# Cobia



## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

hi, pretty new to this site but its proven to be very helpful looking through all the posts. don't hear too much about the cobia run though and its one of the fish I wanna catch this uppcoming season, would like some info on rigs,rods,reels,baits hooks etc. to use from some of you guys that have done it before. another thing I've heard is 2 weeks before memorial day. how long does it last? and when exactley can I expect it to start (water temp) thanks!


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## Eattheflounder (Apr 24, 2011)

Your chances will be much higher if you book a guide with a boat. You can catch them in the surf and from the pier but you might have to put in a lot of hours. Do you want to catch a cobia from the surf or are you just focused on catching one or even a few?

ETF


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## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

my goal is to catch one on the T the surf seems out of reach I don't have a yak and would be casting so mainly pier bound this season.


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## fishloser (Jul 18, 2002)

Water temp 70+, best chance is June and July


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## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Agree with Eattheflounder on this ---- Catching one from the surf or a pier can be tough for someone that has only a few days to fish - but those Inshore Captains on Hatteras Island know where and how to get em ---- I've seen em bring in the limit day after day and maybe one would be caught on the beaches packed with fisherman --- also sometimes the Meat will help override the cost of a half day Charter ---- River


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## NASCAR (Jul 26, 2013)

once temp hits 68 its game on. you could fish for 3 years on the pier and not catch one, but see ones pulled up right next to you though lol  . From the surf, which i've never bothered to try, i would throw cut bait, crabs, even a little pinfish on a leader to a weight so it doesnt swim away. hook it in the back or through the mouth out the top of the head. I'd probably fish like I would for Drum but with a larger reel and with braid. 30lbs braid, to a 40lbs mono shock leader (just enough on the spool to wrap it 3 or 4 times), to a 3-4foot 100lbs leader with a #4 or #5 live bait hook, or a larger circle hook, size 8, or large J hook, size 7 or 8, depends on your bait. might consider a wire leader too, I always use one on the pier. they dont have chompers but enough rubbing on that sand paper if the mono is soft it could wear down to a break. plenty of rods to choose from, id try my RS 1509 and like a MX or LX Avet with MC cast. might be over size tho. one thing you have going for you on the beach is you can run up and down the beach to follow the fish, but if it heads east you gotta watch your reel roll out. just take a charter


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

If you want to catch Cobia go shark fishing from the pier at night. I caught 2 in the last couple years fishing whole or cut menhaden on the bottom for sharks! However, I've spent literally hundreds of hours live bait fishing on pin rigs or balloon fishing for them and haven't caught a one that way in 4-5 years. Even fishing with the mighty "Sprocket" didn't bring me any luck!


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

ncsharkman said:


> If you want to catch Cobia go shark fishing from the pier at night. I caught 2 in the last couple years fishing whole or cut menhaden on the bottom for sharks! However, I've spent literally hundreds of hours live bait fishing on pin rigs or balloon fishing for them and haven't caught a one that way in 4-5 years. Even fishing with the mighty "Sprocket" didn't bring me any luck!


On the opposite end of the spectrum had a young kid crank up his menhaden out of the reach of a 40-50 pound cobe very intent on eating because he thought it was a shark....
He STILL gets **** for that.


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## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

thanks guys! and yeah I was thinking pier too since they like structure so much. I have more than a few days I got all summer. I think I'm gonna try it with my battle 8000 its currently got 374 yards of 25 lb mono I think that may be sufficient. or should I respool with braid? I was also told that if I'm pin rigging I'm also cobia,tarpon,kingfishing, so I'll have my pin rig out and then have the 8000 oon the side of the pier for cobes just one more question....float rig or bottom rig?


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

wettahoook said:


> thanks guys! and yeah I was thinking pier too since they like structure so much. I have more than a few days I got all summer. I think I'm gonna try it with my battle 8000 its currently got 374 yards of 25 lb mono I think that may be sufficient. or should I respool with braid? I was also told that if I'm pin rigging I'm also cobia,tarpon,kingfishing, so I'll have my pin rig out and then have the 8000 oon the side of the pier for cobes just one more question....float rig or bottom rig?


 Most of the time on piers when cobes are around,YES you can catch them on the bottom,but more often than not you will get a ray and it will tangle every pinrigger out there up.. You will not make many friends this way.. I'd suggest,bring a jigging rod equip with at least 250 plus of braid or mono of choice that will handle a three oz jig.. Also have a pinrig set up as well.. If you see one out of the baits,throw the jigging rod.. If fishing the beach use a bottom rig..


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## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

Drumdum said:


> Most of the time on piers when cobes are around,YES you can catch them on the bottom,but more often than not you will get a ray and it will tangle every pinrigger out there up.. You will not make many friends this way.. I'd suggest,bring a jigging rod equip with at least 250 plus of braid or mono of choice that will handle a three oz jig.. Also have a pinrig set up as well.. If you see one out of the baits,throw the jigging rod.. If fishing the beach use a bottom rig..


thanks man, yeah I could see how rays and sharks would be an issue...


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

Seriously now, A good way to catch a cobia or a king that My wife [serious fisherwoman] uses is to put a rod holder on the rail off the front side and put a live blue, spot or menhaden straight down about 2-4 feet off the bottom between the pilings. She uses a king/cobia live bait leader like you do for pin rigging but with a 2-3 ounce egg sinker above the bait to keep it down. She uses a short 30-60 stand up rod with a reverse reel seat and a Trinidad 50 reel with 65 pound power pro and some 100 pound mono shock. This is a simple rig that doesn't require a lot of prep and only one rod! She can "fish" with the best of them and usually out fishes me.


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## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

nice yeah that seems like the perfect setup, that's pretty much what I was thinking, don't really wanna hire a guide lol..


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## yerbyray (May 18, 2010)

ncsharkman said:


> ...rod with a reverse reel seat...


Can someone explain that part to me? I have been looking at a Penn 6/0 that comes with a 6' fighting rod and I am curious as to the reverse seat.


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

Yerby I'm guessing what mr.sharkman is describing is lock up or lock down.really is no difference in performance one way or the other.more personal preference than anything else


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## wettahoook (Jan 22, 2014)

now its just time to wait for spring, then I can put all the new info I've learned on here to work!


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

ncsharkman said:


> However, I've spent literally hundreds of hours live bait fishing on pin rigs or balloon fishing for them . . .


Shh . . . The "Enviro-Nazi's" will hear you. . . LOL !


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

ez2cdave said:


> Shh . . . The "Enviro-Nazi's" will hear you. . . LOL !


 Your right Dave and it really upsets me...NOT! Hell, I'd use "FLIPPER" for a shark bait!


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