It was just a couple of mornings ago that I saw the first cownose ray of the season caught in the Bay Head surf. It was my turn to engage in a long battle today. Actually, I was happy to get any action this morning as some weed was back, the southeast wind had flags whipping, and the surf was rough. The only positive was the lack of a swell which made it possible to cast metal and work it a bit before running into the weed. I quickly hooked a ray that almost stripped my relatively light surf outfit, and I was cupping the spool to add pressure when the hook pulled. After a hickory shad jumped off and a few hits were missed, I released a shad. Walking south produced another blind hit that I knew immediately was another cownose. I stopped it from stripping the reel, and got it close to the beach where I walked it to the north while waiting for a wave big enough to use for pulling it ashore.  It took several attempts and about 20 minutes to get the ray ashore, pull the Tsunami Slimwave metal out of its wing, and get it back in the water. Another angler on the beach estimated it at 40 pounds. Allen Riley of South Plainfield and his brother Ed from Edison did nothing Monday morning in the Monmouth Beach surf. They got into snappers right away, and used them for fluke bait with no takers. Then even the snappers backed off. Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park reports some little tunny were spotted Monday in the surf. There are loads of snappers in the park surf. Capt. Stan Zagleski said he had a good early drift that produced several limits on Elaine B. from Highlands. Tom Hollywood Sr. and Jr. from Staten Island both limited by 9:30.  Tony Status from Old Bridge took the pool at 4 7/8 pounds. Due to the forecast, Zagleski won't be shaping up Wednesday morning. The Canyon Runner fleet from Point Pleasant had a couple of big yellowfin tuna catches by daytime chunking in Lindenkohl Canyon after an unsuccessful trip to the White Marlin Open.