Inshore anglers have been catching a lot of cobia the past few weeks. While some are young fish, there have been enough trophies to keep things interesting.
Fishing for cobia is not as easy as it might seem because its method of feeding makes it somewhat difficult prey. However, if you know what to look for and where to find the fish, catching a cobia is within reach.
Cobia are ambush predators that feed on schools of menhaden and mullet in the nearshore. They also eat squid, small blue crabs and shrimp when they can find them.
Because their food source is unpredictable in both location and appearance, cobia must be totally committed to their pursuit to catch anything.
They can be very easy to approach, but if they are not ready to feed, you will never get a bite. That's why it is so important to locate their food and find out when they come in close to the surface.
Once you find them and determine when they're feeding, it is time to target them. Cobia are mostly solitary predators, but they can occasionally be caught in groups of four or five fish. The best way to catch one is to find a single cobia that is stirring up the water with its pectoral fins as it feeds on mullet or menhaden schools. Work this fish until it gets good and committed, then put your boat right on top of it.
If you can get close enough to cast into the fish, go ahead and make a cast even if the fish is 10 feet away — you never know what might happen. If this doesn't work, slowly creep up behind the cobia until you are within casting range and try again. If it is an angler fishing from the beach, get as close to the fish as you possibly can.
If you are too far away or cannot get directly behind it, try casting ahead of the descending cobia so your offering gets down to it before it reaches the bottom. A berley trail of menhaden guts on a small hook will draw cobia in from a good distance away.
Once the fish is on the hook, you will feel it on your line immediately and can set the hook hard to gain control of it. It is best to use an 8/0-9/0 circle hook — just put it right through its mouth and let the fish run with it until it stops. Even the biggest cobia will not hurt you if you let it run.
Once you gain control of the fish, bring it into your boat as quickly as possible by reeling in line while bumping up on the fish with your engine. Cobia are very strong swimmers and can make big runs when they first feel pressure on their line.
If the fish is really big, get it up to your boat quickly by using heavy tackle. Your goal is to get the fish in the boat as fast as possible, even if you have to use an 8/0 reel or 130-pound-test line on a medium rod. This will ensure that you do not lose this trophy when it runs again.
After the fish is in your boat, be sure to take some quick photos with it before you begin working on getting the hook out of its mouth. Photos are great souvenirs, but make sure they are sufficient for identification purposes because there will probably be people asking you about them later.
Be careful when removing hooks from your fingers because they can give you a nasty bite. If it is necessary to pull the hook out with pliers, be careful not to squeeze too hard and break the hook off inside of its mouth or you will have problems getting it off later.
Finally, take some photos that show the length and girth of your trophy before releasing it back into the water. Without this documentation, you may never be able to prove that it was as big as you say.
Cobia are fun and challenging fish to catch because their feeding habits make them unpredictable and difficult to target. However, if you know what they're looking for and where to find them, catching one or two is not out of the question.
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