Fish guide
Skates (non-target)
Little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) and other skates. Also called Skate.
The clearnose skate is the common one; it takes almost any bottom bait.
Showing the fish for Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA.
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 VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before you keep a fish.
Sources
- FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 2025 (Angler knowledge)
- Bigelow and Schroeder, Fishes of the Gulf of Maine (online text): little skate (Official source)