# Sticky  cobia season is a few months away here is another how-to



## cutbait91

after seeing all the replys and good feed back on my winter time tactics post I figured I would go out on a limb and do a how to for cobia fishing, its something that is very over looked along the grand strand, but it is also something that can easily be done from, boat, pier, and even the surf! our cobia migration in this part of south Carolina starts at the end of april or beginning of may (depending on water temps and bait) and carrys on to about the end of june. now yes 80 precent of my fishing these days is done from a boat, but also 80 precent of the cobia I catch are 100 yards from the breakers on the beach! cobia feed off the top and the bottom, once you start seeing the big migration of pogies aka menhaden or bunker the cobia are all over the beach, there was days his past spring we caught a cobia out of every school we came up on from Litchfield to surfside beach! 

lets start with rods, reels and line! we us a verity of spinning and casting tackle for these fish in the spring, when fishing schools of bait the go to set up is a shimano Sedona 6000 spinning reel loaded with 50 lb power pro with about a 10 foot fluorocarbon 40 lb shock leader, matched up with a 7 foot MH custom ugly stick live bait spinning rod. this set up is great for free lining baits into the school or sight casting artificial baits, when im out on the wrecks and need to get a fish out o th stricter quick I use a 5'8 xxh shimano travalla jigging rod paired with a avet mxl casting reel, which is loaded with 80 lb power pro. which works great for dropping live baits down or jigging bucktails! I would go with a spinning combo from the beach or pier due to castabilty! 


baits, I use a wide verity of live bait and artificial baits when running bait schools on the beach, live baits include greenbacks, pogies, mullet, bluefish, and pinfish, it all depends on whats available. pogies being my firs choice because that's what they are in schools of after all!
here is a picture of pogies or menhaden for the novice anglers








you can fish live baits by free lineing them on a circle hook by sight casting them to the fish or throwing it on the outside of the school if the fish are not on top, this will make it look like the weak one out of the bunch and 9 times out of ten its gonna get eatin.
now when your on the pie, boat, beach, where it ever it may be you fish. and you see the fish swimming he top of the bait schools but cant get him to eat a live bait, I suggest having a second rod with a plug or bucktail tide on because I promise thy will eat that if there not eating live I prefer a oversized yozuri jerkbait but some prefer bucktails, colors on these baitsdont make a difference it is all a matter of wha you have faith in!

















as far as rigs I use for the live bait I either free line the baits on a circle hook with a flouro leader or I use a over sized Carolina rig with a 4 to 8 oz egg sinker you get the bait down, there is down sides to both, free lining you cut a lot of cut offs, because there is also a lot of Spanish and king mackerel in thse schools of bait, the we have landed both thanks to the circle hooks but you still have the chance o getting cut off. putting your bait on the bottom you will tend to hook a lot of sharks, but it can also be extremely effective on the cobia. it all just depends on what the fish are doing, I wouldn't recommend a wire leader, cobia can see it and they also jump a lot of the time and will kink the wire and break it!

there is so many ways to do this and you definitely do not need a boat, I have seen 60 lb fish caught on the beach, and well everyone knows the size cobia they catch on the piers in the spring, atleast I know they catch some studs on surfside.

these fish are one of the best eating in my opinion, and they fight so hard you wont ever wear one out, on that note be careful handling these fish when they are live, they are extremely strong and WILL hurt you, don't try to be super man guys the fish will win, I have had them break my foot, dislocate my knee, and slice me open, when I wasn't careful! now get out there this spring and try something new, like I said it can be done from boat, beach, pier, or jettys, and its something anyone can do!

























































hope this post can help someone out, an if anyone would like me to do a write up on a certain species, let me know and I will try my best to help you out!


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## BubbaHoTep

Hey Adam, Thanks for the reports here lately, bud. You've been a catchin' machine. Whack em and stack em. This thread is well-done, my friend. I'll stick it at the top of the SC forum.

Later,
AJ


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## cutbait91

thanks dude! I would like to think I have came a long way since joining this forum 5 years ago, when I didn't know my ass from my elbow!


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## stumpy

wow, thanks Adam. Quite informative. I have not caught or had opportunity to catch one yet. Thanks for all the good info.


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## scsharker18

Perfect write up buddy! And I can verify that a cobia WILL HURT you. I got tail whipped in the nut$ last season after gaffing a 29lb fish after a 15 min flight. Ipromise u I wwon't make that mistake twice! As always great write up glad some one else on here enjoys seeing other people catch fish as much as actually reeling one in!


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## beady

Nice did a great writeup thank you !!!!!


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## GC Since73

I would be interested in any advice you have on sheepshead at the jetties without a boat. I have never targeted them but I want to try. Thanks


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## aardvarkgraphix

Thanks again, will DEFFINATLEY have to give those tips a try, Will be coming down the end of April @ apache for the week.


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## cutbait91

GC Since73 said:


> I would be interested in any advice you have on sheepshead at the jetties without a boat. I have never targeted them but I want to try. Thanks


alright I will get on it next week for ya buddy


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## cutbait91

thanks for all the good feedback yall. im gonna try to do one of these how to posts weekly, till the season kicks in and I get to busy so if anyone has a species or type of fishing they want me to cover please let me know so I can do a write up on it


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## SmoothLures

I was actually about to post a thread asking about cobia. Care to book me and my dad a cobia trip this spring?


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## cutbait91

SmoothLures said:


> I was actually about to post a thread asking about cobia. Care to book me and my dad a cobia trip this spring?


Yeah dude we can get you on the books for sure, I would book it when your here though so we can watch the weather and make sure it's gonna be a good day to go!


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## Danman

adding my thanks for the info cutbait:fishing:


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## ole-crabby

*cutbait*



Danman said:


> adding my thanks for the info cutbait:fishing:


kid you have a good life continue to catch them and enjoy every one:fishing:


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## surfmom

Thanks Cutbait! 

how about spade fish? I think they are typically pier but they are good to eat! also anything I can catch off the surf is by far my favorite thing to do. So any recomendations for surf fishing would be awesome


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## cutbait91

surfmom said:


> Thanks Cutbait!
> 
> how about spade fish? I think they are typically pier but they are good to eat! also anything I can catch off the surf is by far my favorite thing to do. So any recomendations for surf fishing would be awesome


I can do a spade fish post but to be honest the only way to really catch do numbers of keepers is on a boat at the wrecks. I can do one on surffishing too


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## CATCHTHESLAM

And if all that don't work just free gaff the cobia and get out of the way when you put him in the boat


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## cutbait91

CATCHTHESLAM said:


> And if all that don't work just free gaff the cobia and get out of the way when you put him in the boat


That's right Ricky you know how we really do it lol


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## BigRig

Thanks for the great info!


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## lawless

I live in the upstate, was wondering if my 17ft sea nymph w/ 50hp would work in the bay areas like to get in on the cobia action.
I usually fish the surf or the piers, would like to try something different . :fishing:


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## cutbait91

lawless said:


> I live in the upstate, was wondering if my 17ft sea nymph w/ 50hp would work in the bay areas like to get in on the cobia action.
> I usually fish the surf or the piers, would like to try something different . :fishing:


you would be fine on a calm day! other wise that's perfect for the inlet!


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## lawless

Yeah just want to to the bay stuff . Wife wants to catch some specks. After she got some red drum, shes got big fish fever. Want to try the inlets and get her on the trout.
And maybe just past the breakers...MAYBE....


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## Shooter

You ain't lived untill your buddy gaffs a cobia and tosses it right in the bottom of the boat  right after it destroyed the tackle box, the two 5 gal buckets, knocked over the bait cooler all the while he is yelling for me to hit it in the head with my 5 lb maul  Now I aint as dumb as I look,,, I am standing way back waiting for this tornado hiding in a fish suit to calm way down before I get anywhere near this leg breaking monster  I finally get a rag over it's head and sweet and lovingly apply pressure with said 5 lb maul to the top of his nogan  (yes that means I bashed his skull) after I sweetly render the cobia into a more passive mood I look at my buddy and inform him if he ever gaffs a semi green cobia and tosses it into the boat before I bash the fish in the head I will apply the 5 lb maul to his skull 

A shark will only bite you a cobia will beat you to death


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## lawless

Sounds as much fun as trying to get a 30is inch striper into the net while holding the rod i ur other hand.... But from the clips Ive seen the cobia wins every time..


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## surfmom

wow


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## scsharker18

[/QUOTE] A shark will only bite you a cobia will beat you to death[/QUOTE]

That's the truth!!


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## John81

i just need one a little bigger than this and i will be happy


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## mrb1268

Cutbait91,, I agree with surfmom 110%.....so here is a second request on the surf fishing write up, thanks in advance


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## Marty052681

What kind of water conditions should i be looking for if i want to target these beasts in the surf, piers, and jetties? i.e. water temps, tides, color


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## RjTheMetalhead

Marty052681 said:


> What kind of water conditions should i be looking for if i want to target these beasts in the surf, piers, and jetties? i.e. water temps, tides, color


70+ water temps, water that isn't pure mud.
Most important is bait. Menhaden schools will bring them in.


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## Marty052681

Thanks for the info. What a great thread i'm chomping at the bit to put one of these guys in the freezer.


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## Marty052681

I'll be heading to Tybee the last week in may. Will the cobia still be close enough to the shore to target them with surf gear?


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## jocoscout

If I am somehow able to land one of these guys what would be the best way to clean it, should it be fileted or cut into steaks? And is there any best way to cook it or just anyway I want?


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## SmoothLures

jocoscout said:


> If I am somehow able to land one of these guys what would be the best way to clean it, should it be fileted or cut into steaks? And is there any best way to cook it or just anyway I want?


Whichever you want. It would be a sin to bread and fry all of it though.


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## dollarbill

Would be better filleted. I love cobia especially one around the 20lb mark. Awsome tasting fish my favorite without question....


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