Many fishermen have accidentally caught the sting ray, and found themselves in a pickle as to what to do with them. The sting ray is extremely fun to catch, because it puts up such a good fight. Some fishermen actually fish for sting ray specifically, though I can not imagine why. Removing a sting ray can be a very daunting task if you do not take care and follow some basic steps.
When fishing in the ocean, you should use regular steel hooks and leaders. Stainless steel will resist rusting and thus cause a sting ray or other large catch to be unable to get rid of it. This trauma can cause the sting ray to die a slow death of starvation due to an inability to hunt and eat. Simply by using steel hooks you can ensure that the hook will instead rust away, and no longer be an issue for the sting ray. Steel leaders are the same, and can no longer be an issue of entanglement for the ray or surrounding oceanic wildlife.
The first thing one should do before removing a sting ray from a fishing line is to leave them outside the boat. Pulling a sting ray into your boat is simply begging for a lashing from their barbed tail. Leave them aside the boat, and do not try to be a hero. These generally benign creatures are quite feisty and dangerous when provoked, as the death of the late Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin proves. Irwin was not even pestering the ray that killed him with a quick stab to the heart. Leave the sting ray alongside the boat.
Once you have the sting ray alongside the boat, then take a sharp pair of clippers or knife and cut the line as close to the hook as can safely be done. Do not use a gaffe or other sharp implement on the sting ray, or else you will fatally injure the sting ray. Sting rays are rather soft and their tissues can not withstand this type of handling.
It is very important to remember that a sting ray can cause you serious harm when cornered and captured. Many people see these creatures as rather benign. What is commonly true when in the open ocean changes drastically when a sting ray is captured. They will defend themselves and their barbs can cause major lacerations to human skin. Keep a safe distance from the sting ray at all times. They are more flexible than you might think.
Capturing a sting ray is an exciting outdoors experience because their flat bodies are quite the challenge to reel in. Still, there is no really good reason to harm the sting ray or otherwise remove them from their habitat. Use a steel hook and leader, cut the sting ray free, and let them go on their merry way. Sting rays are beautiful oceanic wildlife that should be left to the ecosystem.
