South East Type of Skate around Herne Bay

[Ken]

Every time I have caught skate in this area, it has been thornies. Has anyone else found this, or are there regular catches of other rays ?

Part two to the question, I love eating the things, but hate skinning thornies. Does anyone have any tips, or ways to improve the experience ?

 

[Shirleycodlin]

99% will be thorn backs.
1% will be stingers.

Cut off head and tail leaving the wings joined by app 2" of, for want of a better word, back bone. Its a 'U' shaped cut.
Using a stout pair of scissors trim off 1/2" from the outer edge of the wings.
using a short firm bladed knife score the skin (only) from the back bone to wing tip (x3)
score the skin of the back bone (x2)
With a pair of skinning pliers, grip the skin from the backbone and pull towards the wing tip. (x8)
with the skinning pliers, remove any remaining thorns.

Option: remove the knobs from the head.

Sounds complicated but in reality its a minute a fish.

 

[Thrasher]

Ken,what size of skate is best for keeping?

 

[Ken]

Shirl, a minute a fish ? You are having a giraffe ! I demand video evidence, ask Jacks to catch one for you

 

[Ken]

@ Thrasher , I am not an expert... but the one I took had swallowed both hooks and removal would have been surgical !
However I have to say that the smaller ones seem to taste amazing if freshly soaked in brine. You need a reasonable size of wing to allow trimming and still be a portion a wing, so let's settle on around 6lb to 9lb .

What do others find ?

 

[Stormtrooper]

The vast majority are thornies although there has been the odd blonde caught from Dover, Hythe and along the south coast.
They’re rare but stingers are caught on the north coast up to 65 - 70lbs!! I’ve hooked one once but lost it and last November I witnessed a friend have one on, it took him over 10 breakwaters before snapping him off just 20yds out. It was absolutely gutting.

 

[Ken]

Nov ! I understood they were hot sunny day bathers. Did try for them once in a spot told to me by a very experienced angler, but no luck. Like to have my son with me if I catch one .... so he can get the hook out

 

[Ken]

Save a few of those peelers for me Storm, last time I tried they were hard to get .

 

[Stormtrooper]

Save a few of those peelers for me Storm, last time I tried they were hard to get .

It’s not me that needs to save them, I only ever take a few, just what I need. It’s the guys down there every single tide with trolley fulls of buckets you need to speak to!!

 

[Ken]

no, you mistake me , I was not telling you anything .... I was on the scrounge

 

[Vinny]

Nov ! I understood they were hot sunny day bathers. Did try for them once in a spot told to me by a very experienced angler, but no luck. Like to have my son with me if I catch one .... so he can get the hook out

I wade the area a fair amount and have seen a few thornbacks but seen more than a few stingers , nearly stood on 2 and nearly had one swim into me , these have always been late in the year and sunny evening and have generally been in pairs.
Oddly enough 2 of the pairs were within 30yds of the beach on the edge of rocky areas , dont know if they spawn late but the pairs have been between small doubles to BIG, i can only assume they are a mating pair.
Very much a brown wader moment when what appears to be a large rock flaps its wings and swims off

 

[Ken]

Very much a brown wader moment when what appears to be a large rock flaps its wings and swims off...

Brilliant ! We get a similar thing back home when river fishing and a log you had noticed a couple of yards out starts to move against the flow ! The art is to gain traction in your own slippage.

 

[Stormtrooper]

no, you mistake me , I was not telling you anything .... I was on the scrounge

That’s a bit like when someone asks “have you got a spare cigarette?”
....well, sure, I did go to the shop and ask for a pack of 19 but they only had 20’s!! ???