Offshore Fishing For Cobia, the best tackle and bait

Cobia can also be caught while shore fishing or even river fishing, but the best bet for a large "ling" is offshore fishing near structures such as marker buoys and submerged wrecks.

These open water, fast swimming, fish are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical warmer waters often times resembling a brown shark when viewed from above near the surface of the water. This is what you are looking for, preferably from a tuna tower when sight fishing for Cobia.

This fish has been known to reach 150 pounds. The record in Florida is 104 pounds with 20 - 80 pound catches being common. With this being said, the right choice of good saltwater fishing tackle is a key factor in landing one these ferocious runners.

The Proper Saltwater Fishing Tackle

A good quality medium to heavy spin reel outfit with a good drag system should do the trick. The Fin-Nor Ahab size 20 and the Daiwa Gold BG20 are good fishing reel choices for the serious Cobia fisherman. They both can be customized with a manual roller to replace the bail system, This alteration allows you to cast further and is quicker on the draw when firing your lure or bait into the path of a Cobia.

Your line should be 20 - 30 pound test quality fishing line, at least 200 yards of it. If using a braided line such as Power Pro or any of the other premium braided fishing lines available, be sure to first spool on about 5 or 6 feet of similar pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line as a backer in case a fish takes all your line. Braided lines have a tendency to just sit on the spool in one spot while you desperately try to get it to respool. The short piece of monofilament or fluorocarbon grips the spool and allows the line to be easily respooled. A 50-pound test, 5 to 6 foot leader with a barrel swivel is a must as well since these fish have a bad habit of twisting line.

A good quality gaff is important for getting these tasty fish in the boat. Be careful not to bring it into the boat before it tires. This fish has been known to leave some nasty scars and damage lots of fishing equipment including boats while flouncing around once gaffed and brought aboard. A smooth and quick transaction to the fish box from the water is the best method.

Lures And Live Bait, Types And Techniques

Cobia are very aggressive eaters, scooping up crabs, porgies, blue runners, pinfish, finger mullet, and eels. All of these make great live bait for Cobia, eels being one of the most irresistible baits if you can find them.

Take a 3/0 treble hook and hook the baitfish right behind the head. This will allow the fish to swim down when the reel is in free spool, which is the baitfish's natural response to a threat, this also allows the bait to swim upright when worked back to the boat.

For the crabs and eels, you will want to use about a 5/0 bronze or bleeding hook. Hook the crab on one side to let it swim in the current, as it would do naturally, sideways. To hook the eels, simply run the hook from the bottom of its mouth and let it protrude out the top of its mouth.

For lures, 3 ounce multicolored jigs seem to be a pretty popular lure used to catch Cobia as well as rubber eels. No need to purchase anything special for this either, large black rubber worms that you use for bass fishing seem to do the trick.

With the lures you will want to cast beyond the Cobia and retrieve it at a fast pace in front of him so that he has to swim after it. If you cast directly at the fish, there is a good chance you will spook him.

With the live bait you will want to try and cast well in front of the Cobia's path and basically let the bait do it's own thing. Using your finger to regulate the line as it leaves the spool, allow the bait to slowly descend, you should see the Cobia disappear from the surface. When you feel him take the bait, let him run a couple seconds, close the bail, and set the hook!

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