catching stingrays

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Jakede46
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catching stingrays

Post by Jakede46 »

How do most of you guys get yours? I see them cruzing up and down the beaches during the morning and evening. Ive had some luck snagging them with large trebel hooks. Is gigging them a better option?

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fishnfool73
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by fishnfool73 »

I know a few of the serious sharkers gig them in the rivers and flats certain times of the year.
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by fixed80 »

first of all, welcome to the forum. what area do you live? i never see them cruising the surf around the central east but i have heard on the west coast they do. i usually use the trouble hook like you do but suck at it. i think if they come real close and aren't as spooky then a big cast net is better. gigging the cownose rays are hard i bet cuz they are always moving unlike the bottom rays.

Jakede46
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by Jakede46 »

I live in Georiga but I typically fish the northwest region. I make a two week trip to st george every year.

fixed80
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by fixed80 »

Jakede46 wrote:I live in Georiga but I typically fish the northwest region. I make a two week trip to st george every year.
sounds awesome.

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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

Jakede46 wrote: Ive had some luck snagging them with large trebel hooks.
i would not be telling everyone on a public forum that you are snatch hooking due to the fact that it is illegal to do so in Georgia and Florida

flordia rule - May be harvested by spearing. Snatching prohibited.
georgia rule - Snatching is prohibited for any species .


the fwc and dnr does look at these pages so you have to be careful of what you say .

Jakede46
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by Jakede46 »

Thank you for letting me know. I had just heard of people doing it and never knew it was illegal.

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by shmegger »

Snatch hooking a stingray is not illegal.

It is illegal to snatch hook certain regulated species, such as drum, flounder, and snook. However, stingrays are definitely not regulated in any way, neither size, bag, nor method.

In Tampa Bay there are plenty of places to catch rays. Anywhere there is a seawall on top of some flats, like Vinoy park, Clearwater marina, Coffee Pot road. Dunno about north FL areas though.
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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

shmegger wrote:Snatch hooking a stingray is not illegal.

It is illegal to snatch hook certain regulated species, such as drum, flounder, and snook. However, stingrays are definitely not regulated in any way, neither size, bag, nor method.

In Tampa Bay there are plenty of places to catch rays. Anywhere there is a seawall on top of some flats, like Vinoy park, Clearwater marina, Coffee Pot road. Dunno about north FL areas though.
think you might want to check in to that ... i know for a fact that snatch hooking any fish is illegal in the state of florida go ask any fwc officer , and in this day in age some may not have bag or creel limits on the but are most defiantly regulated by the state and federal laws

just like the eagle rays are protected !!!!!!

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by skee »

To you experienced fisherman this may sound like a silly question. But, in all seriousness, I'm curious as to why anyone would want to snag or spear a stingray. Do you eat them? Use them for shark bait? If not, wouldn't it be more fun fishing for them? Yes, I'm new to this stuff.

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by gruntking »

gigs an trebs are for sissys i catch them with my teeth
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by shmegger »

diggin4grouper wrote: think you might want to check in to that ... i know for a fact that snatch hooking any fish is illegal in the state of florida go ask any fwc officer , and in this day in age some may not have bag or creel limits on the but are most defiantly regulated by the state and federal laws

just like the eagle rays are protected !!!!!!
I did check on it before I posted it, because I wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble. Although it may be true that an FWC officer may tell you not to snag fish, they would be wrong. The law varies from state to state, but snatch hooking, or the use of treble hooks is legal for Florida saltwater rec. fishing, except for a few species. Southern stingrays and cow-nose rays are not specifically regulated or even stated in fishing regulations, and there is no problem with snagging them.

If there is some local reg or state bylaw that you found that contradicts this information, I need to see it in case I get in a scuffle with the FWC.

http://myfwc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2435/~/treble-hooks---is-it-legal-to-use-them%3F
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bullbusters
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by bullbusters »

Try goin to a marina cleaning station... theres usually tons of em hanging out if theres not already a big school of tarpon.
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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

here is part of it ill get the part about snatch hooking in a bit

http://myfwc.custhelp.com/app/answers/d ... 14/kw/rays

Code: Select all

Stingray regulations.
Answer ID 2614   |    Published 12/07/2009 09:40 AM   |    Updated 04/02/2011 10:32 AM
What are the regulations for catching stingrays?
There are certain stingrays which are protected. These include several rays in the family Mobulidae (Atlantic manta ray (Manta birostris), and the smaller devil ray (Mobula hypostoma), as well as the Spotted Eagle Ray (family myliobatidae, Aetobatus narinari). Spotted eagle rays also have a tail spine at the base of the tail.  These rays may not be landed and must be released immediately alive and unharmed if caught, pursuant to Florida Administrative Code 68B-44.008.

No other skates or rays are currently prohibited from recreational harvest or have recreational bag limits associated with them. For species that are unregulated, or that do not have an established bag limit, more that 100 pounds or 2 fish per person per day (whichever is greater), is considered commercial quantities and will require a saltwater products license.
The regulation is species/weight specific for 100 pounds or 2 fish per person per day (whichever is greater). This would mean that if you are harvesting a fish that is generally small, for example bay anchovies, then you would be restricted to 100 pounds because that would be greater than 2 fish. However, if you are harvesting a fish that is generally very large, for example the ocean sunfish - in which 1 fish may weigh well over 100 pounds, you would be restricted to 2 fish because that is a greater amount of fish than 100 pounds. Generally, the "100 pounds" is used much more because within Florida's state waters an unregulated fish that large that is caught with the intent to be kept is unusual.
   
If you do not intend to eat the skate or ray, from a conservation standpoint I recommend that you release the organism alive back into the water at or near the capture site and not kill it or leave it stranded on the shore. They are part of the marine ecosystem and they have plenty of other predators (especially large sharks) to deal with without being needlessly killed because someone is afraid their bait will be stolen or the animal will be caught a second time.

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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

strizile wrote:Diggin

Cownose and such are fine. It even says in the article you posted about which family and so forth that other skates or rays are not prohibited from recreational harvesting. Ohter than that the 100lb rule applies.

He is fine. The exempt for trbles is clearly listed. Cownose for example is not in that list.
The link he posted is valid.

i have never said that you couldn't harvest them , the issue here is snagging them , which when the fwc officer gets back to me with the enforcement code i will post it , hes looking it up for me

so dont try and twist whats going on here , using trebles is northing but the way they are used is ... and the link he posted has nothing to do with snatch hooking besides the fact that most that do it are using them

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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

strizile wrote:Not trying to twist

dont gey offended

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by shmegger »

diggin4grouper wrote:here is part of it ill get the part about snatch hooking in a bit

http://myfwc.custhelp.com/app/answers/d ... 14/kw/rays
Even a googan knows not to mess with spotted eagle rays. They are SPECIFICALLY regulated, unlike more common rays, which are only generally regulated under recreational daily bag limits.

There are many illegal methods of capturing fish in FL, such as explosives and poison, and they are all listed under Florida statute 68B-4.0083. Snatch hooking is not listed.

I see that you are located in GA, and it may be illegal there, as it is in PA and probably other states.
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PhishingPhanatic
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by PhishingPhanatic »

I have seen FWC walk right past people in the keys snagging cudas with weighted trebles and not say a thing, I was always under the imnpression as well that it is legal to snag non-game fish.
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by Albacized »

fixed80 wrote:first of all, welcome to the forum. what area do you live? i never see them cruising the surf around the central east but i have heard on the west coast they do. i usually use the trouble hook like you do but suck at it. i think if they come real close and aren't as spooky then a big cast net is better. gigging the cownose rays are hard i bet cuz they are always moving unlike the bottom rays.
I don't know how common this is, but last year while down in Naples, there were juvie cow nosed rays (probably a foot or less wide wing span) by the hundreds cruising the surf within range to where a dip net could've worked :o This was in July

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by Albacized »

Albacized wrote:
fixed80 wrote:first of all, welcome to the forum. what area do you live? i never see them cruising the surf around the central east but i have heard on the west coast they do. i usually use the trouble hook like you do but suck at it. i think if they come real close and aren't as spooky then a big cast net is better. gigging the cownose rays are hard i bet cuz they are always moving unlike the bottom rays.
I don't know how common this is, but last year while down in Naples, there were juvie cow nosed rays (probably a foot or less wide wing span) by the hundreds cruising the surf within range to where a dip net could've worked :o This was in July

Edit***PS....I'm not sure of the legalities of netting cownosed rays. Thus my comments above are just from an observational point of view (I personally did not try to net them) and you should only try what I suggested if it falls within legal grounds. (my one public service announcement of the day :lol: )

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by crashmister »

shmegger wrote:
diggin4grouper wrote: think you might want to check in to that ... i know for a fact that snatch hooking any fish is illegal in the state of florida go ask any fwc officer , and in this day in age some may not have bag or creel limits on the but are most defiantly regulated by the state and federal laws

just like the eagle rays are protected !!!!!!
I did check on it before I posted it, because I wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble. Although it may be true that an FWC officer may tell you not to snag fish, they would be wrong. The law varies from state to state, but snatch hooking, or the use of treble hooks is legal for Florida saltwater rec. fishing, except for a few species. Southern stingrays and cow-nose rays are not specifically regulated or even stated in fishing regulations, and there is no problem with snagging them.

If there is some local reg or state bylaw that you found that contradicts this information, I need to see it in case I get in a scuffle with the FWC.

http://myfwc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2435/~/treble-hooks---is-it-legal-to-use-them%3F
That refers to a natural bated treble hook. A weighted snatch hook is not the same I dont think. I know it's illegal to use any kind treble hook for shark's in conjunction with natural bait. Since FWC group's Shark's, Skates, and ray's together in the reg's, I can see how this can get confusing.
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by shmegger »

Found the specific rule on gear restrictions for sharks and rays, and sharkmister is right. You cannot use 'multiple hooks' (trebles) or snatch methods on sharks.

Rays are not restricted by this rule, and trebles, snatching, and cast netting are not prohibited.

Full rule 68B-44.003
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by crashmister »

I haven't been able to find anything specifically restricting snatch hooking ray's. In fact the only reg's I can find are protected species of ray's. That said, the reg's I can find cover Shark's Skates and Rays by title only. When you read the reg, no mention is made of anything other than Sharks. I don't have a clue if Skates and Rays are covered by title implication or not. Being as FWC is specific on every other species and sub species with respect to snaging, and the fact that Rays and Sharks are related. I would think it would be specifically restricted, and it's not. It's vague at best. I'm afraid this may be one of those "Depend's on which FWC officer is checking you" kind of thing's.
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by shmegger »

The definition of the species described as Rays or Sharks are described in another subsection of that statute. In other words, when they say "shark", there is a list of sharks that qualify, and rays are any animal in the order of Rajiformes.

But cops are not lawyers, and snatch hooking is a common practice among poachers, so I would certainly use discretion.
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diggin4grouper
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Re: catching stingrays

Post by diggin4grouper »

ok i have to apologize to yall

because what i was told was this ,

right now there isnt a specific rule about snagging rays due to the fact that there isnt enough enforcement to deal with the problem other than in state parks , and that it will be up to the officer that is present weather or not he wants to do something about it , and that its unethical of anglers to practice snagging , and that there are things being done about it but the proposed rules for it wont be released until late of 2013 .

and that since some rays can reach over 100 lbs were limited to 2 per person


so i do apologize to all of you ...

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Re: catching stingrays

Post by crashmister »

Yeah it is Ron. But then someone once said you almost need a law degree to understand some of FWC's reg's.
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