help with Cobia

[spareparts]

We saw them, they followed the bait, we threw everything in the tackle box at them, but they never took a bite. We were using live menhaden today, there were at least 8 of them(cobia), the shortest was at least 30", the biggest was at least 48". My buddy found them yesterday and tried everything he had, we thought live bait would be the ticket. The only bite we had was an amberjack(20 +) that hit the only croaker we had. Weve heard all about the sand eels, but there are none around here. Any one have any ideas?

[THEFERMANATOR]

I've heard that a large rubber eal works when nothing else does.

[spareparts]

they tried one yesterday, i wasn't with them, so I don't know how hard they worked at it, any one got any other ideas?

[Skools Out]

cobia love live fiddler Crabs you know the little guys you find on the inlets islands and in the marsh grass. you have to watch the sheeps heads thought as they love them too. they like live shrimp but love the little crabs

[phatdaddy]

around here, they use a large bucktail jig. go to google images and type in cobia jig. to sweeten it, put a whole squid(dead) on the hook , or a large plastic grub with a curly tail. i've also heard that when you get their attention, reel it and try to keep it away from them. it makes em mad and they attack it harder.

[fishingwithblue]

Live line or float a live blue crab.... South Carolina just had its cobia record broken with a 92 pounder. It had 11 large blue crabs in its belly. I always carry one or two if the jigs dont work......tarpon will kill a live blue crab too.

[Blue_Runner]

I've heard similar frustrations but never witnessed many cobia beside the boat. I heard the faster you reel the better because they react to the bait trying to "get away" and it supposedly drives em nuts. But like I said I can't offer any advice from experience.

Like Phat said bucktail jigs similar to the striper jigs are what a lot of people use.

[Blue_Runner]

p.s. they can apparently hit a bait that is running pretty fast becuase I've heard of people getting them trolling. Last memorial day my buddy caught one while trolling dolphin about 36". I know they are fast because I've seen them come to the boat and take off like a rocket!

[cterrebonne]

the most consistent way i have caught them was with a live croaker free lined ona 20-25 lb fluro leader with a black j hook. Basically the same way we go after mangrove snapper. A heafty spinning outfit does the job great.

[tsubaki]

I have not ever landed, fished for them, hooked or even knowingly been in the presence of one of them! They are on the top of the list of wanting to put one in the boat!
I've got a bunch of armchair quarterback material on them.
They are finicky, love live bait, will hit even a piece of marsh grass.
Favorite eats (all live), Eel, Mullet, Blue Crab, Prawn, live fish.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I've caught a few of em myself, and they are a FUN FIGHT! Just when you think he's wooped, he takes off again, and again, and again. The most consisyent method I have used has been while fishing structure. Cast out a live green back or herring upstream of a structure and let a swift tide carry it into the structure, most of the time they will nail it going into the current and haul A$$ into the current for there first run. Also be careful bringing them into the boat while there still green, they are one STRONG fish and can hurt you if your not careful. The biggest one I ever caught was about 90 pounds while fishing a wreck in 115 feet of water for grouper. Right at sunset he ate a whole sardine just as we were getting ready to pull the anchor. My dad caught one before that weighed in roughly 113 pounds which was 2 pounds shy of the florida record at that time. He also caught that one fishing on the bottom with a whole sardine for grouper, but was in 45 feet.

In TAMPA BAY they frequently come in there in the 30-75 pound range and hang around the channel markers when the green backs and herring are in.

[Blue_Runner]

Good info. I can get all the greenbacks I want with a sabiki rig where I fish. Grab some for chum, put some in the livewell and go find some structure. It is time. 113 lbs, what a slob.

[cterrebonne]

Good info. I can get all the greenbacks I want with a sabiki rig where I fish. Grab some for chum, put some in the livewell and go find some structure. It is time. 113 lbs, what a slob.

yeah i thought the 70lber we caught was pretty big.

[bradford]

Fella I know and his buddies caught 6 of them on fresh water eels at the Betsy Ross this past weekend.

[fishingwithblue]

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/856849.html

[Blue_Runner]

Wow look at those blue crabs!! That is awesome!

[whatknot]

Here's my technique.

After seeing countless live eels and menhaden thrown at surface cruising cobia, (bouncing around with 30 other boats) I tied on a 3oz. spro jig.
After a lot of trial and error, I discovered the trick is to pitch the jig traditionally off to the side of the cobia. When you know they are aware of the bait, drop it into free spool.
You lose site of the 3oz jig cause it drops, but the cobia follows it because prey would try to flee instead of burning right by their noses. Let it drop slowly about 10-20 feet (your line should still be at an angle) then engage the spool and bring the jig up close to the boat with short aggravating action. By this time they are so focused on the jig, that they don't realize they are right under the boat. You'll see them swallow it, FISH ON!

My rig was fishing sort of light tackle with a Shimano Calcutta 400 and Shimano Teramar 7ft Medium Heavy 15-25 lbs rod.
30 lbs braid main line to a spider hitch with a bristol knot making the connection to 5' of 60 lbs fluorocarbon leader.
A 3 Oz. Green and white Spro jig has the battlescars.....

I will say after 4 fish the rod tip was starting to look unhappy.

Thanks,
Tal
www.talwillis.com

[RABBITFISH]

Sorry I'm late with my reply, but I am catching up on my reading. Do you have hardhead catfish in your area? I was once shown by a commercial old timer, he caught hard head catfish, clipped the spines off and put a sharp hook in the back behind the dorsal and let them swim away down in the water. When I tried it, (I'll try anything) I caught about a dozen, put them in my livewell, ( I hope nobody see me) and went out to give it a shot......Set out four lines with hardhead catfish and let them drift out, within 10 minutes, all four lines were hooked up with cobia....big ones, 20 to 30 lbs averge, I couldn't believe it.... and while reeling them in, one came off the hook, as we reeled it in the cobia was following the catfish trying to eat him again... of course we didn't want to let him feel left out so we let him have it........Four at once!! Instant limits..........I'm now a believer..

:nice:
Tommy