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 Massachusetts North Shore and Boston Harbor, MA.
Season in North Shore MA
Maine DMR little skate pattern for the Gulf of Maine. MA DMF striper tips: a float on the bait rig keeps bait away from crabs and skates, so skates are a common bottom bycatch. (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).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- Maine DMR species sheet: Little Skate (Official source)
- MA DMF: Learn about striped bass (Official source)
- Bigelow and Schroeder, Fishes of the Gulf of Maine (online text): little skate (Official source)