Ssshhhh - cobia
Posted: May 17th, 2020, 7:24 pm
Got out early Sunday morning, went to the flats to catch pinfish and see if the trout were biting. Lots of pinfish, not much luck on trout; 1 goofy pufferfish.
Filled the livewell, and after waiting for winds to die down a bit, finally headed offshore. Found cast of thousands (literally 12 boats in a 50 yard radius) at Rotary reef. Watched one poor fellow hook a small-ish cobia, shout to his neighbors, "hey, I think it's a cobia" and then "I don't have a net!". Tragi=comically, fish was lost at boatside, but man and fish did come face to face for a precious wet moment.
So I went {somewhere else], and despite being on public numbers, no one was there. Fished for a bit with no luck, then a few boats got neighborly. Husband of one nice couple caught what was his first cobia ever, only to ask me and come to find out the limit in federal waters had gone up to 36". Had to let it go, but then caught another, big enough for anyone's rules.
Yay for him, but I'm still getting skunked. Caught and released a gag -- nice consolation prize. Missed a bite, chatting on the phone with my son. Then I saw 3 more cobia swim by, with a bit of a smirk. No takers on anything I offered.
Oh well, mama said there'd be days like that. So I pulled up the anchor, started putting things in order, but I always leave the baits in the water till the last moment. Zing!
Cobia on! After what can only be described as a heroic one-man battle, lots of encouragement from the couple on the boat next door, another rod bending double and tempting me to try to fight two fish at a time, plus a bit of comedy when I tried to use my new smaller rubberized "safer-for-the-trout" net on this big old fish, I finally gaffed the man in the brown suit and got him in the boat -- 40 inches.
Whew!!!
But tell everyone that was the last one. Seriously, no need to go out looking for cobia until next year.
Filled the livewell, and after waiting for winds to die down a bit, finally headed offshore. Found cast of thousands (literally 12 boats in a 50 yard radius) at Rotary reef. Watched one poor fellow hook a small-ish cobia, shout to his neighbors, "hey, I think it's a cobia" and then "I don't have a net!". Tragi=comically, fish was lost at boatside, but man and fish did come face to face for a precious wet moment.
So I went {somewhere else], and despite being on public numbers, no one was there. Fished for a bit with no luck, then a few boats got neighborly. Husband of one nice couple caught what was his first cobia ever, only to ask me and come to find out the limit in federal waters had gone up to 36". Had to let it go, but then caught another, big enough for anyone's rules.
Yay for him, but I'm still getting skunked. Caught and released a gag -- nice consolation prize. Missed a bite, chatting on the phone with my son. Then I saw 3 more cobia swim by, with a bit of a smirk. No takers on anything I offered.
Oh well, mama said there'd be days like that. So I pulled up the anchor, started putting things in order, but I always leave the baits in the water till the last moment. Zing!
Cobia on! After what can only be described as a heroic one-man battle, lots of encouragement from the couple on the boat next door, another rod bending double and tempting me to try to fight two fish at a time, plus a bit of comedy when I tried to use my new smaller rubberized "safer-for-the-trout" net on this big old fish, I finally gaffed the man in the brown suit and got him in the boat -- 40 inches.
Whew!!!
But tell everyone that was the last one. Seriously, no need to go out looking for cobia until next year.