Fish, the essential baits
In pieces or whole, fishes are certainly one of the favorite baits of the rays. Sardines are a real treat for them. Suitably presented on a suitable leader, sardines attract rays from afar, provided that you fish in an area that is suitable for them.
All fish used as bait, such as sardines, herring and sand eels, should be held in place with elastic thread because of their fragility. Mackerel is more robust so there is no need to tie it up in a roast.
To fish sardines, mackerel and herring in whole or in pieces, use octopus or round hooks size 1/0 to 4/0. For sandeels, favor rod hooks.
Cephalopods, a safe bet for skates
Squids and cuttlefish are also very appreciated by the rays. Indeed, these baits are very fragrant and their taste does not leave our beautiful curly and brunettes indifferent.
Very strong, these baits are mounted on two hooks in tandem. To attract even more rays, place a glow stick inside the baits, so your bait is visible from far away.
The size of the round or octopus hooks varies from 2/0 to 6/0 depending on the size of the bite. In whole or in strip, it is up to you to vary according to the fishing situation.
The shells and the worms baits to mix
Razor clams, cockles, clams and many others are also excellent baits. Often mounted in multiples on the same hook, except for the razor clam, shellfish have nothing left to prove in terms of ray fishing. The flesh is quite tender in nature, so to firm them up, place them in coarse salt for no more than 20 minutes, so as not to cook them and make them lose their flavor.
Shellfish can be combined with worms to create a large and varied bite. Thus, large mixed bites will have more chance of seducing a ray than a simple bite. The more varied and hearty the menu, the more you'll have on your side.
Worms, like shellfish, are the staple diet of skates. Indeed, the rays search the sandy-muddy substratum in search of easy to obtain food.
Tube worms and the bibis are by far the most fishable because they are large and imposing. You'll also get great results when fishing for rags, jumbos and other marine worms that can be held on a hook and cast.
For eschewing worms just like shellfish, shank hooks of size 1/0 to 3/0 are highly recommended. A hook size 4/0 will be quickly imposed if you make a mix of a big bibi and several shellfish.
