A good friend and myself left the landing around 6:45 Sat morning and ran east towards the rock garden. First drift and his second cast BAM, nice keeper trout. Made drift number two out in a little deeper water and I managed another keeper trout. Drift number three first few cast and BAM Big Pinfish. We quickly hooked the pinfish on a popping cork and let him drift behind us. About 10 minutes later, my buddy turns and asked "Do you see that cork?" "No, grab it and check it!" He grabs the rod and the line immediately tightens, so he sets the hook. Nothing. Then again something begins to take line and he sets the hook again. Nothing. This happened 4 or 5 times, before he finally is able to reel his line close enough to the boat to where we could see the pinfish. Right behind it is a shark.. no it's a huge catfish... we have no idea what it is, but it was going to have the pinfish for lunch no matter what. He finally takes it and my buddy just feeds him line for at least 10 seconds, and then sets the hook. The fight is on! He finally manages to get the fish near the boat, and we then decide it is a cobia. Still not real sure. Neither one of us has ever caught or, even seen one for that matter.
At this point, armed with net, I keep having thoughts of the cobia stories I've read. Especially the part after the fish is put in the boat. We press on cautiously. He pulls the fish towards the net and out pops the hook. I push the net forward and the fish swims right in it. My buddy is cussing, and I'm yelling "I still got him, I still got him!" Pull him up, put him in the boat without a fight and measure him 34 inches. Bend him on in the cooler.
Ended the short day on the water with 3 keeper trout, a few shorts, one nice slot red, and the 34 inch cobia. Had a great time Jim!
21 inch red
Dinner
My Guide
Ended the day with a nice deep cut in my pointer finger courtesy of the electric knife. I'll stick with the filet knife from now on.
