Carrabelle Grouper and Big Cobia 7-21-13
Posted: July 23rd, 2013, 10:18 pm
As if I hadn't had enough fun Saturday evening myself and two fishing buddies decided to chase grouper Sunday morning out of Carrabelle. Knowing Dan likes to go at the @$$ crack of dawn he allowed me to stay at his place in Crawfordville. My other buddy Herb met us at dans in the morning about 5am. On the way to crums I checked my windfinder app and saw the C tower had been blowing 15+ all night and was currently reading 13 knots. I mentioned it to them and we all knew we were in for a "sporty" day fishing in that crap out of a 17 Cape Horn. Upon leaving the Carrabelle River it was already rocking by the time we hit the bait spot. About 40 minutes later we had a live well full of pins and piggies and were headed south. The plan was to hit 5 or 6 spots just on the other side of the federal line, load the boat with gags and be in by lunch...how hard could it be 
. We had the shat kicked out of us on the way out bouncing through through the 3s and 4s. Once we got to the spot we quickly hooked up on short gags and I finally put a 26" fish in the box. It was slow after that at all the spots and Dan was beginning to loose his patients. He grabbed the million $ black book and stated thumbing through the pages until he had a $4it eating glow on his face. I know that look and oh boy I thought as he scanned through his spots looking for a 12 foot ledge. He punched it in and I asked how far, Dan says not too far. I say mileage, Dan says 12.5 southeast....son of a #####! Herb and I looked at each other and knew it would not be fun. We took off in the 3 to 4 foot swells in that 17 foot Cape Horn and averaged about 13 mph all the way there. After taking our @$$ beating we were about 27 miles out sitting over a ledge lit up like a storm. First drops yielded the elusive 7 pound Red snappers. Then herb lands his first Cobia but was short at about 30". A few minutes later Dan landed a 15" Cobia, kind of strange. Next I drop down and get crushed and the fish is running like a train away from the boat. At the surface it thrashes and we immediately know its a big Cobia. To date I have not caught a 'big" cobia so I was super careful with this monsta. Back and forth we went like heavyweights. Once the fish was close to the boat I noticed a shadow under this big dog and started screaming at them to get another bait in the water...a 25 pound wingman decided to join the party. Dan quickly hooked up on the other fish but was quickly cut off. We were pissed but knew I had a biggin on and were ready to put her in the boat. Around the boat I went one more time to tire the fish and dammed if that 25 pound wingman didn't want some more. We fed him again and this time he stayed buttoned. After sinking a solid gaff shot into my 40 pounder, the 25 quickly joined her in the box for the chill party. We couldn't believe our good fortune but still wanted herb to land one. Drove back up to the # and let herb drop and ill be dammed in herb didn't have another solid Cobe on within 30 seconds. Around and around herb worked the fish and soon we had about 90 pounds of Cobia in the fish box within a total of about 30 minutes. Ridonkulous if you ask me. After that we decided to beat our way back to Carrabelle in hopes of beating the storms. About 2 hours later we docked in the river by 3pm. What a day! Thanks again Dan for taking herb and I on a trip we will be talking about for years to come! -Tight Lines 
Me and my personal best Cobia
Herb and his first Cobia
Dan with his fish...
Getting our work out in...
The big ones...
Dinner Time!
. We had the shat kicked out of us on the way out bouncing through through the 3s and 4s. Once we got to the spot we quickly hooked up on short gags and I finally put a 26" fish in the box. It was slow after that at all the spots and Dan was beginning to loose his patients. He grabbed the million $ black book and stated thumbing through the pages until he had a $4it eating glow on his face. I know that look and oh boy I thought as he scanned through his spots looking for a 12 foot ledge. He punched it in and I asked how far, Dan says not too far. I say mileage, Dan says 12.5 southeast....son of a #####! Herb and I looked at each other and knew it would not be fun. We took off in the 3 to 4 foot swells in that 17 foot Cape Horn and averaged about 13 mph all the way there. After taking our @$$ beating we were about 27 miles out sitting over a ledge lit up like a storm. First drops yielded the elusive 7 pound Red snappers. Then herb lands his first Cobia but was short at about 30". A few minutes later Dan landed a 15" Cobia, kind of strange. Next I drop down and get crushed and the fish is running like a train away from the boat. At the surface it thrashes and we immediately know its a big Cobia. To date I have not caught a 'big" cobia so I was super careful with this monsta. Back and forth we went like heavyweights. Once the fish was close to the boat I noticed a shadow under this big dog and started screaming at them to get another bait in the water...a 25 pound wingman decided to join the party. Dan quickly hooked up on the other fish but was quickly cut off. We were pissed but knew I had a biggin on and were ready to put her in the boat. Around the boat I went one more time to tire the fish and dammed if that 25 pound wingman didn't want some more. We fed him again and this time he stayed buttoned. After sinking a solid gaff shot into my 40 pounder, the 25 quickly joined her in the box for the chill party. We couldn't believe our good fortune but still wanted herb to land one. Drove back up to the # and let herb drop and ill be dammed in herb didn't have another solid Cobe on within 30 seconds. Around and around herb worked the fish and soon we had about 90 pounds of Cobia in the fish box within a total of about 30 minutes. Ridonkulous if you ask me. After that we decided to beat our way back to Carrabelle in hopes of beating the storms. About 2 hours later we docked in the river by 3pm. What a day! Thanks again Dan for taking herb and I on a trip we will be talking about for years to come! -Tight Lines 
Me and my personal best Cobia
Herb and his first Cobia
Dan with his fish...
Getting our work out in...
The big ones...
Dinner Time!
They don't relize the captains are taking the same beating if not more! Jordon this isn't your first rodeo hehehe great job on the super cobe!!
