Kent Island 7/22

Mark, Raptor, Strummerfan, and I launched at the Goodhand Creek on Kent Island around 6:30 am.
The weather was overcast but no wind and calm. We started catching perch right away. We headed out towards Hogs Island and I caught a Cownose Ray. I went to land it in the shallows next to the island to try and retrieve my fly. One lesson learned is DO NOT try to land them in shallow water, is was about a foot deep, because it was like putting a splashing 3 year old in a wading pool. After my kayak, gear, and myself got completed soaked by the wings flapping I cut the leader and let him or her have the fly. A little while later after talking to Mark and him telling me he caught lots of perch and a striper I saw Raptor with a bent rod being pulled around. He too had a Cownose Ray on very light tackle with braided line. He played the ray so long I thought he was auditioning for a part in a remake of the movie The Old Man and the Sea. Anyway not sure if he cut the line on not he was still playing it when I headed to Kent Narrows, I believe he thought he could train it to pull him to Kent Narrows Bridge. Anyway Mark and I headed towards Kent Narrows and I hooked another Cownose Ray. This time I figured I would pull it to the side of the yak and cut the leader but he had other ideas and one hard pull and my ORVIS T3 fly rod broke (insert tears at this point). I was able to finally pull him in by hand close enough to cut the leader and let it go. We all went in around 10:30. Fun for all, with exception of fly rod incident, and will try again at Kent Narrows after my call to ORVIS for a rod replacement.

Link to short video of Raptor: http://youtu.be/_W89OSvfY3c

[J.A. Veil]

Harry -

Sorry about your broken rod. One trick I use when boating larger pickerel during the winter months on light tackle is that once you have the leader in your hand or have swung the fish into the boat, loosen the drag on your reel to avoid a quick violent lurch that snaps the rod or breaks the leader. I initially learned that lesson after fighting a tuna 40 miles out of Wachapreague. The gaff man had the leader in hand, but the fish lurched. I had not loosened the drag, and the line broke off with the fish only 4 ft away. I heard some choice language from the gaff man at that point since it was our only tuna hooked that day.

[Runnin]

What kind of fly do you use on Cow nose Rays?

[On the fly]

normally clouser minnows and crabby clouser but I am NOT trying to catch them just other fish and they were in the area. I prefer NOT to pull one in because I usually lose at least a fly.

[Mark]

It was another good outing except for On the Fly's misfortune with his Orvis rod and Raptor's tussle with the ray.

I had seen a school of rays on my way across open water and I quickly pulled my line from the water. After my experience with 4 of them earlier this year at Downs Park, I had no desire to hook another.

However, Raptor wasn't so lucky. He hooked up and chose to duke it out with the ray. Here are two photos from the battle which lasted at least an hour:

Kent Island A.jpg Kent Island C.jpg

On the Fly and Strummerfan had a good time watching the protracted man/ray struggle:

Kent Island B.jpg

While Raptor was engaged with the ray, I fished. I caught nothing in open water. I caught 15 perch all within 5 feet of the shore. Most were 8 inches but two approached 11 inches. I also caught a 13 inch striper close to shore. All fish hit a 1/8 oz. chartreuse jig attached to a safety pin spinner trailing a 4 inch chartreuse Mister Twister. I tried an X Rap near the shore and in open water with no luck. I also had a popper strung up and ready to go but saw no opportunity to throw it.

It's a very good area to fish with lots of small bays and marshy shorelines to explore. I saw an abundance of bait fish rippling the surface but no breaking fish. It's certainly an area that is due a return visit.

Mark (AKA Mike above.) But my name is really Mark!

[Strummerfan]

It was a beautiful morning, loved the location. I found lots of perch, just couldn't seem to locate anything else.

[On the fly]

It was another good outing except for On the Fly's misfortune with his Orvis rod and Raptor's tussle with the ray.

I had seen a school of rays on my way across open water and I quickly pulled my line from the water. After my experience with 4 of them earlier this year at Downs Park, I had no desire to hook another.

However, Raptor wasn't so lucky. He hooked up and chose to duke it out with the ray. Here are two photos from the battle which lasted at least an hour:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8090[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]8091[/ATTACH]

On the Fly and Strummerfan had a good time watching the protracted man/ray struggle:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8089[/ATTACH]

While Raptor was engaged with the ray, I fished. I caught nothing in open water. I caught 15 perch all within 5 feet of the shore. Most were 8 inches but two approached 11 inches. I also caught a 13 inch striper close to shore. All fish hit a 1/8 oz. chartreuse jig attached to a safety pin spinner trailing a 4 inch chartreuse Mister Twister. I tried an X Rap near the shore and in open water with no luck. I also had a popper strung up and ready to go but saw no opportunity to throw it.

It's a very good area to fish with lots of small bays and marshy shorelines to explore. I saw an abundance of bait fish rippling the surface but no breaking fish. It's certainly an area that is due a return visit.

Mark (AKA Mike above.) But my name is really Mark!

Sorry about that Mark but fixed it (not sure why I put mike, must have been the heat)

[On the fly]

Harry -

Sorry about your broken rod. One trick I use when boating larger pickerel during the winter months on light tackle is that once you have the leader in your hand or have swung the fish into the boat, loosen the drag on your reel to avoid a quick violent lurch that snaps the rod or breaks the leader. I initially learned that lesson after fighting a tuna 40 miles out of Wachapreague. The gaff man had the leader in hand, but the fish lurched. I had not loosened the drag, and the line broke off with the fish only 4 ft away. I heard some choice language from the gaff man at that point since it was our only tuna hooked that day.

John I agree but I was stripping the line back by hand on the fly rod. Had a the line wrapped around my hand ( bad idea) when he decided to make his move.

[Mark]

Harry,

No problem.

I'll answer to anything when it comes to joining good folks in good fishing spots!

Mark

[Raptor]

So, how long does it take to wrestle a cow nosed ray to exhaustion with 8 Lb. test line and an 1/8 oz jig head? I just had to find out. Seems like it takes about an hour and ten minutes. It was a half hour before I even had a sighting. A few other metrics - about a mile of travel (often in circles), top speed, a reputed, 2 knots, and multiple good soakings from the flapping wings (six times to the surface at the boat side). I was truly impressed by the strength and stamina of this fish. About every 15 minutes I'd take up 3-4 of clicks on the drag. I have never fought a fish for over an hour, not even Tuna fishing in the Atlantic, nor Halibut fishing in the Pacific - a half hour at the most. I hate to admit it but my arms are a bit tired and sore. I have wondered why guys just cut the line when they know they have a Ray on - now I know why. They are that bad . . . and then some. Special thanks to Strummerfan for taking care of the two rods that I had out when I hooked up on what I initially thought was a huge Rock. Next time I catch a Ray I'll just cut the line 'cause I now am among the ranks of those who know.