12-26-2008, 07:08 PM
[font "Arial"][#000000][size 3][url "http://http://www.gaffmag.net/articles/sight_fishing_cobia_floridas_gentry_sport"]Link to original GAFF Magazine Article[/url][/size][/#000000][/font]
Sight Fishing Cobia: Florida's Gentry Sport
by Captain Si Nelson
![[Image: article_186_250.jpg]](http://www.gaffmag.net/images/articles/article_186_250.jpg)
We've all heard the cliche about other fish in the sea, Cobia, or lemon fish, or crab crunchers, or ling and all the other
-in-cheek pet names (some too crass to mention here) are all allusions to the journey-proud pelagic hailed by scientist as Rachycentron canadum.
Cobia is an internationally occurring species, and the last limb of its family tree. That is to say, they have no known relatives. They are a wanderlust stricken, dark, typically brown fish, with darker lateral lines that fade to a bright white belly. Their spindle shaped body can be up to six or more feet long and cruises through the water, propelled by a distinctive crescent shaped tail. These seemingly docile rogues can weigh up to 150-pounds and move with impressive speed when excited, thus making them a highly prized adversary in the game fishing world. Their diet of mollusk, crustaceans and fish gives them a championed spot on the table fare charts as well. In short, they are a fine eating, hard fighting fish that can be caught in all the warm waters of the world, but this list of fine adjectives isn't what makes the cobia so special.
As a general rule, cobia winter in the waters of south Florida, but spawn in the late spring and summer all throughout the Mississippi River delta. They make an annual trek from their wintering grounds to the big bend area of Florida, then run the beaches west. The offshore current in the Gulf of Mexico runs west to east, giving the cobias reason to hug the shoreline, as the shallower waters weaken the current's strength and lightens the effort needed for their journey. While cobia can be caught year round, this particular event has been coined as "Cobia Season."
Most anglers' interest in the cobia is queued by the thrill of the hunt; rather, the means eclipse the end. This is probably displayed best on none-other than the panhandle's Emerald Coast. Starting as early as late February and lasting as late as early June, cobia season on the Emerald Coast could almost be described as festive. Like dove season for the huntsmen, cobia season kicks off the fishing year for charter boat and recreational anglers alike. Enthusiast and experts of all types emerge and every bait shop, tackle store and back deck becomes the scene of a friendly banter fest, all discussing and debating and even sometimes arguing about the finer points of the art. In a group of three or more, there are sure to be varying opinions about every little detail, except two; the magical water temperature is 69-degrees Fahrenheit and when the azaleas start to bloom, cobia are on there way.
Just as the upland bird hunters have their favorite shotgun, perhaps a Browning Citori 12 gauge with custom etchings on the receiver depicting their favorite bird dog flushing prospective game, and their Stetson hats, matching their khaki outfits; the cobia fishermen have their own superfluous necessities. Sight fishing for cobia is indeed the gentry' sport of northwest Florida. Like the hunter's afore mentioned personalized firearm and favorite hunting dog, most every cobe seeker has at least one custom rod equipped with a reel chosen for a specific attribute, such as a manual bail or smooth drag. Some favorites are the Penn 706Z or Mitchell 302 because they're durable and simple, they're quick to cast and smooth to retrieve and a properly maintained drag system will yield great performance year after year, fish after fish. Although neither of these reels are in heavy circulation/production, they are still swapped and sold from time to time. While they do offer immense line capacity even with the 20-30 lb monofilament needed for cobia and rugged bodies that can take a good beating, the newer Penn and Shimano reels are just as good, if not better.
When choosing a rod, I personally like something in the 9-foot range with large wire guides that just feels right. "Just feels right" to me is, for obviously reasons, probably going to be different than the blank you pick out of the corner, but keep in mind you need enough flex and quickness in the action to load and launch a 3-ounce jig, 40- or 50-yards to a location no bigger than a hula hoop, but enough backbone to set a 7/0 hook into a cobia's tough mouth and change his direction when he's hell-bent on a rhinoceristic charge off into the deep. If you've never purchased a cobia rod before, it might be prudent to bring someone a little more seasoned to the tackle depot as a guide when choosing your blank. You should be ready to fork out anywhere from $50-175 for an unfinished blank and depending on your rod builder's ability and price list, another $100-150 on labor and materials. If you're not quite ready to spring for a custom job, you can find a perfectly affordable solution in the Offshore Angler Cobia Special, which Bass Pro Shops sells for about $100. Star Rods has a couple of blanks worth shaking, although I've never personally found one that felt "right." When it comes to rod builders, I like Ernie Cavitt of Cavitt's Custom Rods in Pensacola. He does good, sharp work and has worked with me in the past to expedite special orders, whereas most rod builders would just tell you to get in line and wait your turn.
As you can probably imagine, everyone has their theory on what will make the difference between sacking 'em up or returning to the dock with a big goose egg (aka. skunked, 0), but there are a few things that most anglers agree on. For instance, the more eyes in the boat the better. Since cobia are traditionally sight fished, it is advantageous to elevate your viewpoint (i.e. a tuna tower.) It doesn't take a professional to spot a cobia, especially on a clear day, but it definitely helps to know what you're looking for. I usually tell novices to look for anything that doesn't look normal. When the sun is high, from about 0900 to 1500, is prime time to go lookin'. The preferred method for seeking out cobia is to run parallel to the beach, cruising along inside or outside of the second sand bar and checking out every little thing that may seem out of the ordinary. Things like tide lines and weed lines are always an area of interest. A few things always worth a second and third look are schools of stingray and manta rays, even the occasional sturgeon. These larger animals cruise up and down the beaches in large schools, and in doing so, kick up a lot of sand and various marine life hiding in said sand. This makes an easy meal for a cobia, thus they are inclined to follow closely behind these gravy trains scouring everything that moves. Another interesting place to find an unsuspecting wad is on the underbelly of an ocean sunfish. These prehistoric behemoths tend to weigh around a half-ton and are sometimes referred to as headfish because they are nothing more than a giant head with a dorsal and caudal fin. They move inshore off the beaches of the gulf coast in the spring to feed on jellyfish and their large, flat bodies provide shade for baitfish and cobia.
Once one or more cobia are spotted, it is important to keep a level head, as this will be exciting, especially if it's your first time. Depending on where the fish is relative to the boat, I like to close the distance between the fish and my vessel, then reposition my vessel offshore of the swimmer and running parallel and in the same direction. I don't like to rush the cast or hassle the fish. In my ideal situation I can wait for the opportunity to present its self. This luxury isn't always present, as often the fish will dive or spook. If the fish dives to the bottom, known as sounding, don't panic. Simply keep in stride and wait for a resurfacing. Keep in mind that cobia are rovers by nature and the possibility of your fish resurfacing on the same track as it was on before is slim, but not unheard of. This is where "more eyes the better" comes in handy. Everyone aboard should be scanning the adjacent water looking for evidence of the allusive animal's presents.
Once the opportunity for a cast does present itself, take it. Take a breath and avoid the buck fever, then make a crisp cast out in front of the fish. I like to throw a cobia jig first, and if snubbed, follow that with a finbait or a whole squid. If all else fails, a live eel won't. Remember, play the wind and don't throw short. The idea is for him to see it with his outside eye and follow the jig towards the boat after it has crossed his path. A common mistake made here is setting the hook too soon. Cobia will often swim right over the top of your jig, concealing it with its chin. Wait until you feel the fish pull away with your jig before setting the hook, HARD. If your jig gets snubbed, recast and work the jig violently. Once the fish is in a curious pursuit, have another angler cast the live bait in the path of the excited cobia. Usually, the excitement from the jig will invoke a strike on the natural bait. This method is called the one-two punch.
Once you've set the hook, jack his jaw a good three or four times and then let the fish run. You don't want to be too gentle with these brutes, as they will take advantage of you in a hurry, but there is no real reason to get heavy handed.
When the fight is coming to a close, and the fish seems ready to be put on ice, make sure the fish's energy is truly spent. Have another crewmember tap the fish with the bend of the gaff, or the tip of a rod. Do this until the fish no longer makes blistering runs. All this is necessary because gaffing a green (energized) cobia is a great way to get hurt and break stuff. Cobia are large and strong with a row of about ten spines on their forehead. I'd suggest letting the fish cool his heels in the fish box for about 15 minutes before taking pictures. When a cobia gets loose in a boat, it can only be described as spastic and never good. In light of these words of warning, it is always a good idea to have the most experienced angler not on the rod to do the gaff job. A good gaff job, as most old salts will tell you, is an over the top shoulder shot, executed fluidly. Once the gaff hits home, the trip from the water to the box should be one smooth motion. It's a good idea to make sure no one stands in between the gaffer and the box during these few, critical seconds.
After a successful day of cobia fishing, it is always fun to head to a local marina and have your fished weighed on their official scale, hear the "oohs" and "awes" and take some more pictures. As for to cleanning your catch, make sure you have a good quality blade, with plenty of backbone and edge retention, as these studs have tough skin and thick bones. If you've never cleaned one before, you may ask someone who has to help you. They're quite literally a handful.
While so far, I've mostly spoken of cobia season along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida, these styles and tactics apply as well on the Atlantic coast, especially in the Cape Canaveral area. Of course, this is not the only way to catch a cobia. Some angles like to anchor up and put out a chum line, while others incidentally catch them while bottom fishing. But, like all gentry sports, there is a set way of doing things, then there is the way things are done, and in this, indeed lies all the fun.
Go Fishing Today,
Capt. Si
Call Ernie Cavetts of Cavett's Custom Rods in Pensacola Florida at (850) 375-2757
[signature]
Sight Fishing Cobia: Florida's Gentry Sport
by Captain Si Nelson
We've all heard the cliche about other fish in the sea, Cobia, or lemon fish, or crab crunchers, or ling and all the other
-in-cheek pet names (some too crass to mention here) are all allusions to the journey-proud pelagic hailed by scientist as Rachycentron canadum. Cobia is an internationally occurring species, and the last limb of its family tree. That is to say, they have no known relatives. They are a wanderlust stricken, dark, typically brown fish, with darker lateral lines that fade to a bright white belly. Their spindle shaped body can be up to six or more feet long and cruises through the water, propelled by a distinctive crescent shaped tail. These seemingly docile rogues can weigh up to 150-pounds and move with impressive speed when excited, thus making them a highly prized adversary in the game fishing world. Their diet of mollusk, crustaceans and fish gives them a championed spot on the table fare charts as well. In short, they are a fine eating, hard fighting fish that can be caught in all the warm waters of the world, but this list of fine adjectives isn't what makes the cobia so special.
As a general rule, cobia winter in the waters of south Florida, but spawn in the late spring and summer all throughout the Mississippi River delta. They make an annual trek from their wintering grounds to the big bend area of Florida, then run the beaches west. The offshore current in the Gulf of Mexico runs west to east, giving the cobias reason to hug the shoreline, as the shallower waters weaken the current's strength and lightens the effort needed for their journey. While cobia can be caught year round, this particular event has been coined as "Cobia Season."
Most anglers' interest in the cobia is queued by the thrill of the hunt; rather, the means eclipse the end. This is probably displayed best on none-other than the panhandle's Emerald Coast. Starting as early as late February and lasting as late as early June, cobia season on the Emerald Coast could almost be described as festive. Like dove season for the huntsmen, cobia season kicks off the fishing year for charter boat and recreational anglers alike. Enthusiast and experts of all types emerge and every bait shop, tackle store and back deck becomes the scene of a friendly banter fest, all discussing and debating and even sometimes arguing about the finer points of the art. In a group of three or more, there are sure to be varying opinions about every little detail, except two; the magical water temperature is 69-degrees Fahrenheit and when the azaleas start to bloom, cobia are on there way.
Just as the upland bird hunters have their favorite shotgun, perhaps a Browning Citori 12 gauge with custom etchings on the receiver depicting their favorite bird dog flushing prospective game, and their Stetson hats, matching their khaki outfits; the cobia fishermen have their own superfluous necessities. Sight fishing for cobia is indeed the gentry' sport of northwest Florida. Like the hunter's afore mentioned personalized firearm and favorite hunting dog, most every cobe seeker has at least one custom rod equipped with a reel chosen for a specific attribute, such as a manual bail or smooth drag. Some favorites are the Penn 706Z or Mitchell 302 because they're durable and simple, they're quick to cast and smooth to retrieve and a properly maintained drag system will yield great performance year after year, fish after fish. Although neither of these reels are in heavy circulation/production, they are still swapped and sold from time to time. While they do offer immense line capacity even with the 20-30 lb monofilament needed for cobia and rugged bodies that can take a good beating, the newer Penn and Shimano reels are just as good, if not better.
When choosing a rod, I personally like something in the 9-foot range with large wire guides that just feels right. "Just feels right" to me is, for obviously reasons, probably going to be different than the blank you pick out of the corner, but keep in mind you need enough flex and quickness in the action to load and launch a 3-ounce jig, 40- or 50-yards to a location no bigger than a hula hoop, but enough backbone to set a 7/0 hook into a cobia's tough mouth and change his direction when he's hell-bent on a rhinoceristic charge off into the deep. If you've never purchased a cobia rod before, it might be prudent to bring someone a little more seasoned to the tackle depot as a guide when choosing your blank. You should be ready to fork out anywhere from $50-175 for an unfinished blank and depending on your rod builder's ability and price list, another $100-150 on labor and materials. If you're not quite ready to spring for a custom job, you can find a perfectly affordable solution in the Offshore Angler Cobia Special, which Bass Pro Shops sells for about $100. Star Rods has a couple of blanks worth shaking, although I've never personally found one that felt "right." When it comes to rod builders, I like Ernie Cavitt of Cavitt's Custom Rods in Pensacola. He does good, sharp work and has worked with me in the past to expedite special orders, whereas most rod builders would just tell you to get in line and wait your turn.
As you can probably imagine, everyone has their theory on what will make the difference between sacking 'em up or returning to the dock with a big goose egg (aka. skunked, 0), but there are a few things that most anglers agree on. For instance, the more eyes in the boat the better. Since cobia are traditionally sight fished, it is advantageous to elevate your viewpoint (i.e. a tuna tower.) It doesn't take a professional to spot a cobia, especially on a clear day, but it definitely helps to know what you're looking for. I usually tell novices to look for anything that doesn't look normal. When the sun is high, from about 0900 to 1500, is prime time to go lookin'. The preferred method for seeking out cobia is to run parallel to the beach, cruising along inside or outside of the second sand bar and checking out every little thing that may seem out of the ordinary. Things like tide lines and weed lines are always an area of interest. A few things always worth a second and third look are schools of stingray and manta rays, even the occasional sturgeon. These larger animals cruise up and down the beaches in large schools, and in doing so, kick up a lot of sand and various marine life hiding in said sand. This makes an easy meal for a cobia, thus they are inclined to follow closely behind these gravy trains scouring everything that moves. Another interesting place to find an unsuspecting wad is on the underbelly of an ocean sunfish. These prehistoric behemoths tend to weigh around a half-ton and are sometimes referred to as headfish because they are nothing more than a giant head with a dorsal and caudal fin. They move inshore off the beaches of the gulf coast in the spring to feed on jellyfish and their large, flat bodies provide shade for baitfish and cobia.
Once one or more cobia are spotted, it is important to keep a level head, as this will be exciting, especially if it's your first time. Depending on where the fish is relative to the boat, I like to close the distance between the fish and my vessel, then reposition my vessel offshore of the swimmer and running parallel and in the same direction. I don't like to rush the cast or hassle the fish. In my ideal situation I can wait for the opportunity to present its self. This luxury isn't always present, as often the fish will dive or spook. If the fish dives to the bottom, known as sounding, don't panic. Simply keep in stride and wait for a resurfacing. Keep in mind that cobia are rovers by nature and the possibility of your fish resurfacing on the same track as it was on before is slim, but not unheard of. This is where "more eyes the better" comes in handy. Everyone aboard should be scanning the adjacent water looking for evidence of the allusive animal's presents.
Once the opportunity for a cast does present itself, take it. Take a breath and avoid the buck fever, then make a crisp cast out in front of the fish. I like to throw a cobia jig first, and if snubbed, follow that with a finbait or a whole squid. If all else fails, a live eel won't. Remember, play the wind and don't throw short. The idea is for him to see it with his outside eye and follow the jig towards the boat after it has crossed his path. A common mistake made here is setting the hook too soon. Cobia will often swim right over the top of your jig, concealing it with its chin. Wait until you feel the fish pull away with your jig before setting the hook, HARD. If your jig gets snubbed, recast and work the jig violently. Once the fish is in a curious pursuit, have another angler cast the live bait in the path of the excited cobia. Usually, the excitement from the jig will invoke a strike on the natural bait. This method is called the one-two punch.
Once you've set the hook, jack his jaw a good three or four times and then let the fish run. You don't want to be too gentle with these brutes, as they will take advantage of you in a hurry, but there is no real reason to get heavy handed.
When the fight is coming to a close, and the fish seems ready to be put on ice, make sure the fish's energy is truly spent. Have another crewmember tap the fish with the bend of the gaff, or the tip of a rod. Do this until the fish no longer makes blistering runs. All this is necessary because gaffing a green (energized) cobia is a great way to get hurt and break stuff. Cobia are large and strong with a row of about ten spines on their forehead. I'd suggest letting the fish cool his heels in the fish box for about 15 minutes before taking pictures. When a cobia gets loose in a boat, it can only be described as spastic and never good. In light of these words of warning, it is always a good idea to have the most experienced angler not on the rod to do the gaff job. A good gaff job, as most old salts will tell you, is an over the top shoulder shot, executed fluidly. Once the gaff hits home, the trip from the water to the box should be one smooth motion. It's a good idea to make sure no one stands in between the gaffer and the box during these few, critical seconds.
After a successful day of cobia fishing, it is always fun to head to a local marina and have your fished weighed on their official scale, hear the "oohs" and "awes" and take some more pictures. As for to cleanning your catch, make sure you have a good quality blade, with plenty of backbone and edge retention, as these studs have tough skin and thick bones. If you've never cleaned one before, you may ask someone who has to help you. They're quite literally a handful.
While so far, I've mostly spoken of cobia season along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida, these styles and tactics apply as well on the Atlantic coast, especially in the Cape Canaveral area. Of course, this is not the only way to catch a cobia. Some angles like to anchor up and put out a chum line, while others incidentally catch them while bottom fishing. But, like all gentry sports, there is a set way of doing things, then there is the way things are done, and in this, indeed lies all the fun.
Go Fishing Today,
Capt. Si
Call Ernie Cavetts of Cavett's Custom Rods in Pensacola Florida at (850) 375-2757
[signature]