Weird Fish on Whitburn Beach

[Charlie_Thompson]

Sat day dreaming at the bottom of the tide and heard a strange splashing in the surf right at the waters edge, I looked towards where the sound came from but didn't see anything and just thought it was an unusual combination of wind and tide making it, it continued for a bit. My mate was off to my right and a bit closer. Suddenly he took off and started grappling with something in the water, I thought it might have been the fish he lost earlier but as I got closer realised it was something entirely different, it was silvery dark grey from a distance so thought Bass. Oh no it wasn't. I've just had a shufty on web and have definetly identified it also got some video footage I've just shot at home but can't find my firewire cable to get it on the PC. Also witnessed by another angler.



It's an Atlantic Pomfret or Rays Bream - I'm guessing it's rare round these parts, how rare I don't know, it was about 18" long and still alive but was on its last legs and probably wouldn't have gone back.

Mental

Alan if it's worth a story get in touch quick as my pal's probably eaten it

[Tadpoleman]

Yes Ell its a rays Bream !! You get them beaching themselves this time of year ..one of the lads had one do the same to him last season !They are banned from all big shore comps (see the small print )
I think many years back someone tried to weigh a lot of them in a comp ..hence NO RAYS BREAM !!! con be weighed in but i may be wrong

[yorkio]

One of these showed up at Holderness a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, they're on their way to Norway...

[Charlton]

many years ago you could spend a lot of time at this time of year, putting the things back in the water, they seem to be coming more frequent again.
Charlie there is enough detail on here to give it a mention. You could email me a pic

ps hope he enjoyed it

[northeast1]

So does anyone know why they beach themselfs?

[Charlie_Thompson]

Thanks for the info, we thought it was Breamy but the closeness of its eye to mouth and deeply forked tail threw us a bit. I'll try to sort out a pic Alan but it'll not be up to much, kitchen bench job and the stills from the video will be a bit ropey!

The first lines of one of its descriptions I found said - "Found in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific" whoa I thinks then read on "..and Atlantic"

Still a very strange thing to happen

[gazzawill]

they beach themselves cause they watch newcastle football matches and get depressed lmao

[Red5]

Lol Gazzawill

[ray]

just aswell it wasnt watching sunderland or it would have flapped up to morrisons and bought itself a washing line