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Old 08-28-2009, 09:12 AM   #9
JrBasser
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 260
It isn't thatttt dumb of a question.. except the opening line is sorry this isn't a kayak report but....

To answer your question though, big bat ray I have found to be pretty docile when you handle em right. A bat ray as large as we've been getting I would just cut the tag end and its mouth or remove the hook if it was visible. But to be completely honest, if I knew I was fighting a bat ray and was on it for two hours, I'd have the heebee geebees about pulling it to the kayak. For a sub 50 pound ray, I will grab it by the breathing holes behind their eyes and slide him up onto my kayak between my legs. The large flat deck allows most of the fish's weight to be supported well and keeps them calm. This also keeps the added weight centered and the boat stable. Sometimes when their big enough their wings hang over the sides of the kayak into the water. From there I can get the hook out, get pictures, whatever. When cutting/removing the hook from a batray in the water you have no risk of the fish "turning on you" with those big ass wings 180 degrees to sting you. My method is a little more risky, you have to be swift with it. If you try to pull the fish slowly, he could panic and start flapping his wings. We all see where this could lead. Also, if you lift the weight out of the water slow, it will be harder to lift. You could lose control of the weight and have a batray come sliding into your boat tail first. And yes, I've done it, but got out of the way. Basically as you slide the bat ray up onto the kayak, spin him around so his tail is away from you.
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