BigBendFishing.Net

Did some camping this weekend at the state park and Cape San Blas. The water clarity on the bay side was very clear and made for some great kayaking. Took my youngest daughter kayak fishing for the first time. We ended up catching a lot of lady fish, a few jacks, a grunt and a few other oddballs. We were heading in at dark and not far from the launch, there as something big tearing up the water feeding. Dropped a skitterwalk in front of it and it inhaled. It fought pretty hard with a lot of thrashing and ended up cutting my 30lb leader . There was not enough light to get a good look at what it was since we were pushing the limits on making it back before dark. I suspect it was a large cobia and really hated loosing him. I had just planned on some light fishing while teaching my daughter the ropes, so the 20lb braid with a 30lb leader on the light rod I had it on was really not up to the task, but I had to try. I will be back for scalloping season for sure.

Nice. The big one always gets away, doesn't he?

That's more true than you would think. Two of the trips I have been on in the past month I ended up loosing a nice catch due too not having a heavy enough setup. I plan on remedying that here shortly by carrying a heavier setup in my selection. I'm still new to the yak fishing and learn something every trip. Just being out in the bay was rewarding enough even without fishing.

Yeah, go back out there with a big pole loaded with heavy mono and a steel leader and you might bring him back!

Silly question: When you get something like a good cobia on the line in a yak, do you just let him pull you around the gulf, or do you try throwing an anchor? I ask because I recently picked up a budget yak to use this summer.

A good drift anchor and a smooth anchor trolley is your pal in that situation.

I normally have a small which is a 2500 FK with 200ish yards of 10lb braid, and my bigger is a 4000 FK with 200ish yards of 20 lb.

If I'm out for sea monsters I bring the 6000 Penn, drift anchor, portable radio, and a sandwich or two.

Yeah, the biggest thing I had at the moment was a penn pursuit 4000. I've got a 6000 that I didn't bring on that trip but will next time.