Afishionado Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 Eventualy a picture of the Thornback caught last week...... Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 (edited) A gorgeous, lively looking beast, clearly with a magnificent girth. Congrats Mike! Mike PS George and I both love the "blonde" colour to the fish too.... PPS http://www.pbsbac.co.uk/modules.php?name=N...order=0&thold=0 Edited June 17, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 mike that dont look like a thornback to me sure its not a large blonde but hey what do i no sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 (edited) when identifying the fish, i think you were having a Blonde moment mike Edited June 17, 2007 by Gnasher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 it's difficult to be 100% sure - but 99% says that's a real blonde not dyed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 Being a married man and married at that to a 'powerful' woman, who has said that if she found me with a blond she would kill me ....... Actualy guys where as I can tell a Bass from a Red Herring I am no great shakes on the differences between Ray's, so I bow to you lots better judgement. But it was a ray ? Wasn't it ?????? I do hope that Blonds don't go to 90lb or so and that was just a tiddler 'cos I haven't caught a 'specimen' anything for a long time And thanks for correcting the ID. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted June 17, 2007 Report Share Posted June 17, 2007 mike, its still a great fish. Ive never landed a blonde, and thats my main aim for the season. Anyway, its a corking fish no matter how you look at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Mike I think your missus may think you are safe with that Blonde it looks like a male in the photo. Or are you not telling us something Just goes to show why some of us commented last week doesn't it a 20lb Thornback is a once in a lifetime huge specimen 153% where a 20lb Blonde is still a great fish and probably fought a lot harder than a thornback would, it is only be 87% of the specimen weight. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Nice Fish Mike Well done mate, could this be the start of things to come? PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Never caught a blonde before, and George really, really wants one to christen his new boat rod properly. - doggies and bream don't count apparently. Made some traces up this weekend as Charlie recommended - 9" wire between 4/0 hook and swivel, then heavy mono "chafe" leader (I used 70lb) to around 4'. Should be good for conger and tope as well. What do you want to bet he'll get one on his spinning gear instead? Most species comp next weekend too! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Mike F Where I saw Frisky the other week is very close to a couple of good banks for Blondes especially at the end of the summer Stick to it out there and George will soon get his wish. whole squid or fillet of mackerel cut in half along its length will do the job. The traces you made are what I use for tope but will of course take the other species If I were just ray fishing I would not bother with the wire end, just use the 70lb line throughout. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Quote...where a 20lb Blonde is still a great fish and probably fought a lot harder than a thornback would, it is only be 87% of the specimen weight. You are spot on about the fight Charlie, it really tore around but sorta in slow motion. Male/female? How do you tell and no funny answers please . Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 (edited) Mike, The males have a pair of extra dangly bits called "claspers", either side of their norty bits. They are to help the male hang onto the female when mating - which results in internal fertilisation of eggs, like mammals. The result with most rays and dogfish etc is the "mermaid's purse", which is usually tangled with weed etc. In some species the purse never develops, and the female gives birth to live young (e.g. smoothhounds and tope). All male sharks and rays have this characteristic, to my knowledge. Mike Edited June 18, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Mike, The males have a pair of extra dangly bits called "claspers", either side of their norty bits. They are to help the male hang onto the female when mating - which results in internal fertilisation of eggs, like mammals. The result with most rays and dogfish etc is the "mermaid's purse", which is usually tangled with weed etc. In some species the purse never develops, and the female gives birth to live young (e.g. smoothhounds and tope). All male sharks and rays have this characteristic, to my knowledge. Mike This full and complete answer comes from a man who obviously needs to 'Get Out More' Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Mike, The males have a pair of extra dangly bits called "claspers", either side of their norty bits. They are to help the male hang onto the female when mating - which results in internal fertilisation of eggs, like mammals. The result with most rays and dogfish etc is the "mermaid's purse", which is usually tangled with weed etc. In some species the purse never develops, and the female gives birth to live young (e.g. smoothhounds and tope). All male sharks and rays have this characteristic, to my knowledge. Mike This full and complete answer comes from a man who obviously needs to 'Get Out More' Mad Mike Claspers are used in much the same fashion as amorous humans do when grabbing love handles. Millions of years of evolution and an enormous amount of diversity between humans and fish yet a male Ray still has to hang on tight just as we do. So I am told. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 I am very worried There are some guys in this club who know more about the sex life of skate than is entierly healthy or appropriate Any miute now some begger will start off on "The female sturgeon is a very rare fish" rugby song........ Queue Tom Bettle Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 A gorgeous, lively looking beast, clearly with a magnificent girth. What about the fish Actualy guys where as I can tell a Bass from a Red Herring I am no great shakes on the differences between Ray's, so I bow to you lots better judgement. But it was a ray ? Wasn't it ?????? Well actually no - It is a SKATE but commonly known as a Blonde Ray. Remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Thought I might have got away with it for a while..... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 A gorgeous, lively looking beast, clearly with a magnificent girth. What about the fish Actualy guys where as I can tell a Bass from a Red Herring I am no great shakes on the differences between Ray's, so I bow to you lots better judgement. But it was a ray ? Wasn't it ?????? Well actually no - It is a SKATE but commonly known as a Blonde Ray. Remember On the other hand other points of referance say diferently..... See http://sharktrust.hold.webbased.co.uk/v.as...&nextlevel=6197 Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Mikey....if you want to know about fish...speak with Jimbob...he is a mine of information...but yes...looks very much like your thorny was a Blonde. If you ever venture into the weymouth angling clubbar, you will see the rcord list on the walls....and way back in the days of yoor, a guy landed a huge thornback, smashing that club record...yet strangely, not being held as a British record!! Methinks that too, was a blonde...so you are not a lone my friend"!! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 On the other hand other points of referance say diferently..... See http://sharktrust.hold.webbased.co.uk/v.as...&nextlevel=6197 Mad Mike Now I am puzzled. That reference quite clearly shows that Blonde "Rays" are really skate........ For example a RAY tail is described as follows :- "tail relatively slender to whip-like, usually with a saw-edged stinging spine midway along its length " whereas a SKATE tail is "tail relatively stocky, without a stinging spine " Now looking at your picture and the way you are holding your fish - tell me where the stinging spine is ( in your hand maybe ! ) and the way that the tail is "whip like" ? Common name is Blonde Ray but it is really a skate ( as is a Thornback ) - and the article referenced says exactly that. I quote :- "The problem is made more difficult by the fact that many of the species around the UK coastline are misnamed. For example, the thornback ray is actually a skate!" PS: Any chance of a picture of the Undulate Ray, just so I can be sure it is not a Thornback ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 On the other hand other points of referance say diferently..... See http://sharktrust.hold.webbased.co.uk/v.as...&nextlevel=6197 Mad Mike Now I am puzzled. That reference quite clearly shows that Blonde "Rays" are really skate........ For example a RAY tail is described as follows :- "tail relatively slender to whip-like, usually with a saw-edged stinging spine midway along its length " whereas a SKATE tail is "tail relatively stocky, without a stinging spine " Now looking at your picture and the way you are holding your fish - tell me where the stinging spine is ( in your hand maybe ! ) and the way that the tail is "whip like" ? Common name is Blonde Ray but it is really a skate ( as is a Thornback ) - and the article referenced says exactly that. I quote :- "The problem is made more difficult by the fact that many of the species around the UK coastline are misnamed. For example, the thornback ray is actually a skate!" PS: Any chance of a picture of the Undulate Ray, just so I can be sure it is not a Thornback ? Probably why most of the Ray family in the UK are actually often referred to under the general term of "Skate". In fact I can only think of one regular Ray that is a Ray and that is teh Stingray. That would simply sound silly being called a stingskate! We do have the occassional visit from Eagle Ray and so on. These are definite Ray's as can be seen by the very long thin tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Like this: Taken at 32m diving the North Wall, in Grand Cayman BWI a few weeks ago - it was an awesome slight! Wing span approx 8' - Spotted Eagle Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I have the Skates and rays paperwork thanks to Dave M I will try to add the link http://www.seafish.org/b2b/info.asp?p=191 and you can downlod a copy Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Bloody Hell it worked Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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