Saltwater · Year-round; most numerous in warm shallows May to October

Round Stingray

Urobatis halleri

The small, truly round stingray of Southern California surf and bays — famous at Seal Beach, nicknamed 'Ray Bay' for its numbers. It causes most stingray injuries in Southern California because bathers and waders step on buried fish. Shuffle your feet when wading (the stingray shuffle), and if stung use hot water and seek care. Most catches are released unharmed.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Round Stingray — Photo: Coughdrop12, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Almost perfectly round disc with no pointed snout — the key mark
Plain brown, grey or mottled back with no big spots or patterns
Short tail, about as long as the disc, with one serrated stinging spine midway
Small size: most are under 12 in (30 cm) across
Tail has a small fin fold but no long whip-like tip

Habits

Buries in sand and mud in shallow water, leaving only eyes and spiracles showing
Waders: always do the stingray shuffle — slide your feet, never step down, so rays flee instead of stinging
The spine is defensive: a sting means hot water about 110-115°F (43-46°C) for 30-90 minutes and medical care if pain spreads
Feeds on worms, shrimp, small crabs, clams and small fish dug from the sand
Crowds into warm shallow bays in summer; females give live birth in late summer

Distribution

San Diego, CA · California★ Primary

San Francisco, CA · CaliforniaCommon

Where to find them

Seal Beach and other Southern California sandy beaches ('Ray Bay')
Southern California bay and harbour sand flats
Warm surf troughs along Southern California beaches

Where they live

Sandy surf zone and shallow beachesBays, harbours and estuary mouths over sand and mudShallow sandy flats where it buries itself

How to catch them

Small baits in surf and bays (an encounter, released) Shore

Rig: Light to medium surf rod, small bottom rig with size 2-1/0 hook and shrimp or squid fished on sand — most round rays are incidental catches

Bait/lure: Shrimp pieces, squid strips

Key tip: Keep the ray in the water, stay clear of the tail spine, and release it quickly; cut the leader if dehooking is not safe.

Pier fishing over sand Shore

Rig: Medium rod, bottom rig with small baits fished from piers over sand and mud in bays

Bait/lure: Sand crab, small cut bait

Key tip: Expect rays among pier catches in summer; land them in a net, never by the tail, and shuffle your feet if you wade nearby.

Best baits & lures

Small shrimp piecesSquid stripsSand crab and small cut bait

Techniques for Round Stingray →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light to medium 7-9 ft surf or pier rod
Line: 10-15 lb mono
Terminal: Size 2-1/0 hooks, small bottom rigs, 1-2 oz sinkers

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 8-12 in (20-30 cm) across; large to about 22 in (56 cm) across

On the table

Poor — small and not a food target; almost always released unharmed.

Similar species

Bat RayBat ray is far larger with a raised, blunt head, pointed wing tips and a long whip tail; round stingray is small, flat and almost perfectly round

Atlantic StingrayAtlantic stingray (Atlantic/Gulf coasts) has a pointed, protruding snout and a long tail with fin folds; round stingray is a Pacific fish with a rounded snout and short tail

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

Plan a trip for Round Stingray

Build today's plan