The common eagle ray is a strange-looking visitor. Our sources do not record it off the Sussex coast. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the common eagle ray
The common eagle ray is a strange-looking visitor. It has large pointed wings, a snout that sticks out and a very long whip-like tail with a venomous stinger. The back is brown, olive or black, and the underside is pale.
Most are about 3 ft across and weigh around 15 lb, though now and then one reaches 5 ft and over 50 lb. It likes clean sandy ground, from shallow water down to several hundred metres.
This is mainly a warm-water fish. In southern British waters, including the English Channel, it is an occasional summer visitor, thought to come only in the warmer months. In UK waters it is caught from boats, not from the shore.
It is a shy animal and uses the stinger only in defence, so calm handling and plenty of space are the sensible approach. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient overall, and as Near Threatened in the Mediterranean. If one does turn up, please release it.
On the boat
In UK waters the common eagle ray is caught from boats, not from the shore. It is thought to visit only in the warmer months, mainly summer, and our records do not say which months it has been seen off Sussex. It favours clean sandy ground, so that is where it would be expected. Beyond that, the sources we have do not give baits, rigs or grounds, and we will not guess.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 101 lb 14 oz 6 dr
- Where
- Off St Catherines Bay, Isle of Wight
- When
- 2004
- Angler
- R Lewis
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Lewis, 101 lb 14 oz 6 dr, off St Catherines Bay, Isle of Wight, in 2004. This is from the official British Record Fish Committee list (updated 18 June 2026), where it appears as Ray (Eagle). Only the year is given. Official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and new boat claims must be measured. No shore record is listed.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
Please release it. The stinger is used only in defence, but handle with care. The IUCN lists the species as Data Deficient overall and Near Threatened in the Mediterranean. Our sources give no minimum landing size. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
The common eagle ray's long whip-like tail carries a venomous stinger, but the species record describes it as a shy animal that uses the stinger only in defence.
Questions about the common eagle ray
What is the British boat-caught record for common eagle ray?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Lewis, 101 lb 14 oz 6 dr, off St Catherines Bay, Isle of Wight, in 2004. This is from the official British Record Fish Committee list (updated 18 June 2026), where it appears as Ray (Eagle). Only the year is given. Official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and new boat claims must be measured. No shore record is listed.
Is common eagle ray caught off the Sussex coast?
Not according to the sources behind this guide.
When is the best time to catch common eagle ray?
Around Britain: Thought to visit UK waters only in warmer months, mainly summer. Our sources give no months for Sussex.
How big does a common eagle ray get?
Typically about 3 ft across and 15 lb; occasionally to 5 ft and over 50 lb.
Sources
- British Sea Fishing: Other Ray Species: britishseafishing.co.uk
- BRFC Sea Fish Records, June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: ErikvanB, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
