Where are the painted ray this year

[beachbuddy]

Just a quick one for the people of cork/Waterford.Over the last few years myself and the lads I fish with have been consistently catching mainly painted and a few thornback ray along the cork /Waterford beaches from springtime right through the year .This year has been pathetic in comparison only a handful between us despite a lot of effort and almost identical tides temps locations to previous years.
Anyone that read the list of specimens book from last year can clearly see that everyone and anyone enjoyed super ray fishing so my question is where the hell have they gone.Personally I'm not buying into they will arrive back soon or that this is a natural thing.Did last years bumper year draw too much attention for easy pickings for commercials looking for ray wings or has anyone a more logical idea as to the sudden very slim pickings along the south coast.
Does'nt make sense at all and myself and my hardcore angling friends are stumped ,so please fire away any thoughts.

[johnwest]

Hi beachbuddy, I fish the opposite end of the country, Donegal Bay, though most of my rays are boat caught. Over the last few years I have been getting mostly thornies and some painteds in a roughly 8:1 ratio along with a few spotties. Last year in particular produced some great painted rays with decent numbers of specimen and near specimen fish. This year? Just one painted ray. Like you, I have fished the same as previous years and have been wondering what has changed. I have been told that the rays are "being hammered all over the bay by tanglenetters", same down your way perhaps?

[JimC]

What were the painted ray patterns over recent years?
Do I remember them usually being later in the autumn?

[kieran]

Hi Peeps

Aren't painted rays normally caught in the late autumn winter?
That was definitely the case when I was down in Waterford, granted, many years ago... had a few off the beaches around Ardmore, at night, at distance, with sandeel.
Maybe if people target them now, you might see an uptick in catches...

[ste c]

Late september on is the only time i try for them on the waterford/cork beaches and thats when iv seen alot of them caught

[beachbuddy]

Lads these beaches normally peak for numbers in the autumn but over the past 5/6 years myself and my crew of die hardies have been catching them with a bit of effort as early as March and this year has been brutal.
My own diary only shows 6 this year with 3 coming in January last, 2 from waterford&1 lone fella from cork.
Something isnt adding up& im out twice a week on these beaches I'm just wondering if others are finding the same this year.

[Deleted User 3488]

Hope it's just a bad year for them. A beautiful fish and good sport too.
Hopefully they will arrive in numbers in a few weeks time along with the cod.
But reports of the widespread illegal boat activity along the South coast is very worrying.

[roooster]

fishing peaked last year at the end of october and there after so hopefully there will b a few show up yet