🌊 Ray (thornback/blonde)

Flat-bodied cartilaginous fish (skates and rays) that are popular specimen targets for shore and boat anglers, thornback and blonde ray being among the most commonly encountered species around the UK.

A distinctive diamond or kite-shaped flattened body with a long tail, both eyes on the upper surface. Thornback ray has rows of sharp thorny spines along the back and tail, blonde ray is generally smoother-skinned with dark spots scattered over a paler back.

Found over sand, mud and mixed ground around much of the UK coastline, targeted from both shore marks and boats, with specific marks around the country developing reputations for producing larger specimens.