Bow Fishing Stingrays

[Islandlongbow]

Thought I'd try bow fishing stingrays on the sand flats in about knee deep water. Any tricks or words of advice?
What parts are edible and how do you prepare it?
Thanks,
Jerry

[Earthdog]

After skinning,cut the wings into rounds with a cookie cutter an deep fry like you would scallops.
Don't know how big your rays are,but here in NZ the short tailed black rays can go 400lb,,,be carefull,they can kill you.

[Izzy]

Look out for them toothy fish while your out there, especially with blood in the water.Sounds fun though.

[the longbowkid]

always thought that owuld be fun, plenty of rays on the coast here, we pule up to a 90 pounder in our boat.......

[bawana bowman]

In my younger days we use to wade the flats and gig them with a single barbed gig. Seems like if you missed they would always swim directly toward you! Have no idea why this always happened.

Shooting them always was and still is fun! For some reason they don't come at you when missed by an arrow. The rays around here are plentiful, but not all that big. They can cause a lot of pain if they get you with their barb, but there is not really enough meat to justify cleaning them, unless your really hungry.

I have had the opportunity to shoot and eat some of the bigger ones and yes, they do taste like scallops. And in some areas are sold as scallops by some markets!

[ChuckC]

Can someone PLEASE do a tutorial on cleaning and preparing rays for eating ?

Maybe show us the safe way to handle them, how to keep them, how to clean/filet them, etc.

Heck, might be nice for a thread on how you go for them,  what gear you need, what you look for in hunt areas, what kind there are etc.

I would love to try that some day, but obviously (from Wisconsin) don't have much experience.
ChuckC

[Ragnarok Forge]

First off, if your wading, slide your feet along the bottom.  Do not pick them up and put the down.  Makes you likely to step on one and get hit.  Carry along a cheap machete, and once the ray is close lift it up enough with the arrow to chop off the tail.

Other than that have fun.  If it was me I would be doing it out of a small boat.  No worries about stepping on them, the sharks can't get at you, etc...  Are your rays really big?  If so your going to want a reel with the float system that completely releases from the bow.

[Danny Rowan]

Jerry,

Good to see you posting. How have you been? Good luck on the rays.

Danny

[LBR]

They have a "loin" down the middle.  We cut that out (just follow the back bone on either side and fillet it out).  I put it on tin foil on the grill, sauteed it with garlic butter, and it tasted somewhere in-between crab and lobster--excelent eating.

Be VERY careful of the stingers.  Some rays have two, and they aren't at the very end of the tail like you might think.


Chad

[Islandlongbow]

Thanks for the replies guys....Doug campbell was over here doing some fly fishing and we got to talking about the fish and rays he saw. there are a few places on Oahu where you could do some wading and bow fish. Salt water bowfishing is the only type we can leagally do here. Fresh water bowhunting is illegal even though introduced fish species infest our streams and lakes.
I have a simple rig so I'll start off slow. let you know how I do.
Hey Danny, I took a break from posting but stilled checked in from time to time. It's great how this site has grown.
Jerry

[twostrings]

Man, that sounds like a blast

[Doug Campbell]

Awesome Jerry, looking forward to hearing how it goes!!

[val]

That sounds like a blast!  Cant wait to hammer down on some carp in a few weeks!!!!!

[sticshooter]

well bro did ya stick any yet?<><

[NW Trad Wife]

Sounds like a great time to me!  I've gone out bowfishing for carp, but would LOVE to get some shots at a ray or two!

[poison arrow]

Ray skins are marketable. They make some real great wallets and I love to use them for knife sheaths.If you have any there that have cool spots or designs they would make excellent belts boots ect. Also the wings the meat of them is highly regarded for fisherman. It is good bait.