Fish guide
Skates (non-target)
Little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) and other skates. Also called Skate.
Takes baited hooks readily, especially bass baits on the bottom. Listed so you can identify it. Not a target.
Showing the fish for Long Island, NY.
Season in Long Island
Bigelow and Schroeder (little skate): in Long Island Sound they are inshore in spring, offshore in mid or late summer, inshore again in late autumn and offshore again in midwinter; they take a baited hook readily. NY Sea Grant notes skates and crabs eat striped bass baits left on the bottom. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Long Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Maine | JFMAMJJASOND |
| New Hampshire | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Shore MA | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Any sandy bottom from the surf to the bays, on bottom baits.
Bottom.
Handling
- Rough, thorny skin
Unhook with pliers or cut the line close to the hook and slide it back into the water.
Keep or release
Release.
Typical: 16 to 20 in. Large: 21 in (largest recorded little skate).
New York (marine waters) limits
No state limit entry.
Last checked 2026-10-17. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. New York State DEC fishing regulations.
Sources
- Bigelow and Schroeder, Fishes of the Gulf of Maine (online text): little skate (Official source)
- New York Sea Grant fish profile: Striped Bass (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)