February 2020 Sea Catch News

February 2020 - Thornback Ray & Plaice!

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January saw a good number of plaice being caught from local beaches along with mixed winter species of dogfish, pout, rockling, dab and whiting - see lots of plaice catches in Jan Sea Catch News Click Here

So far in Feb this trend has continued with local anglers enjoying catches of plaice along the local shoreline, but there have also been an INCREASING NUMBER OF THORNBACK RAYS caught too! This appears to be part of the pattern of CHANcfGING SPECIES being caught from local beaches in recent years - with more thornback rays, plaice, smoothounds bringing all year around greater seasonal variety.

Ray catches are being reported from Langney Point right along to coast to Wishtower, and all points in between.

Scott Pettitt is pictured below looking very pleased with a 62cm ray caught late January from the beach at Birling Gap - great catch and picture Scott!!

On 2nd Feb James Woods sent this great picture below of a catch of Thornback Ray from a local beach saying
'Was nice to get out today and brave the weather... still about, I had them at 3lb 4oz and 6lb 6oz. Waiting on bigger now haha' Thanks James!

On 4th Feb Luke and Tim Ripley went fishing from a local Eastbourne beach and caught 8 thornback rays to 8b 2oz. Lots of reports of thornback rays from local beaches at the moment (as well as plaice), which is great to see!!

Mike Conway sent this picture of his mate Adam Murtagh who caught 3 thornback rays from an Eastbourne beach, the first (pictured below) being 8lb and the other two were 5lb. Well done Adam!! Thanks for sending Mike :)

Jay Blackmar sent the picture below from a session on 7th Feb reporting:

'Another good nights fishing I managed one doggie and 2 Ray's first was 4lb 6oz and the 2nd one was 5lb 6oz both came on bluey bait from Anglers Den on a up and over rig fished at range'

Great catch - Thanks Jay :)

15th Feb - Kris Watts sent this picture of a catch of Thornback Ray from a local beach saying:
'Finally caught my first ray and on the first cast with your bluey! thanks!'
Well done Kris - great picture, thanks for sending!!

23rd Feb - Paul Parsons is pictured below with a winning 8lb thornback ray caught in today's Saxon's Sea Fishing Club match held in Pevensey Bay - well done Paul!!

24th Feb - Thanks to Peter Cornwall for this catch report from last night.

'Sunday, calm dry start, wet windy finish. Sea was dirty. Fished Eastbourne. Fish as follows:,

Rays x2 - 4lb 8oz and my pb 6lb 13oz.

Dogfish x3 including a specimen of 2lb 1oz (67cm)

Pouts x2-small

Whiting 10-15-small

My friend sala also had small Whiting and rockling'

Thanks for sending Peter - keep us posted on your catch news!

23rd Feb - Ricky Diamond is pictured with one of the rays he caught at the weekend saying 'one at 5lb one at 6lb. wind was hard goin on Saturday night but it payed off getting out there also had two decent size congers all caught on blueys from the Den' Niice one - thanks Ricky!

24th Feb - Ryan Sinclair is pictured with a nice dogfish caught today at Langney Point, at high tide on squid - Thanks for sending Ryan!

26th Feb - Jack Wiltshire is pictured with a 8lb 10oz thornback ray caught last night in the Eastbourne Nomads Beach Fishing Comp at Langney Point!! Well done Jack!

(For more recent Sea Angling Catch News - Click Here)