Sting Ray protection?

Hi, all, I love to run in the ocean (When I can't swim, which is when there are big waves), but I'm a little nervous about getting a stingray hit. Anyone know of protection for that? How big are the rays here? I assume that if you had protection up to above the ankle you'd be ok? Thanks.

The only "protection" I know of is to do the "stingray shuffle"....drag your feet in the saned when you're walking.

I've seen rays from about a few inches across to about a foot and a half.....the big ones many years ago on sandy beach.

Edit: My daughter and I have been out at Cholla Bay halfway across, walking around looking for sand dollars....occasionally had one scurry out with just about every step (shuffle) I took. Fortunately, we have never been hit in many years of doing this.

You can purchase a pair stingray boots, for about 100 bucks from Cabelas, product # "830359".

I've known a number of folks who've been hit (one several times) and they do not go in the ocean anymore without wearing these boots (including my buddies petite 120# wife). The boots are every bit as "big clunky" as they look. My buddy (whos' been hit several times) dawned his boots on went on a "stingray stomp" :lol: with no injuries to him or the rays!

BTW, he was shuffling his feet on both occasions, and the second occasion he definitely was, because once you've been hit, you'll never forget!

Been shuffling as well, and have felt the slippery membrane beneath my feet several times. :shock:

Which beach are they more prevalent on-rocky (Mirador) or sandy? I have yet to see one in 10 years.

beachgirl said:

I have yet to see one in 10 years.

It's the one's you can't see that you should be worried about! :shock: :shock:

My experience is that they are more prevalent on sandy beaches, but don't discount them being around the Mirador, either. As Don mentioned above, doing the "stingray shuffle" is your best protection.

This is one case where size doesn't matter. The little ones are probably more apt to get you than the big ones. In close to 30 years of going to Mexico, I've been hit twice. Oddly enough, both times in the left-hand. Once while unhooking a small stingray I caught while fishing. I thought I was holding him so that he couldn't get me. Wrong. Got me right in the tip of the middle finger and it swelled up like a bratwurst. First order of business now whenever we catch a stingray is drag it on the beach, take the pliers and cut off the barb before trying to unhook it. Second time was while snorkeling. I had just started swimming and barely brushed across one (that I didn't see) buried in the sand. Startled him and he got me right in the center of the hand. Even with heavy leather gloves on.

That's the whole key to the stingray shuffle. If you make enough commotion shuffling your feet, they know you are coming and will simply glide out of the way. They are not aggressive. I've had them swimming over my feet while standing in one place and surf fishing at La Pinta. It's when they are startled that they react by whipping their tail and barb for protection.

Here's a little fella we caught at the Caballo (over 3 ft. wide):

How about something like this would it afford protection?:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com/EDGE_6_5mm_Deluxe_Boot_p/bt_3064-dps.htm

I too felt a slippery membrane the other day- I was swimming, then stood up. EEK! I guess my other question is, has anyone's dog ever been hit? Our boy goes in every day.

I've got a pair of heavy duty dive booties, great for protecting feet from cora. and they're heavier than these: http://www.dolphinscuba.com/EDGE_6_5mm_Deluxe_Boot_p/bt_3064-dps.htm.

But the boots from Hodgman are much heavier and denser than dive booties. As Stuart can attest those barbs are incredibly sharp.

Like Stu said, we've seen rays in rocky areas (there's bound to be sand within the rocks) but the sandy beaches (Playa Encanto) its common to see several to a couple of dozen rays per day.

BTW, the boots are on sale for 80 bucks at cabelas.

Stu, I've heard rays can be quite good, and quite often passed along as scallops. Did you try it?

Tammy and I had a shore lunch out of stingray at San Carlos one time. We made tacos with it and it was great.
If you make enough commotion or they see you, stingrays will generally try to avoid you.

I have seen, on some of the TV fishing shows, fishermen wearing farm type irrigator boots. I am not sure these would be strong enough. You can get these for about $ 15.00 bucks.

The booties in the link are similar to what I wear wade fishing. Unless you are wearing hardened armor type boots over ankle nothing will provide total protection. That said, any material the barb has to pass through will lessen the impact of even a direct hit. It is the junk on the barb that creates the owie so if some gets rubbed off less owie. Also even thin neoprene will deflect a glancing blow so no harm no foul. I have taken a very direct hit on a bare foot and I can testify that it is not fun. I do not take one step into that sea without foot protection, and I ALWAYS do the Cortez shuffle! I haven't been hit in 20 years and I spend thousands of hours wading around every year. I concur that the rays can be found everywhere in the upper Sea of Cortez preferring sandy bottoms.

In the event you do get hit, soak the wound in the hottest water you can stand and apply massive internal dosage of tequila.

I use Adolph's meat tenderizer on the wound and Bacardi Anejo as internal medicine. Works for me!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

In Cholla Bay I had a ray stab through the top part of my foot and the barb came out the side. Foot swelled like it had softball under the skin-pretty nasty.
How thick of a boot can the barb go through?

Here's a picture of the boots my friends wear. Since wearing these, they no longer shuffle. They have felt "little tics" as rays lashed their tails at them. BTW, he does alot of night surf fishing and he wont go in the water without them. I've just placed an order a pair in anticipation and preparation for a nine day trip, and the "2009 Great Corvina" hunt.



As you can see, there are multiple layers of rubber and my friend and wife swear by them. I had a pair last year, but I ordered the wrong size and returned them. They are well constructed and will last a long long time.

don said:

Here's a picture of the boots my friends wear. Since wearing these, they no longer shuffle. They have felt "little tics" as rays lashed their tails at them. BTW, he does alot of night surf fishing and he wont go in the water without them. I've just placed an order a pair in anticipation and preparation for a nine day trip, and the "2009 Great Corvina" hunt.



As you can see, there are multiple layers of rubber and my friend and wife swear by them. I had a pair last year, but I ordered the wrong size and returned them. They are well constructed and should last a long long time.

My friends have used there's heavily for 3 years and they still look new.

where and how to buy?

"You can purchase a pair stingray boots, for about 100 bucks from Cabelas, product # 830359". These are on sale for 80 bucks through the cabelas website. Only place I've found them.

I just love Cabelas! I'm such a hill-billy that I went on a date there once. It was great! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

don said:

"You can purchase a pair stingray boots, for about 100 bucks from Cabelas, product # 830359". These are on sale for 80 bucks through the cabelas website. Only place I've found them.

Get a pair Chari :sunny: , you'd look great stomping around in the shallows with them on :P , and between you and Don :boat: the whole area would be safe. 8-) and driving around PP in your Jeep with them on, would drive the local boy's wild.. :D

Kenny

Last time I was Hit it was low tide in front of the mormon houses in Las Conchas, ray must have been 6 feet wide, well it felt like it tried everything
windex, pee, pan birote, hydrocrodone, Mezcal, Ended up at the red cross,
Got hit about 1 pm ended up at the red cross 3:30 pm asked me why I took so long, anyway they gave me a shot and I will never forget the red cross, asked them what time they close so I could come back, gave me a scipt. Showed up the next day with an upset stomach.

playaperro said:

Last time I was Hit it was low tide in front of the mormon houses in Las Conchas, ray must have been 6 feet wide, well it felt like it tried everything
windex, pee, pan birote, hydrocrodone, Mezcal, Ended up at the red cross,
Got hit about 1 pm ended up at the red cross 3:30 pm asked me why I took so long, anyway they gave me a shot and I will never forget the red cross, asked them what time they close so I could come back, gave me a scipt. Showed up the next day with an upset stomach.

Well it sounds like you could have the record for the biggest one stepped on out of this bunch, maybe we should call you BIGFOOT. :mrgreen: from now on. :D
I remember when I was a kid at Cholla bay, there was so many of them then, that I would chase and spear em as the tide went out, both guitar and ray's.

My favorite thing to do is stand in one place as the tide comes in at La Pinta, and when the crabs start tickling my toes :o set a new standing broad-jump record, again. :D

Ha Ha Kenny,
I can barely work the pedals with my size 10's as it is. Drive the local boys wild? I can hear them laughing hysterically now! Gringa loca! Hitting the brake and the clutch at the same time......... :mrgreen:

Playaperro,
Pan Birote????? Is that a joke or are you referring to everything but the kichen sink? :lol: :lol: :lol: I'm telling ya, Adolph's meat tenderizer on the outside and Ron Bacardi Anejo on the inside will fix it!

We have never been hit by a ray......but we are usually there in Feb and July. So I'm not sure if they are active during thoes times of the year. We are headed down the last week of May. Any known issues. I usually worry about the jellyfish.

Years ago, was camping at Playa Bonita with some friends....they were told about the "shuffle"...the guy was just stomping around at the surf line in tennis shoes...got hit by one....tore right thru the tennis shoe (a nice 2 inch tear) and hit his big toe...he nursed it the whole weekend...had his wife tending to his every need all weekend :roll: :twisted: :lol:

Another trip a couple college age guys with a girl were bobbing out in deeper water....the girl must have come down on one....got hit bad...bleeding, screaming etc....the guys just kept pouring tequila down her throat until she stopped screaming!!!

These might work for me: http://easycart.net/AccurateGeneralStore/Stingray_Guards.html

I run in water shoulder-deep, so maybe these with water shoes.

String rays congregate in large numbers in sheltered areas with sandy bottoms, such as along Sandy Beach. If one is swimming in these areas, and settles down with a foot to the sand, the probability is high that the foot will come on top of a sting ray, which will react by whipping its tail to inflict a painful wound into the offender. If you must swim in these areas, never come directly down with your feet, but shuffle your feet through the sand. The sting rays will sense you and swim away.

Wading is the most popular form of coast fishing in Texas. We ALL do the Texas Shuffle!
Saw a kid run into the surf and get hit on the 2nd step - screamed bloody murder for a half-hour (must have taken that long for the tequila to do its work!). Populated beaches have the fewest rays... they don't want to get stepped on. We used 'em for shark bait and found more of them in back-bay areas and places where tourist don't go walking around.
The last time I fished the Texas coast (March '12) they were telling everyone to soak the wound in hot water - I suppose to keep the swelling down. Hot water and tequila, tasty!

So what is the best protection to keep from getting stung....some type of boots?

Johnny said:

So what is the best protection to keep from getting stung....some type of boots?

Instead of taking steps in the water as you move just shuffle your feet without lifting them. They sense the movement and get out of your way.

Someone once suggested these:
Cabela's: Whitewater Snakeproof Gaiters

Now if you can just find a way to make them look cool at the beach.

Johnny said:

So what is the best protection to keep from getting stung....some type of boots?

Obviously you didnt read the 2 and a half pages that preceded your question! SMH

I shuffle, I stomp, slap the water, but sometimes depending on where I'm at and what time of year it is, I don't even think about it. I've never been hit, and no one I've been with has either. Now if you're at the north end of La Pinta in the springtime, don't even think about walking out on the flats without making a ruckus. In areas like that their thick in the springtime because they come in to spawn at that time of year. Now you might think their not in rocky area's, but you'd be wrong.:o... Now I might or might not wear sandals or sneakers, but that would be because of sharp shells that are in some areas, not for protection from ray's.

So let me see if I got this right now. There are sting rays close to the beach? They have a painful sting? You should not 'walk' rather 'shuffle' when you walk into the sea? There are booties that offer some protection? You can buy them at Cabellas? Lady Jeeper went on a date ther one time? People often do not bother to read but just ask questions? Kenny's fish scarin outfit keep the rays away?

Roberto said:

So let me see if I got this right now. There are sting rays close to the beach? They have a painful sting? You should not 'walk' rather 'shuffle' when you walk into the sea? There are booties that offer some protection? You can buy them at Cabellas? Lady Jeeper went on a date ther one time? People often do not bother to read but just ask questions? Kenny's fish scarin outfit keep the rays away?

I think we need that picture of the fish scarin outfit to reference so Johnny doesnt have anymore questions. The fish scarin outfit works so well it even repels the cartel! The only downside is that it seems to attract La Policia and Mordida. Might be the price you have to pay to stay stylish and barb free out there in the knee high water. Can we dig up that picture for Johnny? Im sure Dog has it archived somewhere.

Caught this guy out back JJ's with a shinny kastmaster using barracuda as bait, you can see joe anacleto co-owner of jj's trying to lay claim to it!

playaperro said:

Caught this guy out back JJ's with a shinny kastmaster using barracuda as bait, you can see joe anacleto co-owner of jj's trying to lay claim to it!

I call that the handy dandy, kastmaster with a cuda on a 4oz splitshot. That's got to be the biggest shore fish I have ever seen! Did you win the ~~~CULERO~~~ class in the Cholla Bay Derby?