# Cape Point Cobia



## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

In my never ending quest to define the fine line between stupid and crazy, I cooked up a plan to catch a cobia from the kayak. Paddle off the Point in Hatteras. Anchor up. Deploy chum and live eels and wait for the cobia to come calling. No other yakable location holds more cobia than the Point, unfortunately, no other location holds more sharks, either. Catching a cobia from a kayak might be crazy, deploying live baits and chum at the Point is just stupid. I arrived to the beach Friday night to find out that 5 cobia had been caught by surf dudes who were yaking out baits. Good sign. Also saw a 6 ½ foot bull shark pulled to the beach and watched several other big biters lost. Bad sign. Camped out on the beach in the back of the Jeep and was ready to launch at dawn. Wind was blowing at 10 and gusting to 15 but the surf was manageable and I found a break in the bar to sneak out through. Paddled just past the outside bar and set up camp. Deployed three live eels and the chum. One on the bottom, one mid-depth, and one on a float. All on 8/0 Gamis circles with 3 feet of 80 pound flouro leader. Tackle consisted of two medium heavy Shimano Talus rods and a Lami Kayak series stick. Two Accurate reels (870 and 197) and a Torium 16. The big reels spooled with 65 pound Powerpro and 30 Powerpro on the little Accurate. Didn’t take long before the bottom bait was sucked up by a carhood ray. Couldn’t even get the beast off the bottom. After turning my arms to Jello trying to lift the ray, I cut the line and didn’t put another bait on bottom. Not long after, I had a good run, set the hook and a small cobia launched out of the water. After a short, wet fight, I released a 36 inch brown suit. Mission accomplished. But, I wanted something bigger. Set the lines again and after a half hour, my float bait starts to move slowly away from the boat, the reel just going click, click, click. Picked up the rod, let the fish eat, then came tight on the line. The fish took off across the surface so fast that I could see the line disappearing from my reel. I tightened the drag to no effect. Tried to thumb the spool, and burned myself. My reel was smoking. 100 yards of line gone in a flash. The fish is dragging my 16 foot Prowler through the water sideways and I’m just holding on for dear life. Then the line goes slack and I retrieve everything but the hook. Shark. Big shark. I hooked and held on to three other sea monsters that morning. I even tried to chase one down by letting him drag me through the water. No way my tackle was going to be effective on a 150, 200, or bigger fish. No match. Each encounter ended the same way, hookless. Which was fine by me. I’m not really interested in meeting that adversary. But it sure was a rush while it lasted. Can’t even begin to image how big those sharks were. Hate to imagine how close they were to me when they took my baits. Glad they all decided to swim the other way. What a blast. Stupid, or crazy?


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

fisherman said:


> Stupid, or crazy?


badass.


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

*yak*

Very intresting.
probably should not fall out of yak.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

cant call a brother?


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## GhostCrab (Sep 5, 2006)

Definitely CRAZY!  

Sounds like an adventure...


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## ScottWood (May 16, 2005)

What fun!! Oorah!
:fishing: 


fisherman said:


> In my never ending quest to define the fine line between stupid and crazy, I cooked up a plan to catch a cobia from the kayak. Paddle off the Point in Hatteras. Anchor up. Deploy chum and live eels and wait for the cobia to come calling. No other yakable location holds more cobia than the Point, unfortunately, no other location holds more sharks, either. Catching a cobia from a kayak might be crazy, deploying live baits and chum at the Point is just stupid. I arrived to the beach Friday night to find out that 5 cobia had been caught by surf dudes who were yaking out baits. Good sign. Also saw a 6 ½ foot bull shark pulled to the beach and watched several other big biters lost. Bad sign. Camped out on the beach in the back of the Jeep and was ready to launch at dawn. Wind was blowing at 10 and gusting to 15 but the surf was manageable and I found a break in the bar to sneak out through. Paddled just past the outside bar and set up camp. Deployed three live eels and the chum. One on the bottom, one mid-depth, and one on a float. All on 8/0 Gamis circles with 3 feet of 80 pound flouro leader. Tackle consisted of two medium heavy Shimano Talus rods and a Lami Kayak series stick. Two Accurate reels (870 and 197) and a Torium 16. The big reels spooled with 65 pound Powerpro and 30 Powerpro on the little Accurate. Didn’t take long before the bottom bait was sucked up by a carhood ray. Couldn’t even get the beast off the bottom. After turning my arms to Jello trying to lift the ray, I cut the line and didn’t put another bait on bottom. Not long after, I had a good run, set the hook and a small cobia launched out of the water. After a short, wet fight, I released a 36 inch brown suit. Mission accomplished. But, I wanted something bigger. Set the lines again and after a half hour, my float bait starts to move slowly away from the boat, the reel just going click, click, click. Picked up the rod, let the fish eat, then came tight on the line. The fish took off across the surface so fast that I could see the line disappearing from my reel. I tightened the drag to no effect. Tried to thumb the spool, and burned myself. My reel was smoking. 100 yards of line gone in a flash. The fish is dragging my 16 foot Prowler through the water sideways and I’m just holding on for dear life. Then the line goes slack and I retrieve everything but the hook. Shark. Big shark. I hooked and held on to three other sea monsters that morning. I even tried to chase one down by letting him drag me through the water. No way my tackle was going to be effective on a 150, 200, or bigger fish. No match. Each encounter ended the same way, hookless. Which was fine by me. I’m not really interested in meeting that adversary. But it sure was a rush while it lasted. Can’t even begin to image how big those sharks were. Hate to imagine how close they were to me when they took my baits. Glad they all decided to swim the other way. What a blast. Stupid, or crazy?


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## marstang50 (May 3, 2005)

nice job


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

It has been done before. Check out this guy down here in Florida who did it. Big freakin' cobe.
http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=627066


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Great read*

Awesome....:beer:


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

*Damn*

You're crazy as a Sh*t House Rat my friend!!!  That's a hellava' report though. Sharks are bigger than your yak out there. Last time I was there, I saw at least a 200# Hammer pulled up on the Beach. The dude twisted it's head over and over to kill it...not a very pretty site


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

I have the greatest respect for sharks. I don't target them and I don't think I could bring myself to kill one. My dad and I used to do a lot of mako fishing when I was a kid. Awesome. I must admit I had some trepidation about those toothy critters before shoving off the beach - especially after seeing that beast landed the night before. However, my buddy JAM talked me down and shared some of his close encounters off the Point. "They're not going to eat a 15 foot kayak," he told me, "they're just curious." I kept telling myself, "Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times." The power of those fish was amazing. My arms are still sore. Emanuel, great find and awesome shots of that cobia. We've caught cobia in the yak before, too, but they are hard to come by. That's why I went to the Point - cobia central - and shark central.


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## C.Salp (May 30, 2002)

Ric -

Always appreciate your posts. Hope you don't mind me asking, how do you rig up to fish an eel at mid-depth?

Thanks,

Chris


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

The current was light in the morning and I was able to drop the eel about 10 pulls of line off the reel without using any weight. In the afternoon, I added a 2-ounce egg sinker above the swivel to keep the eel down in the current. One eel was about three feet below a break away float and the third was on my pitching rod just dangling on the surface below the bow of my boat. One of the sharks found that bait - inches from my toes.


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

Hey Fisherman,

How do you like the new Lami yak series rod? Which one do you have? They're new this year and I am looking for a yak rod. 

Thanks,
Chump


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

I have the medium heavy conventional and a light spinner. So far I've caught 40+ inch reds, 40+ inch striper, and too-big-to-stop sharks on the conventional and school striper and specks on the spinner and the rods have performed flawlessly. I like the 7-6 length when working fish around the boat. Lots of lifting power. Tough, too. Dumped the yak in the shore break on the way in Saturday evening and everyone survived.


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

*Witnessed the dump*

We witnessed Rick getting dumped in the wash. When the wave hit the kayak turned over and basically stood up on the rods. I can not believe none of them broke. I did not want to ask when we were helping getting up the loose stuff. Glad they all survived!


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Now that this thread is already high-jacked let me add that Shimano makes a nice Yak-able rod series called the Teramar. I've got the 7'6" single pc. heavy power,fast action rod that I fish with a 30 Grandwave and it's unreal for the Yak. I'm like Ric in that the 7'6" length is perfect and with the backbone and soft tip it fishes well on the Yak. PB with it is a 46" Red Drum that was taken from the shoals off Fishermans island and it could do more if I'm ever lucky enough to load it. Price isn't too bad @ $ 110 and they are sold off the shelf at BPS and OE2.


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

Hey Fisherman and jayb,

Thanks for the recommendations. I don't think I'll be able to find one of the Lamis to hold, but I'll definitely keep looking into it as well as check out the Teramar next time I'm in BPS.

Thanks,
Chump


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## ShoreFisher72 (Jul 13, 2005)

wow!! man i think you need some counseling ! nice story though


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Wthhh*

are you thinking  Cobia's have handled people rear to them on boats and shore. (i know, one beat me up bad heh heh) You are "Crazy" just going out there, with the sharks just crusing around. But as long as you had fun here to you:beer:....would i do it...Hell no!!! that damn "Shark week" got me all mess up   glad you made it back to give a really good read.....Don't do it anymore!!!


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

chump said:


> Hey Fisherman and jayb,
> 
> Thanks for the recommendations. I don't think I'll be able to find one of the Lamis to hold, but I'll definitely keep looking into it as well as check out the Teramar next time I'm in BPS.
> 
> ...


I have the Teramar as well and I love it. I have the 7'6" 10-20# rod and it's great. I've caught everything from 12" flounder to #30 kingfish on it. It has an unconditional lifetime warranty on it too.


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

My other two heavy sticks are Shimano Talus. Used their butterfly jig system offshore on Sunday and those skinny rods can tack a licking. Light, strong, solid action - nice rods. Jebson - Thanks for help with the garage sale on Saturday. Figures after surviving all that, I get dumped in the shore break.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

Man I was thinking the same and I'm going to do it one of these days.

I got a good taste of what it might be like this Monday. 

I hooked into a monster sting ray on my brand new St. Croix 7 ft MH rod. Instead of cutting the line, I decided to play him a bit. He moved my yak around (yak maks a great primary drag for huge creatures of the sea I realized). When he got close to the yak, I realized I foul hooked him on the wing. He flapped his wings like crazy and got me wetter than I have ever gotten in a yak. I was foolish enough to get more of the taste of saltwater and the next thing I know my rod breaks. I just cut the line after that. Score one for the ray. 

This is the same rod I intended to use for cobia fishing with 300 yards of 30 lbs stren braid. I even have the club and everything for the cobia in the yak.

Well, I now know that I'm going to probably need a bigger rod. Heck, I may need a .22 to subdue the Cobia.

When I got back to kiptopeke state park, I went to the fish cleaning station and saw some guys struggling to clean a Cobia steak style.

I didn't realize you needed a serrated knife. The bones on a cobia is very thick and you can't even cut into the skin with a conventional knife. My thoughts have changed about cobia fishing on a yak, but I intend to do it soon.


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

ccc658; Nice work on the ray, they are a lot of fun. The first fish I hooked off the Point was a giant ray. Suctioned to the bottom, I ended up cutting the line and re-rigging. Try fishing with whole crabs, live blues, or eels and don't drop a bait to the bottom to avoid the winged ones. Good practice for the big game. Sorry to hear about your rod breaking. Graphite? May want to try something with some fiberglass mixed in. Rays shouldn't break tackle. Landing a cobia is precarious, don't risk life and limb. Use a hammer to dispatch the fish next to the boat. Cleaning a cobia is not that hard. All you need is a very sharp and relatively stiff fillet knive. Clean it like a tuna. First, cut through the skin all the way around the filet on one side. Cut around the ribs so you don't have to mess with them. Get someone to hold the fish's head and use a pair of pliers or a rag to grip the skin by the shoulder and peel it away from the meat. The skin should come off in one piece. Then, use the knife to cut the loin away from the fish working around the ribs. Stop by the Fishing Center at Rudee and watch the guys clean tuna for a lesson.


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

wanna talk about crazy or stupid?


we made brent, Seas2Seas, paddle out tuna heads on monday evening in my yak. and hte baits were laying in my molded in spot in the back of the yakwhere the scupper pushes water onto the heads, and makes a nice slick on the way out as it drains haha


after chris beached a 8' dusky, brent wouldnt paddle anymore rofl. 


erik paddle one at night too, hauled asssss back in too 



TOOTH CRITTERS! bahahahahaha



Jesse


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

*Yakkin' baits*

Let's see some pix!!!!!    opcorn: opcorn:


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

we got a bunch of pics on chris's disposable, i think brent got a lil vid of him fighting it on his camera

and we got one of erik on his camera with a big fat spinner.



Brent, link it up to the fight vid



Jesse


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

yea i got some good pics & video of them toothys  .... I offered to paddle the baits out, nobody else  would paddle a bait out except EDM . Im not gonna catch toothys with my bait sittin in a cooler. Im to the beleif that unless its carcharadon carcharis, theyre not gonna attack a 12+ foot yak.... And if they want me that bad then it is what it is, Ide go doing what I love. Couldnt imagine a better way ta go.opcorn: Stupid, balsy... whatever it is, im gonna enjoy every go#$amn second of my life. No regrets mate, no regrets


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

brent if thats how u want to go...

lets go offshore one day with a few 50 gallon drums of chum and then u can play marco polo with em    



im more worried about falling out of the kayak goin over the bar at night a few hundred yards off of the beach and losing my paddle or something then i am about sharks 

but hey, thats what ur for!



Jesse


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)




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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

I got video clips but I dunno how to upload or share them.... few clips of EDMboarder wiring some toothys in the wash, to chris's Avet50getting smoked & such on. If somebody can enlighten me to doing it, ide be glad to...  Chris's camera has the pictures of the 200lber By the time I got back to it, they had already dragged it back into the wash


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

*Yea Boy!!!*

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!!!!!!      :fishing:


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

fisherman said:


> ccc658; Nice work on the ray, they are a lot of fun. The first fish I hooked off the Point was a giant ray. Suctioned to the bottom, I ended up cutting the line and re-rigging. Try fishing with whole crabs, live blues, or eels and don't drop a bait to the bottom to avoid the winged ones. Good practice for the big game. Sorry to hear about your rod breaking. Graphite? May want to try something with some fiberglass mixed in. Rays shouldn't break tackle. Landing a cobia is precarious, don't risk life and limb. Use a hammer to dispatch the fish next to the boat. Cleaning a cobia is not that hard. All you need is a very sharp and relatively stiff fillet knive. Clean it like a tuna. First, cut through the skin all the way around the filet on one side. Cut around the ribs so you don't have to mess with them. Get someone to hold the fish's head and use a pair of pliers or a rag to grip the skin by the shoulder and peel it away from the meat. The skin should come off in one piece. Then, use the knife to cut the loin away from the fish working around the ribs. Stop by the Fishing Center at Rudee and watch the guys clean tuna for a lesson.


I was trying to get some info. on fishing techniques for cobia so thanks for the tip. I heard someone say that they fish in water about 30 feet right off Kiptopeke pier. Also do you use a float? If so how deep? I saw another cobia being cleaned at Kiptopeke pier and these guys were fileting them. They didn't skin it, but it didn't seem that hard. Man those guys butchered it leaving way too much meat on the fish. What a shame. They caught it at Lattimer Shoal.

I'm thinking about getting in front of Kiptopeke Pier past the concrete ship or in Cape Charles Harbor.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

fisherman said:


> Sorry to hear about your rod breaking. Graphite? May want to try something with some fiberglass mixed in. Rays shouldn't break tackle. ./QUOTE]
> 
> I agree that rays shouldn't break tackle unless you have fisherman's error. But a foul hooked stingray (on the wing) is a different feel all together. Man that ray flapped his wing all over me splashing water on me like mad. Not only that, they feel twice as heavy when foul hooked.
> 
> ...


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