Forums46
Topics537,006
Posts9,719,380
Members86,987
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
#7932687
08/12/20 03:10 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152
Jeff in TX
OP
Woodsman
|
OP
Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152 |
Yeah, I know there's no fishing topic on our website.
This morning I was driving around my stock tank and I swear I saw an 8" stingray glide off the pond weeds by the bank into the depths of the pond. It wasn't a bass or catfish. As I said it was 8" wide and looked like the ones I see diving only much smaller. I'm going back down this evening again to walk around and see what I see. I do have fresh water clams in the stock tank. My local game biologist was blown away when he saw them. He said they must have come in on one of the cranes that frequent the stock tank in the fall.
Any thoughts? I have no idea what to think. My stock tank has zero access to any water ways, it's fed by a 1/2 mile long fill line that gets water runoff from the bar ditch during heavy rains.
I'm going back down this evening and walk around and see if I can find it again and get a picture.
Distance is not an issue, but the wind can make it interesting!
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932710
08/12/20 03:31 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,306
DLALLDER
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,306 |
Maybe a softshell turtle?
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932711
08/12/20 03:31 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,788
dogcatcher
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,788 |
Exotic Fish Tank.
Combat Infantryman, the ultimate hunter where the prey shoots back. _____________"Illegitimus non carborundum est"_______________
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932713
08/12/20 03:34 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,532
fishdfly
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,532 |
Any thoughts?
Bud Light in the morning?
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932757
08/12/20 04:19 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,948
don k
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,948 |
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932778
08/12/20 04:53 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,655
colt45-90
Texas colt45
|
Texas colt45
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,655 |
keep us posted, never say never
hold on Newt, we got a runaway
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: fishdfly]
#7932788
08/12/20 05:00 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,560
garyrapp55
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,560 |
Any thoughts?
Bud Light in the morning? Wild Turkey and Folgers?
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932832
08/12/20 05:40 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,900
Sniper John
gumshoe
|
gumshoe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,900 |
Probably a softshell turtle, but I did used to see freshwater stingrays in aquarium pet shops. They are illegal to own in Texas now. TPWD does not want them to end up released and reproducing as has already happened with the Plecostomus catfish.
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7932905
08/12/20 06:48 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 479
Hunter Daddy
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 479 |
Definitely a soft shell turtle. How would a fresh water stingray "glide" off the reeds, out of water, back into the stock tank? A softshell turtle is gonna be grey or tan in color, round and be in reeds to feed.
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Hunter Daddy]
#7933009
08/12/20 08:15 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152
Jeff in TX
OP
Woodsman
|
OP
Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152 |
Definitely a soft shell turtle. How would a fresh water stingray "glide" off the reeds, out of water, back into the stock tank? A softshell turtle is gonna be grey or tan in color, round and be in reeds to feed. It was actually underwater on top of the submerged pond weeds. I'm thinking it's probably a turtle. However, it looked just like a ray moving off, though I didn't see the head. Hopefully have a pic this evening.
Distance is not an issue, but the wind can make it interesting!
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7933062
08/12/20 08:51 PM
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,218
Double Naught Spy
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,218 |
If you did see one, it is NOT indigenous and you need to kill it.
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7933208
08/12/20 10:30 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152
Jeff in TX
OP
Woodsman
|
OP
Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 152 |
Well the mystery is solved. I snuck down to the corner of the pond and sure enough it was a pointy mouth turtle with a large roundish flat shell. It saw me and eased down through the submersed pond weeds out of sight. I can see why I thought it might have been a ray not seeing the head and watching it slowly disappear.
Thanks guys I can tell my wife I'm sane, though she won't believe me!
Distance is not an issue, but the wind can make it interesting!
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7933274
08/12/20 11:26 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
|
Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Freshwater stingrays tend to be quite large...
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: stxranchman]
#7933359
08/13/20 12:22 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,560
garyrapp55
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,560 |
Freshwater stingrays tend to be quite large They gotta start off small though
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7941054
08/18/20 08:47 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,900
Sniper John
gumshoe
|
gumshoe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,900 |
I was fishing in my kayak next to the concrete ship in galveston bay once when I hooked a fish that drug me all over that half of the bay. I was using a whole mullet for bait. I think the reel was a 7000c so I had lots of heavy braid on it. After the initial runs it was just a slow chug like hooking onto the back of a slow moving truck. It was fight sometimes having tie my pole down so I could frantically paddle to catch up to get around channel markers so not to get my line cut on them. Eventually it tried to take me into the shipping lane. I had to cut my line. I so wish I could have just seen it, but I never could turn it or get it to come to the top. I fully believe it was a giant stingray.
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7941543
08/19/20 02:06 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,663
Txhunter65
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,663 |
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: garyrapp55]
#7941576
08/19/20 02:45 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,411
crash700
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,411 |
Any thoughts?
Bud Light in the morning? Wild Turkey and Folgers? Not exactly Irish coffee but not objectionable. Iām with the other guys, most likely a soft shell turtle.
Si Vis Pacem Parabellum
|
|
|
Re: A bit off topic, I saw a freshwater stingray in my stock tank
[Re: Jeff in TX]
#7941607
08/19/20 03:30 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 124
Retired and hunting
Woodsman
|
Woodsman
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 124 |
Me and Earl was fishin at the river one day an ol earl hung a goodun he reeled it right up close and heaved it up over the steep bank,time we made up the bank that dang thing had took off across the horse pasture headed for a gum tree,we took off after it and the durn thing went up the tree,well ol earl wasn't about to lose it so he climbed up after it and right fore he got to it...yep it flew off š
Don't know where I'm goin but I'm makin good time
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|