recently i've been noticing cownose and round type sting rays in the wade gut while fishing. the cownose were no more than 24" wingspan and the round type (ray or skate not sure) was about 18-20". would you rig one of these live? whole and dead? or cut in half?
If you use it live you have to figure out a way to keep it from burying itself in the sand.
Just an average fisherman.
If you use it live you have to figure out a way to keep it from burying itself in the sand.
ill just add a float to it. 
me and jd fagan were fishing a bridge and we got a hold of a live skate and dropped it on the 9/0 and not 10 minutes later we were up and down the bridge fighting the fish, i had to climb up on the drawbridge control building to move the line off the fenders, ended up spitting hook. he cut the tail off and put a hook in the stub and floated him out on a balloon when it got nailed
Alive for sure! I just chop the tail off and leave a stump for the hook, then put a few knife slices on the under side of the wings to help them from sucking down on the bottom.
side note... sometimes a hiding live ray will keep the little sharks from picking at it but a big Hammer will find it no matter if its buried. Thats what that big T heads do right... scan the bottom with all the censors.
When Your Using A Ray You Dont Want It Interfearing With Other Anglers Lines So Make Sure You Give Others A Wide Berth Or Walk It Where It Swims 
2lb spider weights wont let um go far 
he will just fight and let alll the sharks know where its at 
ill use a breakaway rock or do my float rig. with a rock, 12lb mono as a breakaway attach 50ft of 50lb mono to the rock then the other end to a 5" float. I then attach the clip where the weight would go to the float and when it pulls tight the float is a few feet under the surface but with a 6ft leader dangling it keeps the bait off the bottom.
just thought i'd update... rays are a badass bait!
haven't used one live yet but med to large models cut in half and thirds nail them every time, even when bloody fish baits don't produce. also seems that the southern rays and thorn backs work better than cownose.
I am going to free line a small - med. size ray off the beach this week and see what happens.