Cobia fishing

[lilparanoid]

Could someone give me any tips on how to catch cobia?
What rigs are good?
When are they in season?
Do i have to go out wide or close to shore?

[wayne_cook]

Will take pillies.
Free swiming livies.
livies under floats.
baits near bottom.
10kg+ tackle no wire required.Good back,good gaf and time.
Likley to pop up anythere,but bomies headlands all good.
GOOD LUC THEY ARE ONE TUFF FISH!

[Jitlands]

Often swim with manta rays near the surface, seen this plenty of times on the spanner crab grounds north of the cape.
Try lobbing a whole bait (tiger mullet, yakka) behind the rays

They are also partial to three spot crabs at times

[flipper]

They are definately worth targeting- one of the best fighting and eating fish I have encountered.
Up until a week ago we were having a blistering run of cobe out of Brunswick. Fish were 3.5 up to 28kg.
Well, bait can be just about anything. I prefer live yakkas, in fact they were hitting yakkas before the slimies. But anything that has a kick to it is good. During the bite, I caught them on popeyes, sweep, balmain stripies, pillies (both fresh and three times frozen-yuck).... just about anything. The best idea is to match what they are feeding/ focused on so catch the bait where you intend to target the cobia.
Rig I prefer is the two hook 5/0 snelled rig with fluorocarbon leader (about 500mm).
Usually use two rods out of the boat and stagger the weights to cover all depths- I drift over broken reef.
I generally fish solo so short rods are easier when it comes to gaffing. 15kg gear with lever drag overheads are a good idea for these tough fighters. You can do them on eggbeaters but the first few metres are all important as they can be dirty fighters and rubbing you off on the reef is an ever present threat. They may not be the prettiest fish in the sea but hell, they can challenge you.
Good luck and have some fun.
PS ALWAYS have a second rod out while you are fighting a fish. Double hookups are very common as these predators are often in schools or at least pairs.

[baitable]

hahaha.... i have managed to even catch cobia on the humble grinner!!!!! tell ya what though, live squid gets absolutley smashed... biggest one to be pulled off the beacons to date by us is round the 25kg mark...

as for travelling in pairs, ABSOLUTELY

[lilparanoid]

Thanks guys,
this is all very helpful

[lilparanoid]

Thanks guys,
this is all very helpful

[lilparanoid]

Thanks guys,
this is all very helpful

[jake_snapper_king]

yeah go the lives and butter fly them if u know how
the best fighting fish well nearly my 58 kg blue fin put upp a great fight
if u hook one u will know thay fight and fight at first thay look like a shark but dont cut the line before u get it to the boat casue often thay get mistaken for a shark good luck

[onerabbit]

Hey Jake_ snapper _ king ,

I thought I knew how to butterfly a fish, but how do you do it with a livey???

Muzz

[2DKnBJ]

Keep an eye on Fishinmishin's reports or get in touch with him.prettysure he can give you some good advice on hooking into these critters.

[Tony_N]

# # Hey #Jake_ snapper _ king ,

# # I thought I knew how to butterfly a fish, but how do you do it with a livey???

# # Muzz

You're a wag Muzz

Tony

[Just_a_Grunt]

We got some nice ones just north of Cowan Cowan. There were probably about 20 or so sitting on a ray about 30 m from the beach. We had a double hook up first cast on soft plastics. Both were around the 12 kg mark.

They can go, though!!!!

[onerabbit]

Cheers Tony,

I suppose my question was a little "tongue in cheek", on the other hand, Im always open to good , new ideas.

Muzz

[frenzy]

those critters eat anything ,just burley up on a good patch of reef ,throw out the floaters and they will come,30lb line is enough, get ready and hang on they seem to hang around all year just sometimes they are there in huge numbers