The small-eyed ray, also called the painted ray, is a neat and rather handsome fish. Kestrel Warrior names small-eyed ray among the rays that matter most to anglers off Sussex. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the small-eyed ray
The small-eyed ray, also called the painted ray, is a neat and rather handsome fish. It has a short pointed snout and small eyes. The back is grey, green or brown, marked with small dark dots and pale lines across the body, and the underside is white.
It grows to about 3 ft and 20 lb. Fish caught from the shore are usually 2 to 6 lb, and a 5 lb fish is counted as a good one. It lives over sandy, muddy and light shingle seabeds, coming into shallow water and sometimes into estuaries. In Britain you find it mainly in the south and west, and it is absent from much of the North Sea.
The IUCN lists it as Near Threatened, and it is in decline, so most anglers release them. Kestrel Warrior names the small-eyed ray among the rays that matter most to anglers off Sussex. If you are not sure what is on the line, look for the small dots, the pale lines and the white belly. Take a photograph if you can, then let it go.
On the boat
The record gives no months for Britain or for Sussex, so we cannot say when it is best to find one. The methods listed are clipped-down single-hook rigs with a 1/0 to 3/0 hook. Baits include peeler crab, ragworm, mackerel strip, herring and squid. The record notes that long casts may be needed from the shore, and it gives no boat marks or boat methods for this species. Kestrel Warrior lists it among the rays that matter to anglers off Sussex.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 17 lb 8 oz
- Where
- Off Watchet, North Somerset
- When
- 1991
- Angler
- Mrs S Storey
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Mrs S Storey, 17 lb 8 oz, off Watchet, North Somerset, 1991. The official list gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer boat claims must be measured (qualifying wingspan 100 cm).
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
The small-eyed ray is Near Threatened (IUCN) and in decline. Most anglers release them. One angling site quotes a 41 cm minimum size, but we have not confirmed that as an official figure. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
Painted ray is the alternative name for this species on British Sea Fishing. The boat record of 17 lb 8 oz, caught in 1991, is close to the roughly 20 lb the species is said to reach.
Questions about the small-eyed ray
What is the British boat-caught record for small-eyed ray?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Mrs S Storey, 17 lb 8 oz, off Watchet, North Somerset, 1991. The official list gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer boat claims must be measured (qualifying wingspan 100 cm).
Is small-eyed ray caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Kestrel Warrior names small-eyed ray among the rays that matter most to anglers off Sussex.
When is the best time to catch small-eyed ray?
Our sources do not give months for the small-eyed ray, for Sussex or for the rest of Britain.
How big does a small-eyed ray get?
Up to about 3 ft and 20 lb. Shore catches are usually 2-6 lb; 5 lb is a good shore fish.
Sources
- British Sea Fishing: Small Eyed Ray: britishseafishing.co.uk
- BRFC Sea Fish Records, June 2026: anglingtrust.net
- Kestrel Warrior: undulate and thornback rays in Sussex waters: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
Picture: Sytske Dijksen (Ecomare), file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
