to catch a ray

[noels ark]

am after a bit of help /advice , i'm taking a couple of days off at the end of the coming week and hope to get fishing at least one of them . having never caught a ray of any description i really fancy a bash at changing that soooo am asking where would be my best chance ? i know that there are decent blondes among others caught off ballycastle every season around this time and rooster etc al are picking up thornies in the swilly but don't have any specific info . any input including end tackle would be apprieciated . thanks .

[septicsac]

Best advice I can offer is not to try for them in Dundalk Bay, rarer than hens teeth there

[gally]

but we now know it holds plaice and turbot

[a1fisher]

Go to the swilly , you would have to cast on to the beach to miss them.
But a flowing trace with 3 hooks down baited with fresh macks and sandeel are best. I find thhat a lead works a treat when the tied is runing hard.

[congereel]

As graham says if you want a thornback the swilly is the place,as for rigs we have had them on everything from flattie rigs to 8/0 full circles,they seem to be more concentrated on the shallower banks well inside the lough,good luckwith the ray hunt

[dmsmith]

Mulroy bay is excellent, tie of the mussel farm and drop a line. I was getting about 20 a day the last time ranging from about 2 lb to 6lb.

At one stage I was using half a mack on a 10/0 hook hoping they'd be too big for them and I'd have a break but they just took even quicker.

Best of luck


Dave