BigBendFishing.Net

After taking Bman and Toden out in August for a great cobia trip, I learned one of Bman's friends, Bagataway, hadn't landed a keeper cobe before. Desperate to get another trip in before the cobe bite stops, I got in touch with Bagataway and gave him an invite for a trip out of Ecky this Wednesday with high hopes that the full moon tide would deliver.

We got out of the mouth just in time to catch a great sunrise...
Ran out to 8' depths and quickly loaded the bait well with pins. While I fished for bait, Bagataway fished for game fish and did a good job getting the stink off the boat. He landed two keeper sea bass and also caught two just-short trout.

Once we had enough bait we ran on out to a spot in about 30' I hadn't fished since early this summer.

In relatively short order, Bagataway had the first cobia of the day on and it was a NICE one. Definitely a keeper, making me thrilled as I was seeking to get the cobia streak to the 10th trip in a row with a cobia brought to the boat. Bagataway's combo rod/reel did a great job hossing the cobe in... really a bit too good of a job, as the cobe was still green and quite unhappy being hooked.

I didn't catch the initial run on camera, but here is what I did catch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq3rKl-Z2tQ[/video]

The reason for the loss? This pic tells the story... broken hook tip.
Bagataway, a Presbyterian deacon is definitely a better man than I am. He actually took the loss in good humor as shown by the smile in the picture.

Was really a slow day offshore with very little evidence of schooling activity. Over the next hour or so we caught a single short gag, and then as we were giving up hope on another cobia biting, Bagataway got slammed. Again, I was too slow to film an AWESOME run, but an awesome run it was. Fought just like a cobia as it searched for structure on the bottom for a minute or so, then took off like a freight train for parts unknown. Bagataway fought it extremely well and would get it halfway back to the boat, only to have it rip another run off. After five minutes of so the line went slack... the video tells the rest of the story...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJg6TKnbxl0[/video]

After the two heartbreaking cobia losses, we sat for about two more hours praying for another bite. Wasn't meant to be. Not to be defeated, I told Bagataway, "Let's START a redfish streak!", and off we ran.

Didn't have time but to hit one spot and low and behold it gave us a beautiful dark bronze Econ red as well as another short trout.
While a frustrating day on the cobia front, the gorgeous sunrise, good fights, good company, and the tasty red and sea bass catches made it a quite rewarding trip. Not sure it will be this year or next, but I AM going to get Bagataway some cobia meat in the freezer. Just a matter of time.

great report maybe next time yall have better luck

Looks like you guys had a good time anyway.....

Regarding the break-off, I told you something might happen if he got one that was too big on

Those nurse sharks can chew through a hook

First and foremost - thank you to BBG. A great host, a great captain and a great boat. I had never been on a Panga before and I was impressed. We rolled out in 2-3 foot seas with 4 foot swells and that sucker was dry as a bone. Very nice!

BBG did his part and put me on the cobes - no matter what yuck bman yaps about nurse sharks.

I was greeted heartily @ 5:40 AM by a horse masquerading as a dog with a very convincing bark - after a quick handshake over the gate as bbg corralled the beast the morning was off to a great start.

I never want to be the guy who breaks any streak so I voted that the streak continues and sits currently at 10 trips with cobes. Who could have predicted that a big ol' Gamakatsu hook would break like that.

All in all, I was thankful to meet a new friend and share good times with a quality individual. The old saying about a bad day fishing being better than a good day at the office rang true on Wednesday.

Bagataway- Sad to say, but I didn't see a fish caught. Gots to lay hands on him.

the streak is DONE...you should have shared some of that Cobia meat !

bman wrote:Regarding the break-off, I told you something might happen if he got one that was too big on

Bman, so I see how the game is played. I put you on a couple of nice keeper cobe, give you an invite for this trip, and simply because you're too busy hoarding up money and can't go you find a witch to put the Sapillo hex on us.

Karma's a bee-atch. Telling you now you aren't the only one with Sapillo connections so you better glue that ol' ratty FSU hat to your head the next few trips out lest it be drowned in el Golfo de México.

lizbeth wrote:the streak is DONE...you should have shared some of that Cobia meat !

Lizbeth, I DID share some cobia meat with Bagataway... enough for a couple of nice meals. And with 9 trips where we brought cobia in the boat, got 100+ more pounds in the freezer. You want to reconsider your opinion, I got a bag of cobia meat waiting for you!

Yes, to be fair, I was sent packing with 2 fat bags of cobe meat. BBG is the ultimate host.

You puttin' 'em on the cobia is a streak that's still alive, John. I bet a dollar to a donut that the broken hook was a Gamakatsu.

big bend gyrene ...you have a deal....see how easy that was...LOL

Harmsway wrote:You puttin' 'em on the cobia is a streak that's still alive, John. I bet a dollar to a donut that the broken hook was a Gamakatsu.

Whether it was Gamakatsu or not,I have had more Gamakatsu hooks break than any other brand.

Respecting the general consensus and calling the streak DONE! This said, can hardly wait to start the next one!

Jumptrout51 wrote:

Harmsway wrote:You puttin' 'em on the cobia is a streak that's still alive, John. I bet a dollar to a donut that the broken hook was a Gamakatsu.

Whether it was Gamakatsu or not,I have had more Gamakatsu hooks break than any other brand.

It was a Gamakatsu.

Forgot to add a note in the report for señor Bman that the red was caught on... wait for it... yep... a spoon.

Oh, and Bagataway, thanks for the kind words on the smooth ride Marine's Dream provides. With the flared bow it is far and away the driest flats boat I've owned/been on, though I know a neophyte sapillo scorcerer's apprentice who might not concur.