Blonde Ray

The blonde ray has a diamond shape body which is flat like all rays with a short and somewhat pointed snout. The colouration of blonde rays is mainly light brown/yellow in colour, covered in black spots which run to the very edge of the wings unlike other species with larger lighter spots dotted around body. On the underbelly of the ray it is a light off white/ cream colour.
Females have an uninterrupted row of spines running down the back, males have a row of spines with gaps.

Rigs:
( If looking for large specimens up the 60lb line to 80lb)
Running ledger rig: 60lb Rig body, 60lb hook length 3ft leading to a single 3/0 - 6/0 hook.
Up & Over rig: 60lb Rig body, 60lb hook length 3ft+ leading to a 3/0 - 6/0 hook.
Pulley dropper rig: 60lb Rig body, 60lb hook length 3ft leading to a 3/0 - 6/0 hook.
Pulley rig: 60lb Rig body, 60lb hook length 3ft Leading to a 3/0 - 6/0 hook.

Baits:
Launce: Head and tail cut off and loaded onto the hook and whipped secure for a neat streamlined bait.
Sandeel: Whip two or three together snip off the heads and tails and secure hook mid way down with bait elastic.
Mackerel: Cut off a fillet of mackerel and cut down the middle again Pennelled hooks work best for this bait hook through once and whip in place and use top hook to hook through once to keep a neat bait.
Herring fillet: Cut off a fillet of herring whip it up flesh out into a long thin bait and hook through the top and bottom and secure with bait elastic or alternatively use penneled hook.
Bluey: Take off a fillet of bluey whip up nice and neat then hook through and whip in place
Squid: whole Squid whipped up and hooked on with some elastic holding the hook in place although sometimes its good to mix with a fish bait as well can be a killer bait.
Crab: Mount whole with shell as well to keep off other species or alternately take off all shell and whip up around the hook for a gooey scented bait.

Grounds:
Blonde rays typically live and hunt over sandy ground or mud sea bottom they can be found occasionally on mixed grounds with sandy patches as well.
They normally inhabit deeper water down to a 1000m but can be caught from the shore when they come more inland to lay eggs in spring and early summer which they will do in rocky areas then move back to clean ground. They have very strong crushing jaws beware when unhooking a large specimen.