Another great night chasing rays, mullet, and sheepshead

[Chris Surtees]

Made it out to the grass flats again while home this weekend. This time we had our neighbors (Chris and Stephani), my daughter Kelsey, and son Justin along for some bowfishing action.

This trip started out much like the first trip except I did not even have the trolling motor in the water before we started seeing the cow nose rays.

Here is a pix of the crew minus Kelsey, who is standing on the poling platform while taking this pix.

 

We started in with some fast action at numerous cow nose rays.

 

 

 

[Chris Surtees]

At times we ended up having more than one ray on and had to play them out until we could cut the barbs.

Everyone had a chance to see first hand at what a barb can do when a cow nose drove his into another ray. Wish we would have taken a pix of that...very impressive to say the least.

Chris the Steph had never been bow fishing much less shooting a recurve but it did not take them long to catch on.

Check out their forms:

 

 

[Chris Surtees]

We had some awesome shots happen while on this outing.

First one is when Chris arrowed a Sheepshead at a very steep angle. Sheepshead look like a big bream so imagine shooting a target from a moving bow that is only about an inch and half wide.

Next Kelsey connected with a head shot on a mullet.

Last one was Steph making the long shot of the night on an 8" sting ray. The shot had to be over 15 yards and she center punched him perfectly.

My boy Justin spent the night netting needle fish and mullet. Next trip he is going to give shooting a bow a try.

 

[Chris Surtees]

Here are a couple shots of everyone fighting rays and other fish they arrowed.

 

 

 

 

 

[Chris Surtees]

 

[Chris Surtees]

Total count for the night was pretty good for only being out 3.5 hours.

10 - cow nose rays

10 - sting rays

1 - mullet

1 - sheepshead

Several other pulled off while brought boat side and there were too many miss to count on mullet and sheepshead.

 

 

[rastaman]

And it looks like a great time for everyone involved!      

[Chris Surtees]

Randy,

Everyone had a blast.

Sorry to hear you cannot make it the end of the month. Justin asked to go back out for his birthday so we are going to have his party early on Saturday and then head out of a quick bowfishing trip for him.

We will be going out in October and November a couple times for the flounder run so maybe we can hook up then.

[levibear]

I am sorry for the dumb question Chris...Are rays good to eat?  

[Mudd]

Chris those kids are stone cold killers...lol It sure makes my day when I see the youngsters out there getting it done!!

Good on you my friend!!

God bless you and all those close to you.

Mudd

[Night Wing]

You have to fillet the wings of the ray. The meat is a little tough and chewy.

[Shinken]

Totally COOL Chris!

Way to get the youngsters involved - looks like they had a blast!

Have a great 2010 hunting season!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[Benjy]

Good job Chris, I love the lights!

Benjy

[joe skipp]

Nice going Chris.....looks like a great time. Some good eating there also....      

[Larry Surtees]

Night Wing is right about the wings -- a fillet from each is it. When sauteed in butter, garlic, lemon juice and onion, it is tasty -- if you overcook, it will be a on the very chewy side -- cook on high heat until it just starts to separate with a fork.  

But even better is if you put it in Louisiana Crawfish-Man's Seafood Etouffe mix, it is very good.

[Friends call me Pac]

Whatever light system you are using lights up way more area than the lights on my Brother's flounder boat.

Glad to hear someone scored on a mullet.  I felt like I was shooting at torpedos when I was trying to hit one.

[JustinNC]

great shark bait

[Bigkid]

That look like fun,
Congrats on getting the family together for some fun.

[kbetts]

That looks like a blast.

[rushlush]

Looks like a real good time!