached. fugghetabout a reel unless you're on a jimmy twenty pounder. if you're huntin the big boy, one to two hundred # put a 35liters inflatable float with floatline in line with spear and breakway. would not recommend slip tip unless the ray is moving and you have an incredibly weak gun, otherwise its proximity to the ocean floor WILL bust you a benjamin for that slippytip. u'll want something expendable: hawaiian shafts or threaded double flopper.

big rays
E.T.