DUBLIN RAY ON A PLATE

[JimC]

Lads let’s keep this on topic. It is a good subject and it would be a shame to see it headed scomber direction.

Eire32: Give us a bit more about your trip. Where were you fishing from? How many rays did you keep? What species?

The reason I ask is I think many guys get a bit edgy if guys are keeping every fish that comes over the side. It would be a shame if you were keeping undulates, they are rare enough nowadays.

I have never eaten ray other than in a restaurant and found it to be only OK although have seen it often in Dublin chippies.

Here in Cork our population of blonde rays are quite localised. Over the years there has been a culture of catch and release built up (other than the odd commercial). They are an important species from an angling/tourism point of view. I know of nobody who would take blondes for the pan. In fact if guys decided to keep blondes they would be wiped out quickly the area is so small. I think most locals would be peeved if fellows started to take them.

I can’t see a problem keeping a few rays for the pot in an area where they are plentiful, all within reason of course. However I suppose it would be best to respect local traditions/practices.

[eire32]

howiya jim from cork and everyone else who posted on this.i was fishing from a charter in kerry didnt go to far out although that didnt seem to bring the price down. wasnt a bad day whether wise but the fishing was bad i had the most fish with 5 thornback ray i kept 2 of them just the 1st 2 at that.1st was 7lb and the second was 5.5lb nice wings for the pan.the fellas fishing on the boat with me looked and fished like good anglers who are at it a few years.but when i began cutting the wings the skipper was the only one on the boat not looking in shock at what i was doing.then the slagging began and got worse then serious it wasnt nice at least on the beach you can walk away.

[lucky]

howiya jim from cork and everyone else who posted on this.i was fishing from a charter in kerry didnt go to far out although that didnt seem to bring the price down. wasnt a bad day whether wise but the fishing was bad i had the most fish with 5 thornback ray i kept 2 of them just the 1st 2 at that.1st was 7lb and the second was 5.5lb nice wings for the pan.the fellas fishing on the boat with me looked and fished like good anglers who are at it a few years.but when i began cutting the wings the skipper was the only one on the boat not looking in shock at what i was doing.then the slagging began and got worse then serious it wasnt nice at least on the beach you can walk away.

ha mate.. as i said in my early reply... good on you.... 5 landed, 3 returned...thats a good angler.... by the sounds of it the other lads where probaly sick at the site of the guts... not real men..... and boys been boys the only way is to slag...... i think you will not be fishing again with that lot.........

[twinkle]

i have also a taste for ray and keep a few anytime im fortunate to get one[none last year] but i take the whole fish not just the wings there is a lot of eating along the backbone also.as for smoothies there not nice like the bullhuss they taste
awful as i said in another post it ruined the oil in the fryer.. the smell was through the house.having watched my phillipino
friends prepare and cook lots of different fish even they did not like huss now if they who gut maybe 50 macs keeping the hearts and livers to fry seperatley wont eat smoothies i dont hold up much hope for roger......lol

[concancook]

Hounds are the worst of the sharks to eat,spurdog on the otherhand is very good mostly sold as rocksalmon its also one of the easy sharks to skin thats why they were over fished.most places i have been to eat shark USA ASIA AUSTRAILA SPAIN and FRANCE but i cant see it catching on here .how about we try some extreem dublin cooking and make a ray coddle

[yappo]

However I suppose it would be best to respect local traditions/practices.

Good point Jim I would never dream of killing a blonde or any other ray except thornies and I suppose Brian Byrne would definitely have thrown me overboard.

Yappo

[carl fox]

Good on ye lad keep on catching ray and eating them you sound like a good angler releasing 3 jealous will get them no where ray is the nicest fish in the sea up the Dubs!!!!!!

[gfkelly1969]

a lot of people around Galway eat ray as well,probably because they are easy to catch around here,I have tried it myself but don't really like it

[Strangefruit]

Hounds are the worst of the sharks to eat,spurdog on the otherhand is very good mostly sold as rocksalmon its also one of the easy sharks to skin thats why they were over fished.most places i have been to eat shark USA ASIA AUSTRAILA SPAIN and FRANCE but i cant see it catching on here .how about we try some extreem dublin cooking and make a ray coddle

I always thought that the 'rock salmon' at chippers in the UK was doggies? I grew up on the stuff and love it!

[Cormdogg]

Not a big fan of ray, tried to cook a pair of wings I caught in Mayo in a bit of flower, the wing kept on oozing slime it wasn't great to be honest, the locals were telling me to boil them in vinegar, but sure they eat their young in that part of the country Give me mackerel all day any day, fresh on the bbq! Im partial to pollock too actually!

[immunecfg]

I cant see any problem with keeping a couple of decent fish for the plate, be it Bass or Ray, as long as the fish in your eyes is not undersize then its fine with me.

Also bearing in mind of fish that are few and far between then put them back.

Pollock great to eat, grey mullet great (only one which was bleeding badly and only from clean water) irish bass ive yet to get one

[dtsacs]

Love Ray myself over any other fish, just skin it and fry it in the pan - no frills.

Depending on how many I catch I will try and keep one for the pan - that is providing it's not a pregnant female. Last Friday we caught 2 Female Thornbacks (10lb & 7lb) both were returned as quickly as possible as they looked as if they were well advanced in their reproductive states.

Last year we had some good catches of Ray during the months of May & June, one day we had 13 between the 2 of us but we still only brought home 2 (one each) for the pan.

I say, once you don't go into overkill it's OK to bring something home for the table.

On another point which was raised above, once you skin it (not an easy thing to do), wash it, then there should be no slime left on it and it will be ready for the pan.

Damien