# Cow Nose Ray At Night?



## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

It is a pain to catch cow nose ray in the daytime. I have caught as many as 8 in one day.

I just thought of something. Perhaps I will catch fewer if I fish at night. I have not done very much night fishing. You ever catch cow nose ray at night. Also, if you do both daytime and nighttime fishing, do you notice a different catch pattern?

Thanks


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Yepp we get them at night .. Doesnt seem any different VS daylight .


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

I've caught a few cownoses at night at The Tank. Since they're not sight feeders there no reason to think that they feed less at night than during the day. There's probably more daytime fisherman than nightime fisherman thus more reports of day catches. Here's some info I found on their feeding.

*Feeding: Like other rays, their mouth is located on the underneath side. Cownose rays feed on bottom-dwelling shellfish, lobster, crabs, and fish. To locate their prey, these rays have electroreceptors on their snout as well excellent senses of smell and touch. They will also stir up the bottom with their flexible wing tips or use their nose to root around in the mud or sand. Once they find their prey, they flap their wings rapidly to move the sand aside. At the same time, they suck water and sand into their mouth and blow it out through their gills to create a depression in the sand that allows easier access to their food. They have very strong teeth arranged in flat plates that are perfect for crunching hard-shelled prey. These rays spit out the shells of the animals they eat, and only swallow the soft body parts.* 

I think they're pretty interesting creatures and I'd never purposely kill one.


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## hromberg (Mar 16, 2015)

I just tried a piece of a cownose ray my neighbor's kid caught yesterday. It's now on my list of really tasty sea critters. Don't be put off by the red meat. It turns like tuna when you cook it. The meat is firm with no fishy taste. Sort of like a pork chop. Now I need to find where I can catch em regularly.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

They are just as active at night. the worst i had was 7 of them in a 2 hrs period while tossing jigs for stripers. ruined my whole night. everyone was getting broken off by them.


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## CaliYellowtail (Jul 28, 2014)

When Cow nose are around, you might as well pack it up and go home. They devour and scare off every gamefish in the area.
I don't care if they taste like Chilean Seabass, I ain't dealing with em!


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

hromberg said:


> I just tried a piece of a cownose ray my neighbor's kid caught yesterday. It's now on my list of really tasty sea critters. Don't be put off by the red meat. It turns like tuna when you cook it. The meat is firm with no fishy taste. Sort of like a pork chop. Now I need to find where I can catch em regularly.


SPSP is the place to catch them during the Summer months...


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

CaliYellowtail said:


> When Cow nose are around, you might as well pack it up and go home. They devour and scare off every gamefish in the area.
> I don't care if they taste like Chilean Seabass, I ain't dealing with em!


The biggest problem is that they travel in large groups. I've seen them in Eastern Bay in herds of 300 - 400 at a time. When they come through every thing else leaves.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Got my biggest one at night, good thing they don't have teeth, because it was a tough job to unhook it as it was!


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## CaliYellowtail (Jul 28, 2014)

catman said:


> The biggest problem is that they travel in large groups. I've seen them in Eastern Bay in herds of 300 - 400 at a time. When they come through every thing else leaves.


OH...MY.....GOD!!!!! What a horrible, horrible sight! The world is now coming to end! Hope I never see that when I'm throwing topwaters!   

Actually, that's a pretty cool photo. Where'd ya take that...in the Bahamas??


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

I saw a large "heard" of CNRS at Bennets landing on the wye river. Hundreds of them not a fish around when they came through.


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## Mastrbaitr (May 7, 2014)

I use the river rig(tri swivel) with the swivel about 3' up from the sinker. That way my bait stays off the bottom hopefully. Definitely helps at mata.


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

or you could just fish the ocean and they wont be the food chain king


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

I think they bite better at night!


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## hromberg (Mar 16, 2015)

catman said:


> The biggest problem is that they travel in large groups. I've seen them in Eastern Bay in herds of 300 - 400 at a time. When they come through every thing else leaves.


So eat em. They taste great.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

hromberg said:


> So eat em. They taste great.


Tell us how YOU fix them.


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## Espresso (Mar 18, 2005)

Hooking up with one of these helps test your gear and knots. But after landing 2 it gets tiring.


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## chesapeakecarper (Aug 22, 2003)

Just another big ass bottom feeder that will put a hurting to your rod, empty your reel and cramp your arms. If someone is good with cleaning and prepping why not have a fun Tourney and donate/take home the meat.


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## fishfighter (Mar 19, 2015)

Ive hooked them day and night but mostly in the morning. I personally love hooking them because of the fight, they like to run. But they are a annoying mostly because no one wants keep them or deal with them, they scare everything else away, and depending on how people around you are set up you will tangle up with everyone around you. Ive landed them on 7' pole with 17lb mono after watcging people snap 50lb braid. Metapeake will get schools that come through periodically through the day. Moat people just cut the line lol


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