Whats your fav outfit for big rays

[stickbom!]

I've been watching shore & jetty anglers who target big rays from shore since my teenage days and most of these guys are using thick nylon lines on large overheads. Lately, I've been having a lot of fun fishing with my friends and colleagues around the Changi coastline but mostly catching small catfish and other common species. I thought my telescopic outfit with 30lb braid was good enough for rays but my buddy Ophio reckons telescopic toothpicks are less than ideal for the task. After spending a few months checking out 2 & 3pc surf rods (both Eastern & Western styles) and comparing prices, I've finally settled for the Shimano Horizon Surf Game S405AX. I also intend to strap my Saltiga Z6000GT onto the rod and fish 50-60lb braids.

What do you hardcore surf dudes think? Is my combo good enough for big rays? What's your fav outfit for big rays and what's your reason for choosing it?

Hope to learn a trick or two from all you surf dudes! Thanks for reading my post

[Jacktrevally]

I've been watching shore & jetty anglers who target big rays from shore since my teenage days and most of these guys are using thick nylon lines on large overheads. Lately, I've been having a lot of fun fishing with my friends and colleagues around the Changi coastline but mostly catching small catfish and other common species. I thought my telescopic outfit with 30lb braid was good enough for rays but my buddy Ophio reckons telescopic toothpicks are less than ideal for the task. After spending a few months checking out 2 & 3pc surf rods (both Eastern & Western styles) and comparing prices, I've finally settled for the Shimano Horizon Surf Game S405AX. I also intend to strap my Saltiga Z6000GT onto the rod and fish 50-60lb braids.

What do you hardcore surf dudes think? Is my combo good enough for big rays? What's your fav outfit for big rays and what's your reason for choosing it?

Hope to learn a trick or two from all you surf dudes! Thanks for reading my post

Hi,

Your Z6000GT is definetely up for the job. For hardcore surfcasting, I would choose:

South African: Blue Marlin, Assasin and Purglass

America/Hawaii: Breakaway, Makoi/conoflex

Europe: Sert, Zziplex, Conoflex and Century, Daiwa Special Edition capable of chucking 800g!

As for reels, I would choose multipliers, Penn 545GS, Daiwa slosh 30-40, Saltiga Multiplier, or in the range of the trinidad D.C

J.T

[Lancer]

I personally don't do surf cast but I have a few friends who do. All of them use mono as their main lines instead of braided. I'm not sure of the reason too but I think maybe you can try to find out. There maybe a good reason behind it for surf casting.

[stickbom!]

Thanks JT & Lancer, I tried casting the 405AX on Sunday with a size 6 sinker and PE6. Without bait I could get a good 130-140m but once the hook was baited the best I could do was about 100-110m. Current was pretty strong that day and it swept my PE6 so fast it was hard to believe there was a #6 sinker at the end of my line. I'll be down sizing my line to PowerPro 50lb and will try to learn how to tie some proper surf rigs that will hold my bait down during the cast. With a bit of luck I'll be blasting my bait 150m on my next beach fishing trip

Lancer- hardcore ray anglers don't use braid because most of them don't use spinners and it can be pretty scary to use braids on overheads. I guess thats probably why they shy away from braids

JT- Do you know of any websites that shows how to tie UK style surf rigs? I think that would really come in handy!

[Lancer]

Now you've mentioned it, I think I remember them telling me about the danger of casting braided with overheads for surf casting. What was the bait that you were casting with?

Just some knowledge I learnt from them, the best bait to target stingray is swa jiam caught from the same area that you're fishing at. Good luck to you and hope to see your posting on your giant ray soon.

[eeyore]

I personally don't do surf cast but I have a few friends who do. All of them use mono as their main lines instead of braided. I'm not sure of the reason too but I think maybe you can try to find out. There maybe a good reason behind it for surf casting.

I like surf cast fishing but seldom got chance to do it as got time normally go offshore fishing. Understand from some of my buddies who do surf casting a lot told me using mono over braided partly because of money since mono can be 3 times cheaper than braided on the same poundage partly because maintenace of reel is much easier if using mono rather than braided.

[eeyore]

Thanks JT & Lancer, I tried casting the 405AX on Sunday with a size 6 sinker and PE6. Without bait I could get a good 130-140m but once the hook was baited the best I could do was about 100-110m. Current was pretty strong that day and it swept my PE6 so fast it was hard to believe there was a #6 sinker at the end of my line. I'll be down sizing my line to PowerPro 50lb and will try to learn how to tie some proper surf rigs that will hold my bait down during the cast. With a bit of luck I'll be blasting my bait 150m on my next beach fishing trip

There used to have such sinker with "wire legs" that will stand hold at the sea bottom to solve your problem for sinker rolling in the sea bottom due to strong current.

Last seen this type of sinker in Joe Tackle but no more available now. I know some sifu here DIY this type of sinker and you may want to check it up.

[Jacktrevally]

Using braid is a bit of a nightmare, it goes with many problems when surfcasting, due to no stretch it is difficult to hold the bottom. However sinking braids do hold the bottom better than floating braid.

Grip sinkers are essential when surfcasting. You will need heavy duty rigs for rays, unfortunately the U.K rigs are design for distance and non hard fightitng fish and many of them use crimps to hold the snood down the rig which I don't use here.

A couple of website for U.K rigs

Sea Fishing Rigs

SEA FISHING RIGS ANGLING RIG TRACES - 3 Hook Flapper / 3 hook Clipdown Rig Trace (look on the left tab under 'resources' and click)


There use to be a site but it has been down for about a year now, it had the best rigs known in surfcasting...

[stickbom!]

Thanks everyone!

[fiore]

Stickbom, what rod are you using ?

[stickbom!]

Hi Fiore! If really targeting big rays I'll bring my 9' PE6 popping rod & pair it with my Saltiga Dogfight For laid back Friday night escapades I am either using the Surf Leader EV SF or Prime Caster. I'm totally hopeless with overheads when it comes to surf fishing which is why I'm always using spinners