Bob & Mag

Got out again today(2 days in a row)

Hit four marked spots in Madison without so much as a tap.
Made the 6 mile ride over to Westbrook and got two on my first drift.
Tide was just about full. When it died so did the bite. Waited it out and cast/retrieved a small bucktail waiting for the outgoing tide.
When it picked up the bite did again also. Caught five more, the biggest being 20 1/2". Nothing big but good eating sizes today.
Five were caught on bucktails tipped with squid strips and 2 were on a fluke rig tipped the same.
Just before leaving I hooked into something, at the time I thought was a monster fluke on the light spinning rod with bucktail. Took forever to get it near the boat and the rod was bent to the water and stayed that way.
Ended up being some kind of Skate but not like any I've seen before.
I wish I had a camera as this thing was large and it didn't roll up like normal skates. It did keep whipping it's tail as I attempted to unhook it.
Body was longer than it's width. Tan in color. Large flaps ran on both sides of it's tail. Approx length as I only held it next to the side rail can measure later, was 4 1/2' and a width, at widest point of approx 3'. Never saw one of whatever this was before. Any idea what it could be?
I'll search on the net and see if I can find a picture in the meantime.
Thanks.

__________________
Smoke free 8+ Months!

JackC

Most likely what my dad would call a "barn door stake" - I have caught them chunking at sixe mile on the hook - they would walk around the deck of the boat on their "wings". The other possibility is a shovel nose skate (nose is a bit pointy with thinner skin).

Watch those tails - I have a minor "flesh wound" that is still not totally healed up from 2 weeks ago (those tails can inflicit some minor damage). (Got me on the underside of my arm when I was unhooking one.)

ChuckA From "Land of the Lost"

Nice going on those Fluke Bob.Those are some good eats.
Here's a link with a varity of skates maybe you can find it here.

http://www.fishbase.org/identificati...e=19&areacode=

Bob & Mag

Thanks for the info and the tips. Being alone it was interesting getting my spro back from this thing and keeping out of reach of it's tail. I wish I paid closer attention to the nose (if it was blunt or pointed etc) I was really noticing the tail. LOL
Looking at the link (thanks) there are only 235 species ....
will post up if I find it.

__________________
Smoke free 8+ Months!

striper1

Sounds good fluke are great.

striper1

Going for 2nd post. See in a short while!!

Andy

Bob it sounds like an Alantic Torpedo Ray,they prey on fluke i have heard about a few being caught this year..

__________________
http://cthuntingnshooting.com/

Bob & Mag

I'll look that one up. I did notice it lacked a lot of the barbs/spines on the back covering. Didn't have as many as other skates I've caught. Mouth seemed large enough to wolf down a fluke though.

__________________
Smoke free 8+ Months!

74Formula233

Nice job Bob.........curious to see what you find out on the skate

__________________

Bob & Mag

Still trying to figure it out. Wish I had a camera or more time with it. If I knew what I know now, I'd have checked specific markings, shapes etc.
After looking at pictures of torpedo it wasn't that as it didn't have the fish tail at the end of it's tail.

__________________
Smoke free 8+ Months!