() ) – By all accounts, the 9-foot long (3.4-meter) black manta ray is a tough fish to catch. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get really close and personal with it. The best way to maneuver your way around this unique looking fish is by using bait that looks just like it — and won’t look like it when you’ve caught it! Try these tips for fishing alongside a black manta ray instead of competing against it:
Staring from the shore
If you’re fishing along the shoreline, you should be able to see the manta ray, but not the rest of the fish. That’s because the fish is away from the mainland. You’re only as close as one fly in the oatlands of eastern West Virginia can get you a bite. While most anglers, including myself, would note that the manta ray is more prominent in the area around Rocky Mount, the reality is that most of the fish are far off in the distance.
Back pack fishing
Back pack fishing is great for the whole family. If you and your family are lucky enough to get along with any of the big providers of bottom feeders, you can use that as a perfect excuse to get out off the water and onto land, or even on to the water itself. You can catch a ton of fish with this technique, and you don’t even have to go very deep. A good example is this photo from a local angler:
Anchorfish mike biden mayschleifervox
When you’re all at sea, you’re at a great advantage when it comes to hearing the various sounds and conditions around you. This is especially true when you’re targeting the darker colored mariners such as the black manta ray and tuna. One of the best uses you can make of the black manta ray is to use it as an anchor. You can simply hang from the back of this massive fish and use it as a handhold to pull yourself along. Simply put!
Bottom feeders
If you’re trying to catch a bottom feeder, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. One, you don’t want to go into the deep sea too deep. You don’t want to go into the rough areas with sharks or seaman’s fin soup. The farther you are from the surface, the more mosquito-free the water is. In fact, you don’t want to come in contact with any excessive amounts of water.
Forget about the bottom
The farther you are from the surface, the less amount of water is required to achieve the same fish. This means you’re less exposed to anything aquatic. In fact, you might not even be able to feel the bottom in the water. This is great when you’re trying to line up a fish with your back-up net. Another great use of the black manta ray is as a back-up net. When you’re out on the water, you can easily get a fish in your sights that you’ve been waiting for. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to see it!
Use a back-up net
Another great use of the black manta ray is as a back-up net. If you’re out on the water, you can easily get a fish in your sights that you’ve been waiting for. This can happen when you’re fishing along the shoreline with the manta ray, or you are sitting idly in the middle of a sea urchin field, waiting for the ocean to wash by. You can simply hang from the back of this massive fish and use it as a handhold to pull yourself along.
Anticipate the environment
Finally, you want to anticipate the conditions you’ll be in. You just might have a better chance of catching a black manta ray if you sit quietly and wait for the ocean to wash by. This is especially true in areas with strong currents such as the South China Sea.
The weather matters!
Last but not least, if you’re able to stand on the beach for a few minutes after a rainstorm has passed, you’re going to want to get your back to the water. This is because the more often you get the chance to get your back to the water, the better it will be for both your catch and your swimming position.
Bottom line
If you’re able to get close and personal with a black manta ray, you’re in good company. There are a number of professional anglers who fish alongside the black manta ray, and they usually call it quits when they’ve got a bit of the fish in their own palaces. The black manta ray is a unique and fascinating fish, and it’s one of the most challenging to catch. You need to stay alert, keep your eyes and ears open, and maintain your concentration on your task at hand — which is to line up a black manta ray for your back-up net.
