Thornback Ray
The thornback ray is the ray Dutch sea anglers are most likely to pull up from North Sea beaches and estuaries. It lives on sandy and muddy bottoms close to shore, making it accessible to surf casters working the Zeeland coast and the Wadden Sea margins.
Not a glamour species, but a reliable and satisfying target that fights well on light gear and turns up year-round once you find the right ground.
Scientific Name: Raja clavata
Also known as Stekelrog, thornback skate
- Kite-shaped, flattened body with broad wing-like pectoral fins; upper surface covered in thorny spines — the 'thornback' name is literal and unmistakable in hand.
- Colour varies from grey-brown to olive on top, often with pale blotches or spots; white underside. Older females develop thorny knobs (bucklers) on the underside too.
- Long, spiny tail distinguishes it from the smoother-tailed electric ray or the rounder-bodied stingray.
- Most fish run under 85 cm; adults can reach 1 m. Weight typically 2–5 kg, with larger specimens possible from deeper water.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the southern North Sea; a naturally occurring resident of Dutch coastal waters, not introduced.
- Prefers sandy, muddy, or gravelly seabeds from the surf zone down to around 60 m, though it can go much deeper.
- Found along the Zeeland coast, the Wadden Sea shallows, and in estuarine channels — occasionally trapped in tidal pools at low water.
- Juveniles tend to stay inshore after hatching; adults move inshore from deeper water to breed in spring and summer.
Key Locations
- Zeeland coast and beaches around Cadzand — accessible surf-casting ground known for rays on low-water tides over sandy and mixed bottoms.
- Zeeland estuaries and tidal channels — sheltered, food-rich water that holds rays through the warmer months.
- Wadden Sea margins, including waters around Texel — shallow tidal flats with the soft-bottom habitat rays favour; documented at Ecomare on Texel.
Specific Spots
- Sandy beach gutters and troughs at low tide — rays follow the tide in to feed, so fish the first and last hours of the flood over clean sand.
- Estuary channels and tidal creeks in Zeeland, where current concentrates crabs and shrimp on the bottom; fish the slack or slow phase of the tide.
- Mussel and sandbank edges in the Wadden Sea, where the seabed transitions from hard to soft — rays patrol these margins looking for prey.
- Deeper holes and drop-offs accessible from piers or boats, especially in summer when larger adults move inshore.
Thornback Ray FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Thornback Ray?
Squid, whole, strip, or in a cocktail with ragworm, is the most consistent bait across seasons. Squid holds on the hook well in tide and surf. Ragworm and lugworm work, especially in estuaries; a worm-and-squid cocktail covers both scent profiles and is a reliable all-round choice.
When is the best time to fish for Thornback Ray?
Spring and summer: adults move inshore to breed, making them the most accessible from beaches and estuaries, the peak window for shore fishing. Autumn: fish remain catchable as water cools; bait fishing at night continues to produce.
How do you catch Thornback Ray?
Most Dutch anglers target thornback rays by surf casting from Zeeland beaches or fishing tidal estuarine channels, using bottom rigs with squid or worm baits fished hard on the seabed. Night sessions on the flood tide tend to produce best.
What do Thornback Ray eat?
Juveniles eat small crustaceans, amphipods and bottom-living shrimps. Adults move up to crabs, larger shrimps, and small fish. Match this with whole or cut squid, ragworm, or fresh crab bait fished hard on the bottom.
Where do Thornback Ray live?
Native to the southern North Sea; a naturally occurring resident of Dutch coastal waters, not introduced. Prefers sandy, muddy, or gravelly seabeds from the surf zone down to around 60 m, though it can go much deeper.
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