Cobia Mistakes?

[K.Ick]

Hi folks. I have a question for the people that get a "slightly more reliable cobia bite".......if such a thing even exists. I was flats fishing three years ago in that big sand/grass area between Panacea and Shell Point when we spotted and hooked up with a nice 36 lb cobia that was passing through the area. In the three years since, only two other cobia have been caught off of my boat, both too small and both inside of Dog Island. However, its true that it only takes one fish, one trip out, to keep you up at night thinking about ways to repeat the experience. In the years since Ive tried to target them but haven't had success. My tactics are pretty straightforward, I think. I have a few good spots with structure that are known but not "overly known." A couple are in the area a few miles south of the Eastern side of Dog Island Reef and another is a wreck that lights up really nice about three miles off of St. George. All spots are in 25 - 32 ft. of water. When we are trying to target cobia, we go to one of those spots, get a nice anchor point so a slick will float into and around the structure, put out a chum bag (ocassionally adding menhaden oil drips). I put one bottom rod down with a pin fish and float another pin fish or two out into the chum slick. Then I just sit and wait for....well.....not much else actually, because nothing ever happens.

Am I putting too much faith in only a few spots? Would it be better to continually move around and cast at every bouy in a 40 mile area? Or, does sitting and waiting eventually work for everyone and I just need to wait for my turn?

Recommendations on tactics and set up are all greatly appreciated.

[Jumptrout51]

I think you just have bad luck.

[K.Ick]

You should see me play cards. I needed no help from the cobia to figure that out.

[Gulf Coast]

[big bend gyrene]

if such a thing even exists

Not being a smart azz, but It definitely exists. PM sent to you.

[bman]

if such a thing even exists

Not being a smart azz, but It definitely exists. PM sent to you.

Oh come on and share with all of us

[Salty Gator]

Don't hold out BBG! Where is that consistent cobia bite?

[K.Ick]

To take the pressure off of BBG, I didn't ask for, and he didn't disclose any fishing spots. My post just asked for advice if I was doing something wrong in my set up. He did provide some very good suggestions and I might have been doing a few things wrong. Very much appreciate his response. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about the luck. Even though with BBGs advice I might be holding pocket kings next time, there will still probably be some cobe slow playing me with trip sixes.

[woopty]

Your method is good,
Use big live pinfish, or better yet a hardhead catfish with the spines clipped off.
Make noise on the boat.
Put out as many rods as you can manage and have one ready for trailers.
Also hang one bait just below the boat. When we see cobia around the boat, this is the one that usually gets them.
Took me a few years to dial in to them, but now we are having encounters on every trip and have joined Read Herndon's tagging program.

[K.Ick]

Thanks Woopty! Can I ask if you use chum once you are set up on a spot?

[woopty]

We usually do chum.
Monday, Crums was out of chum but we saw dozens and boated 5.
As long as you are near good structure, they will find you. That's why I make noise.

[K.Ick]

Do they prefer country, or classical rock?

[woopty]

Play zydeco music and dance around on the boat.

I have an aluminum deck that in one spot pops with a nice low thud when stepped on and then pops again coming back up.
We avoid the spot when trying to be stealthy, but when cobia fishing, we're all over it.

[K.Ick]

THIS, at least, will be no problem for a couple of the clowns that I take fishing. Entertaining they are, stealthy they are not.

[big bend gyrene]

if such a thing even exists

Not being a smart azz, but It definitely exists. PM sent to you.

Oh come on and share with all of us

Don't mind sharing with the board! Honest injuns, just that I know some other fella's on have been at it even longer (and successfully) than my whipper-snappper self. Here's what I shared:

1) probably have only chummed 1 out of 10 trips, and while don't think it necessarily cuts off the bite definitely isn't always necessary either and may make you compete to keep sharks, macks, other fish off the hook when cobes are actually around.
2) though I don't chum often the best chum I've had luck with is scallop guts... seriously, would use them every trip if I had them.
3) going to talk out of both sides of my mouth but fishing for cobes IS a patience game and can't tell you how often I've sat on structure and watched others fly in/fly off structure giving up when don't get instant bite, only to catch multiple fish later after they leave, BUT...
4) you DON'T have to be in 20'+ waters... one of the biggest cobes I've seen was cruising through flats with two smaller cobes in about 6' of water outside Aucilla/Econ area, and some of the biggest number of cobes I've seen have been off of marker bouys, birdracks, etc... in shallower waters (again, around 6' to 8' depths). Pulled up to a birdrack a few years ago in the dead heat of summer and bet it had a dozen circling it, harassing the baitfish trying to use the birdrack as cover.
5) I DO think boat placement is somewhat critical, as with many other species. They're cruising looking for food and doing so in lanes, using flow to their advantage for the hunt, etc... and if you're off structure 40 or 50 feet (which is too darn easy to have happen), you'll get far, far fewer bites than being perfectly anchored very close (within 10' or so of the structure you're aiming to fish). You'll get cut off more but that's the name of the game.
6) Might want to try some new spots if you're not at least spying cobia swimming around the boat from time to time. When we find good spots, we often see them sometime during the day swimming within feet of the boat, and about as often as not will be 2, 3, or 4 versus a loner fish.
7) which brings me to the last point... keep a heavy spinning reel handy with an artificial eel jig or big artificial shad-style fish lure to taunt fish cruising by into biting an immediate offer.

And agree 100% with Woopty on the noise... often have had 'em run up after a long day with no bites when we cut the motor on to pick up anchor. They sure ain't the smartest fish in the sea.