01-10-2007, 12:38 PM
[cool][#0000ff]There are many species of stingrays. The ones I have caught most often are the small "round rays". They have small stingers and cannot whip them very far. Still, it is not a good idea to bring them aboard a float tube. But, you can control them with a net to remove the hook, without getting zapped.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Same with the larger bat rays. They are big, but they still do not have very long stingers and the stingers are located near the base of the tail. Since they are often too big to handle with an average size float tubing net, it is best to get the fight out of them and cut them loose.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The biggest and most dangerous are the "southern rays" like the one in this picture.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]![[Image: gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=9937;]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=9937;)
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[#0000ff]I have hooked a few while fishing in the Sea of Cortez, in Mexico. I usually just pop them off, since they are usually even bigger than this one and take forever to land on the medium spinning or baitcast gear I usually use. The one in the picture was hooked in shallow water and I kicked in to the beach and got out to fight him in to shore. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A larger model of this type was the type that killed Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. The stinger on one even this small is about six inches long and is located far down the tail. They can whip it around a cover a lot of area near them. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With the exception of California bat rays, I have never fished for sting rays from a floatation device. The ones I have hooked have taken bait meant for other species or have been foul hooked on lures. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They are actually more dangerous to float tubers while you are launching from shallow water along the beach. They sometimes come into very shallow warm water and lie on the sand. If you step on one while launching or beaching your tube or toon, your next venue will be the hospital.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Same with the larger bat rays. They are big, but they still do not have very long stingers and the stingers are located near the base of the tail. Since they are often too big to handle with an average size float tubing net, it is best to get the fight out of them and cut them loose.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The biggest and most dangerous are the "southern rays" like the one in this picture.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have hooked a few while fishing in the Sea of Cortez, in Mexico. I usually just pop them off, since they are usually even bigger than this one and take forever to land on the medium spinning or baitcast gear I usually use. The one in the picture was hooked in shallow water and I kicked in to the beach and got out to fight him in to shore. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A larger model of this type was the type that killed Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. The stinger on one even this small is about six inches long and is located far down the tail. They can whip it around a cover a lot of area near them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]With the exception of California bat rays, I have never fished for sting rays from a floatation device. The ones I have hooked have taken bait meant for other species or have been foul hooked on lures. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They are actually more dangerous to float tubers while you are launching from shallow water along the beach. They sometimes come into very shallow warm water and lie on the sand. If you step on one while launching or beaching your tube or toon, your next venue will be the hospital.[/#0000ff]
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