Fish guide
Stingrays (hazard)
Atlantic, southern, cownose and butterfly rays.
Cownose rays move through in big schools in summer; butterfly rays in the NJ surf. Not a target.
Showing the fish for Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA.
Season in Virginia Beach
Peak months: Jun, Jul, Aug.
Maryland DNR cownose ray timing (arrive at 61 F, leave from September); May 2026: cownose rays returning near the Sandbridge pier. Kiptopeke averages 65 F in May (NCEI). (Our inference)
Season by region
| Long Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| South Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Delmarva | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Virginia Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Outer Banks | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Southern NC | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Upper Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Middle Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Lower Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
Handling
- Venomous barbed tail spine
Shuffle your feet when wading. Never handle the tail. Cut the line as close as you can rather than trying to unhook a ray. A sting needs hot water and medical attention.
Keep or release
Release. Shuffle your feet when wading.
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
- Maryland DNR Fish Facts: Cownose Ray (Official source)
- FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 2026 (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, Ocean's East Bait and Tackle) (Angler knowledge)
- NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide: monthly average water temperatures, all stations (Official source)