Where are the cobia?

[Rhettley]

I have never caught one and have big plans and hopes to make it happen this year. I'm not hearing reports of them showing up yet though. Am I rushing things? Is it early or has the cool spring and all the rain delayed things. The spanish were just showing up in St Joe Bay last week.
The update on the Mexico Beach Ling Ding has one really big 67 pounder and a few other big ones but the numbers are down. This is from the latest report-
The 2013 98 Real Estate Ling has been a big success and is at the halfway point with two more weekends of fishing remaining. We haven't seen big numbers of fish weighed in, but we have seen big fish each weekend.

Yall keep me updated on what is happening with these fish. Any pointers would be appreciated. My plan for now is to catch some live bait, probably pinfish, and anchor on some artificial numbers out of St Marks and chum and float a bait, put one on a bait runner, and probably one on a weight a crank off the bottom. Artificial will be rigged and ready for a quick cast too. Am I kind of on track or will I end up shark fishing?

[big bend gyrene]

Rhettley, 100% confident they're here... zero doubt. This week is the first week I've felt it in my bones... truly warm days, swallow tail kites flying, rain lilies growing road side... all the signs there. Just haven't had the time to get Marine's Dream in the water yet. Pretty sure few other area cobia fans haven't chased them too hot & heavy yet either.

Should add I firmly believe our population out of St. Marks is a bit different than the one's migrating through the areas west of our bend. We definitely have migrating fish come through too, BUT we ALSO have fish that winter south of us in deeper waters that just move right back to shallower waters when things warm up. Both populations should be hitting us know.

Another reason not hearing too many reports yet is dedicated cobia fishing is a patience game that often leaves you with one or two fish landed. When trouts and reds are getting thick on the flats , and grouper can be trolled up shallow, hard to slow fish patiently for cobia. ALL THAT shared, bet a local cobia report gets posted within days, if not hours.

[big bend gyrene]

Your plan by the way is perfect but be ready if fishing right over artificial structure... not unusual to lose many of them before you get the hang of yanking them up, and unlike grouper the battle with keepers is far from over when you get sight of them... you'll often have them make 4 or more runs down... honestly, even if target deep rocky grounds or platforms you'll have the same challenge avoiding cut-offs.

Just have to get the hang of controlling them best you can vs vice versa. Have caught more than 50 and seems each year I have to shake the rust off the first trip or two to improve the hooked / landed ratio.

[Chalk]

They are pouring into Bay county like mullet - so thick Ray Charles is sight fishing them. My neighbor caught three the other day...If the wind lays some I will be wide eyed and looking for some filet mignon of the sea this weekend

[Rhettley]

Thanks guys. Maybe I can get Ray to show me how. He is from Albany afterall...

[tgill3764]

We left out of St Marks last weekend and didn't see any Cobia. I noticed the water temp was 70-71F which is about 5 degrees warmer than 3 weeks prior. We fished the St Marks Reef, Wakulla Reef, and trolled around further south. We caught some decent Sea Bass but certainly not Cobia.

Has anyone else been out recently and seen any Cobia? I saw a big Cobia was caught at the fishing tournament in Panacea so they've gotta be close by.

[kom06]

The Cobia are here. See my Rock the Dock Post under inshore fishing for pictures. We limited out two days in a row during the tournament and caught several more that we had to throw back and didn't travel far. None of them were over 25lbs though...Good Luck. Using live bait is the key!!

[kom06]

http://s1314.photobucket.com/user/kyleo ... 8.jpg.html

[tgill3764]

Nice, those are some good looking fish. Glad to hear they're in town. Did you spot the Cobia on top or catch em below the surface?

[Rhettley]

Nice! Hopefully I'll find a stupid one next week if I get to go.

[kom06]

Thanks guys. Most of them were on structure or reefs close to shore. We didnt spot any on top. the furthest out we caught one was 24 barge. Have fun and good luck.

[konrad]

They are starting to show up now. I took a few days off work last week to take advantage of the great weather. On 3 of the 4 trips I took I saw cobia. All in state wasters.