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    Posted: 03 May 2015 at 9:14am
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I just found this very interesting info on eagle rays' feeding behaviours. It seems to suggest that the deep holes I've been seeing on flats are ray holes, not snapper holes:

Malcolm adds that “in a lot of the northern harbours, where there’s a large area of sand flats, you can see at low tide that they’ve excavated pits that are about 30 cm across. And that they do that by taking in water from the top of their head, through little holes called spiracles at are behind the eyes, and they jet that out through the gills that are on the underside of the body. And that just creates a water flow that winnows away the sand, and exposes any shellfish or other invertebrates that are sitting in the mud.”

Here's the full article (down the bottom of the page).

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2015 at 10:10am
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Yeah Tom, I don't consider any of the large holes on flats to be made by anything other than rays. Rays have to get their whole face into digging a hole so leave a fairly distinctive cavity.
Scattered around though are a lot of smaller holes, often with one side having a pronounced sharp edge. I consider these to be made by fin fish of some sort (ie not elasmobranchs). These holes are no bigger than a couple of coffee mugs in size.
 
What makes these holes is total guesswork though. First you have to find your tailing snapper... then chase it away... then examine the hole it left behind Smile
 
Goatfish, trevally and porae all make holes. I'm fairly sure snapper do too, but we need firmer evidence.
 
Great fun studying the sand and trying to figure out what went on on the last high tide though.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Millsy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2015 at 10:30am
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Pretty cool to watch them doing it to. You can usually tell because all the silt they plow out is laid out in a nice pattern in a direction down current from the hole. 

I've seen trevs making holes at night, looking for shellfish. I guess they see the tongue coming out. 

Speaking of night, I've been trying some Umpqua black booby flies with lumo eyes at night. I'll write a bit more on this at some other time because it is a whole other world out there at night. Litterally another world, surprised more people aren't doing it. Very relaxing way of spending a calm night and very productive. Just remember not to wade, the fish are closer than you would think.

I was out this morning at 3am but there was too much cloud cover for predator action.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Weemandan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2015 at 1:10am
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Nice moonlit night tonight, should be good!! I have done really well in the past bait fishing off rocks before I discovered salt fly, ...... Would LOVE to hear how you go.

I have gone for a walk on the flats a few times with a torch or flounder light, the amount of fish activity is AMAZING.... Tonnes of goatfish around Orewa here, and lots and lots of eagle Rays.......
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FISHBYFLY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2015 at 5:32pm
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Ive always wondered if Kings frequent that estuary above the bridge Dan,
I wonder?
By Fly, Nothing Else,Just Fly
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Weemandan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2015 at 10:07am
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There were a couple of small ones seen this year between the rock wall and the bridge, loads of kahawai get up there so I don't see why not.
I have talked to people who used to live there looking over the estuary and that had, on occasions, seen bust ups that sounded like kings chasing bait.
I have kept an eye on it, I think it happens but not frequently enough to spend a lot of time on it for me, other place seem to have kings more frequently I think....

There are HEAPS of eels up there, don't know if that means anything....
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