By Jeff Dennis
In what should be a true test of your tackle, the best chance to cross paths with a cobia is in early summer.
Renowned for an appearance that resembles a shark, cobia fight harder than many saltwater fish and offer fine table fare.
The full moon in late May encourages breeding cobia to head upriver during flood tides, giving saltwater anglers a road map about where to pursue them.
Sight fishing for cobia on top of the water’s surface is common during calm summer days.
Cobia are curious and will often swim up behind a boat to tempt fate or blend in and drift along with floating debris like dead grass.
Cobia also hang close to structures like channel markers and may tag along behind a sea turtle or a large ray.
This presents a perfect time to cast to them using light tackle or perhaps even a fly rod.
When fly fishing for cobia, use a 10-weight or a 12-weight fly rod. Choose a big and flashy streamer pattern that resembles an eel, which is one of their favorite natural foods.
A good option for a light tackle offering is a threadfin herring fished underneath a popping cork, using the splashing action to draw the cobia’s attention.
Much of the time, these cobia appear to be on a mission that does not include feeding.
Lockjaw is a common trait for cobia that hang around the surface because they see lots of lures cast their way by anglers. It takes a tantalizing bait action to get them to respond, and sometimes tossing them every lure in the boat is simply not good enough.
Standing on a raised casting platform in the bow of a boat is a prime location to look for cruising cobia which tend to rise and then sound in a totally random pattern.
Having your rod ready to cast at a moment’s notice takes some discipline, but the formula for success requires perseverance.
Cobia can be long-lived and are found swimming up and down both the Gulf and Atlantic coastlines. In fact, cobia have a global range and are known as “ling” in many places, with a reputation for eating crabs.
Fishing for cobia when the water is too choppy for sight fishing often calls for different tactics such as sending baits down to the bottom near bridge pilings or other underwater structures where they prefer to gather.
Heavier tackle is required in case a 50-pound cobia or larger decides to take the bait.
Fighting a large cobia is often a memorable experience because they stay “green” longer than many fish. The cobia can come to the boat at a regular pace, only to surprise the angler by putting on a powerful second surge that demands respect.
Seasoned anglers know not to tighten down the drag during a cobia fight and to stay ready for any muscular maneuvers.
Anglers that don’t know about a cobia’s power sometimes report getting the fish into the boat, only to see it flip and flop right back over the side.
The migration patterns of cobia are currently under a research study in order to keep their stocks at a sustainable level.
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina are working together in 2019 to track twenty-seven cobia that have been fitted with a pop-off satellite tracking tag.
Satellite tags can record data such as distance of travel and the depth of water they frequent.
Satellite-tagged cobia do not need to be reeled in to gather the data because the pop-off tags detach and float to the surface and transmit the data.
The author’s Lowcountry Outdoors blog is celebrating a tenth anniversary in 2019.
Photo By Jeff Dennis
Sight fishing for cobia in calm water can be productive during early summer