Fishing for rays.

[cap'nhaddock]

I have just bought a book "Sea and Coast Fishing". published in 1901 in which the author, F G Aflalo*, describes the Sharks, Rays and Dog-fish in terms likely to be disputed today; p54

'they form a group of cartilaginous fishes distinguished in many respects from all those gone before. The rays can of course of course be included under the head of "vermin", only with the due reservation that they are in general use as food, though they give very little more sport than one might reasonably expect from a dead horse or a bedstead.

Views change over the years as do writing styles

* A prolific writer on sea fishing matters in the late Victorian Era
his book "British salt-water fish" published 1904 can be read on line here

 

[Cfish]

I have just bought a book "Sea and Coast Fishing". published in 1901 in which the author, F G Aflalo*, describes the Sharks, Rays and Dog-fish in terms likely to be disputed today; p54

'they form a group of cartilaginous fishes distinguished in many respects from all those gone before. The rays can of course of course be included under the head of "vermin", only with the due reservation that they are in general use as food, though they give very little more sport than one might reasonably expect from a dead horse or a bedstead.

Views change over the years as do writing styles

* A prolific writer on sea fishing matters in the late Victorian Era
his book "British salt-water fish" published 1904 can be read on line here

still true!why pay a charter boat to catch rubbish,unless you like skate and rocksalmon. To eat.

 

[ouchthathurt]

Things do change, My first thought on catching a ray or doggie is not “I’ll eat that” as a shore angler, (I don’t fish off boats, so I can’t comment on their appearance on a charter fishing trip!) I like catching dogfish and rays, I tend not to contact too many, so they are a change to the norm in regards to my usual catches, as opposed to vermin! I’ve never landed a dead horse though so I can’t make the comparison... ?

 

[Valleyboy]

I have just bought a book "Sea and Coast Fishing". published in 1901 in which the author, F G Aflalo*, describes the Sharks, Rays and Dog-fish in terms likely to be disputed today; p54

'they form a group of cartilaginous fishes distinguished in many respects from all those gone before. The rays can of course of course be included under the head of "vermin", only with the due reservation that they are in general use as food, though they give very little more sport than one might reasonably expect from a dead horse or a bedstead.

Views change over the years as do writing styles

* A prolific writer on sea fishing matters in the late Victorian Era
his book "British salt-water fish" published 1904 can be read on line here

Nothing has changed there. Flat dogs

 

[jackjock]

i don,t care what i catch a fish is a fish and catching doggy's or rays its better than looking at a motionless rod all day

 

[Shirleycodlin]

I suppose that if you become fixated on one species then anything else is "vermin".
For the bass angler it's Pollack.
The cod angler it's whiting
Etc etc.

Once you become fixated with one species, it's a long road back to being able to just enjoy just going fishing.
I speak from experience.
Dam those cod!

 

[hughes66]

I bet there was a lot more decent cod about back then.

 

[Tatunka joe]

Love catching rays put a decent bend in the rodfairly good fight and look good in pictures lovely to look at wots not to like my grand use to call bass pests when he was fishing for cod times change attitudes change I’ve been out targeting blondes before on boats great fish don’t see it as a waste of money love to go out and just catch cod an bass for the table but it ain’t gone to happen personally never had the cod bug but totally get it Got no interest on catching minis but totally get it personal choice at the end of the day ?

 

[Warby72]

I suggested to a mate that it might be fun to go and chase a big skate, I remember his response....... "You can firk off with that idea, I can think of plenty cheaper ways of knackering my back that don't involve catching something I can't eat, that has the fighting prowess of a garage door".
I took that as a definite No.

 

[Topwater]

Take away the tide/surf and cod and bass are hardly great fighters pound for pound in comparison with say coalfish, nor fish caught in freshwater like trout, salmon, grayling, barbel, pike and carp. The humble flounder often gives a better account by weight