# New to area. How far up Escambia Bay can you find stingrays?



## Navy-Girl (Aug 6, 2018)

I'm new to the area and living in Pace and looking to catch or gig some rays for shark bait. It's an hour drive each way for me to Pensacola Beach. Are there any rays in Escambia Bay? How far up can you regularly find them? Any particular section of shoreline I should try? I'm pretty close to the Hwy90 bridge. Don't have much free time and trying to make the best of it. Thanks.


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## azevedo16 (Aug 18, 2010)

It's been a month or something but there were plenty to be seen around Floridatown


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm guessing that it would depend on the rain amounts. Lower rain totals means brackish water further up into the river. Means rays further up stream.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Caught em at Jims Fish camp on Hwy 90 before...


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## Navy-Girl (Aug 6, 2018)

Thanks for all the advice. Tried some cutbait from my kayak near Floridatown boat ramp during incoming tide and no rays, just a few nasty hardheads. 



Went down to beach on Wednesday near Portofino condos, around 7pm, with two rays I purchased at a local bait shop. Right after sunset the biggest, blackest mosquitoes I've ever seen came out of nowhere. I probably had 7+ at a time on each limb, let alone my torso. I've got over 50+ bumps now on each leg and arm and my back is a mess, way too many bumps to count there. 



I've been bitten up on northeast and Virginia beaches before, but this was the worst experience of my life, bar none.


The friend that was with me refuses to accompany me again, although I'm not sure I'd be willing to go myself.



Is this a normal occurrence around here in the summer?


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## yukondog (Feb 12, 2013)

Welcome to Florida, some years are worse than others but this is about normal.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Once you can use the search function, there are some posts I recall seeing about mosquito and other insect repellents people have used that really work. There is a reason it's so important.

I moved here from North Carolina 2 years ago, and lived in Charleston, SC for 7 years, Norfolk, VA for 3 years... and the skeeters here are some serious business compared to what I was used to. 

Last October and November I saw quite a few rays up in East Bay toward the river mouth... I'd be willing to be you could find them in upper Escambia Bay, but the hard part is actually targeting them. I am not knowledgeable about that. 

Welcome to the panhandle!


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