# Cobia/King Setup



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Anyone got any advice on a good cobia/king rod and reel combo? Would like to keep the cost low but still have nice tackle that will be able to land one from a pier. 

Also, when king fishing with an anchor rod, how heavy does that rod need to be?


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## Rob S (Feb 7, 2008)

http://www.tackledirect.com/shimano-tld-reel-star-rod-combos.html

pair it with 30lb mono and your good to go. 

If that's out of your budget, I saw a Okuma Convector 55W on ebay new for 60+10 shipping, pair it with a penn standup for a pretty cheap combo, not sure of the Convector quality, Okuma has impressed me with my two reels (one fresh one salt) but they haven't really been tested. PM me if you want the link or just google search okuma convector 55w and then go to shopping results.


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## NateM (Jan 9, 2008)

Rob hit it on the mark. TLD 25 with 30 pound mono and you are set. With the anchor rod most people toss 20 pound, just for the extra strength to dig out the anchor.


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## t58martin (Jul 18, 2005)

I'd go lever drag and not star.... if it was star u wanted, I'd go with a 113 senator special 600/30#


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Take a look at the Penn 535 matched with a Penn pro Guide 1530C70
Or the Penn 545 on a Penn Pro Guide 1740C70
Also the Torium20 is a great reel. Also look at the Dave Workman line of Rods. As far as line test you will not need anything more than 20# test.
For a mud rod get a good 10'er with a Penn Squidder with 25 or 30# on it and you should be good to go.:beer::fishing:


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## sniper (Mar 30, 2004)

*New to this....*

Could one of you guys explain to me how you fish for cobia? I'm new to surf fishing and hear that cobia's are the prize. I'd like to come down that way and give it a try but woould like to be properly prepared. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

http://www.outerbanksoutfitters.com...-reel-combos;cisalt-water-conventional-combos

fill with 17lb clear tri & get em. holds close to 600 yards & has a 6:1 retreive, smooth drag, nasty loud clicker. 

150 + shipping


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Sea2aeS said:


> http://www.outerbanksoutfitters.com...-reel-combos;cisalt-water-conventional-combos
> 
> fill with 17lb clear tri & get em. holds close to 600 yards & has a 6:1 retreive, smooth drag, nasty loud clicker.
> 
> 150 + shipping


That's a very nice setup for the money. 

Thanks for the tip on this combo.


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## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

jmo...

dont need a big bulky reel like a tld 25 or big senator for kings or cobes...just heavy, overkill, and cost more to fill with line..my opinion anyway...i like littll reels with big spools...avet lx is my fave, light weight, built like a tank...powerful and smooooth drag...lil expensive tho around 250$..bout 650/20

shimano tld 15..can be found around 120$ i think now....had one as one of my first kingin reels..will hold 600 of 20 or so and is a dang good reel...lever drag...if ya prefer star drag a speedmaster or tld star will do good and bout same capacity...daiwas a lever drag sl50 or the sl50sh would be great...any 40/50 size daiwa or a 545/555 penn would work as well

rods...shimano tallus are good, and fairly cheap...you dont need a broomstick, but its gotta have some strength...penn slammer 7'er is a good rod...dont remember model #...
lotta reels and rods can be found for fairly cheap and last a looong time and handle big fish

the anchor rod...should be 10'-13' ...some use shorter...ocean master 12' is a good rod for that..tica 12'ers will do for cheap....a "drum sized" reel like a sl20sh or penn 525 mag does good for the reel...needs to hold as much 15-20 lb test as you can cast and be able to pull on teh anchor when teh days out


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

SmoothLures said:


> Anyone got any advice on a good cobia/king rod and reel combo? Would like to keep the cost low but still have nice tackle that will be able to land one from a pier.
> 
> Also, when king fishing with an anchor rod, how heavy does that rod need to be?


There's a setup over in the marketplace that would fill the bill.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks for all of the info guys. 
AirDown, I'm not quite ready to buy yet but I'll be checking here when I'm ready.


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## seaBreeze (Oct 4, 2006)

NateM said:


> Rob hit it on the mark. TLD 25 with 30 pound mono and you are set. With the anchor rod most people toss 20 pound, just for the extra strength to dig out the anchor.


....how about braid as an anchor line? it has no stretch, usually smaller diameter than mono so you can cast it a lot further....

....got back into the king game after a twenty year hiatus...used last year to practice casting a 10' ugly stik paired up on a pennmag 525 with 30lb of smoke green sufix braid....ocean isle pier was where I first used it..... and I knew it was coming back to me when I heard one fisherman tell another that my anchor was well on it's way to sunset beach!


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

No Braid. At the peak of our pin-rigging season there can be nearly twenty anchors out. Once a fish is close to the pier an angler has negotiate the fish in and around all of the anchors as well as the baits. Braid used on anchors will cut (burn) thru the mono used on the fighting rod. So braid is generally not acceptable when used while pin-rigging or drum fishing from the piers.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Yea Smooth those boys up north fish to close together so they don't like anyone to use Braid. But yes it will work just fine. It is your rig let them work around you. :fishing::beer:


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

OBX_Nomad said:


> No Braid. At the peak of our pin-rigging season there can be nearly twenty anchors out. Once a fish is close to the pier an angler has negotiate the fish in and around all of the anchors as well as the baits. Braid used on anchors will cut (burn) thru the mono used on the fighting rod. So braid is generally not acceptable when used while pin-rigging or drum fishing from the piers.


When in Rome...do as the Romans do! I wouldn't use braid anywhere around OBX. Here in Florida...at least in the Daytona area, most of the anchor rods, and everything else (on the piers) for that matter, are loaded with braid (other than the tourist rental rods) so there are no issues. The regulars fishing mono for the smaller fish know what they are doing as well, so we don't get in each other's way.


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

seajay said:


> Yea Smooth those boys up north fish to close together so they don't like anyone to use Braid. But yes it will work just fine. It is your rig let them work around you. :fishing::beer:


Yeah the way to have an enjoyable OBX experience is to come out on one of our piers and pi$$ off the locals. In fact, should you opt to take seajay's advice please PM so I can be there to see how it works out for you. ;-)


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

OBX_Nomad said:


> Yeah the way to have an enjoyable OBX experience is to come out on one of our piers and pi$$ off the locals. In fact, should you opt to take seajay's advice please PM so I can be there to see how it works out for you. ;-)


It happens. Ive seen it first hand. No better way to show that your an A hole than to fish braid after not being asked to, in a crowded situation because "its your rig". A lot of people dont do man drives either when deer hunting either. It may be effective but you dont do it when the majority of others around you arent. Boils down to courtesy. Some folks have it. Too many don't.


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## chriscustom (Jun 17, 2006)

*Braid*

I love braid.But a long time ago before there was braid there was dacron.Remember?That too was a no no.I use 30# mono on my acient Squidder heavers so I can get my anchors back quickly.Love the squeel of that reel.4/0 penn with 50#mono on a 7' fighting rod has worked well for me.You might look into a 7000ABU 0r a 320 Penn for a good priced fighting reel.So many choices so many choices.Its up to you. Have fun and good luck!


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

SmoothLures said:


> Anyone got any advice on a good cobia/king rod and reel combo? Would like to keep the cost low but still have nice tackle that will be able to land one from a pier.
> 
> Also, when king fishing with an anchor rod, how heavy does that rod need to be?



Here on the OBX you'll see about every combination used for pin-rigging. As long as the reel has a good drag system and line capacity you'll be alright. That's why the TLD series is the most popular here. You're looking for something that will hold 400 yards of 30. A little more is even better. The rod can be anything that will handle heavy fish. Most use sticks that fall in the 6 to 7 foot range and are stout.

For your anchor a 12'er that will throw a 6oz anchor is the ticket. They generally take a beating so you usually don't see too many customs, unless they've seen their better days. I use a Tsunami Trophy Series and have a Tica as well. Most reels are conventional and will be spooled with 17 or 20 lb.mono. Sufix Tritanium is pretty popular here. Reels run the gauntlet from 525 Mags, to Daiwas, etc. The SL30SH is probably the most popular. It's cheap, durable and will throw well right off the shelf. You see a few spinners but not many. However if that's what you throw best then by all means bring it.

http://www.avalonpier.com/tips/kingrig.html


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

O no Chris you said the Penn word. Those Central Fla. boys will try and show you the way.LOL


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## atblis (Jul 20, 2003)

If you can find a Pinnacle Shoreline classic 11'6", they make very good Anchor rod and are pretty cheap. I was paying <$30 off Ebay, but those seem to have dried up.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Smooth just remember they are Public Piers. You can fish any way you please. There are some that will try and tell you to "Do it my way" but that is not always the only way. Best of luck in filling your cooler.:fishing::beer:


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

seajay said:


> Smooth just remember they are Public Piers. You can fish any way you please. There are some that will try and tell you to "Do it my way" but that is not always the only way. Best of luck in filling your cooler.:fishing::beer:


Possibly, but it's truly a matter of ethics and respecting your fellow fishermen. To assume that just because it is "public" and since you paid your admission, you can do what you want, talk incessently, yell and otherwise disturb others in a movie theater and disrupt other paying customers is certainly flawed thinking! I can recall on more than one occasion hooking into a large fish and having to maneuver all over the pier (as well as once on a head boat) and having people absolutely refuse to get out of my way and actually bitch me out for asking them to move. Well, I guess it was a public pier (and a public boat), so they could fish however they wanted, but the same applied to me, so when I had a chance to get a free hand and pick up their rod from the rail and throw it on the planks (deck) that's exactly what I did, all the time hugging the rail and crowding them out of the way. Trust me...I had a few guys running interference for me as well, and they also threw a few rods on the planks (one actually pitched a rental rod in the "drink"! We do that for each other. I'm not speaking of boosum buddies here...just regular guys who know each other from the pier and fish together all the time. If people insist on thinking only about themselves when fishing and not being concerned about their fellow fishermen, then they will also find that no one is willing to help them when they need it...such as with a pier net when needed, and will, in fact, stand back and laugh while one tries to pull a 30-40 lb fish about 30 feet up to the planks with light equipment...will find their lines "accidentally crossed"...will find that when they do hook up, someone crosses their line from both right and left with a "gotcha" plug...etc!!! That's just a few "problems" that may arise. There are many, many more!!! Get my drift? It all comes down to courtesy and respect...also known as the "Golden Rule" and treating others the way you want to be treated. The alternative is to be treated the way you have treated others. It's a "no brainer" choice!!!


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

You are missing the Point, Sport.Just because someone does not fish with the same equipment as you or the other EX-Perts on here do. Does not mean that they are in the wrong. If he or she wants to use Braid so be it Deal with it. I could give a hoot about Braid , i do not use. As far as I am concerned Suffix is over priced crap. Ask any of you on this board and they will swear if one does not use it along with a Bimini Twist one can not catch fish. That is BS. Romans or not. You say you were into Racing at one time? So some say Goodyear or Firestone-Penzoil or Valvoline.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

seajay said:


> You are missing the Point, Sport.Just because someone does not fish with the same equipment as you or the other EX-Perts on here do. Does not mean that they are in the wrong. If he or she wants to use Braid so be it Deal with it. I could give a hoot about Braid , i do not use. As far as I am concerned Suffix is over priced crap. Ask any of you on this board and they will swear if one does not use it along with a Bimini Twist one can not catch fish. That is BS. Romans or not. You say you were into Racing at one time? So some say Goodyear or Firestone-Penzoil or Valvoline.


NO!!! YOU, SIR, are missing the point. It has absolutely nothing to do with YOUI catching fish...it has to do with YOU keeping OTHERS from catching fish!!! It also has absolutely NOTHING to do with which is better...braid or mono...that arguement has been beaten to death!!! I fish with both...but I am telling you now that I would NOT go to OBX and fish braid simply because I have enough respect for those guys up there...and knowing that I am on THEIR turf that I would hope we could co-exist and that they would help me out in a new area and that as a result, I would not "upset their applecart"!!! At no time did I ever state that because someone did not fish with the same equipment as me that they were in the wrong. In fact, it was *YOU* who decided that it was OK for Smoothlures to fish with braid, even though everyone else in that area didn't!!! You are giving Smoothlures BAD advice, and neither I nor anyone else on here will condone that!!! Guys come to this forum seeking legitimate advice. DO NOT tell someone that they can "do what they want" in an area that you do not fish, especially when you know it is going to pi$$ off everyone else around them and make enemies for them. Tell you what...you live in Jacksonville and I live in Daytona. I'm retired now, so I have plenty of time on my hands!!! Why don't we both make a trip up to OBX and I'll take all my equipment spooled with mono and even loan you the stuff I have loaded with braid (lots of it)! We'll do a little fishing up there, and see how things go. The only catch is, we share the gas and I want your share of the return gas up front. You really need to re-assess your attitude!!! If you have no concern or compassion or consideration for your fellow anglers and sportsmen, then when you stand next to me on the pier or on the beach, then YOU ARE BY YOURSELF!!!


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

SmoothLures, this falls into the same realm as the "Ethics and Fishing" thread. Braid is legal and you have the option to come here and pin-rig with it if you choose. However, being legal doesn't equate to being right. You can come here with seajay's attitude that you're going to do whatever you want to and see where it gets you. Or, you can come here and try to fit in. Which way do you feel in your heart will put you into fish? I promise you that if you take the time to Watch, Listen and Learn you'll go away with an enjoyable experience and possibly with a nice cobia or king. 

Now if braid is the custom in the area that you intend on fishing, then by all means go with what those boys are fishing with. As any pin-rigger will tell you fish can be few and far between. Most of the enjoyment of the sport comes from being with your fellow fishermen and enjoying a few laughs AND a few beers on the long hot days at the end of the pier. If you're NOT one of the boys because you insist on alienating them then what could be a memorable experience is going to be a nightmare.


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## 13lbflounder (May 4, 2008)

opcorn:


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

OK enough on the braid mono, he has been advised and will do what he thinks is best.

Thanks P&S Staff


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