Serge vs Cobia scoreboard - Serge 3 Cobia 1

[Serge.]

After last weeks devastating defeat at the hands of a brutal chocolate torpedo I decided to head back out for 24 hrs and try and settle a score..... Loading up on big yakkas right on twilight I anchored up at the scene of the earlier crime and put out a handsome burley trail..... 1 hour later, with top and mid water covered, not a nibble. Hmmmmm I moved on tried another beacon and burleyed again ..... another 1hr...... still not a sign.
Off to Western Rocks. Anchored and burleyed again.... still not a peep ! So me thinks.... find prey find predator.

I throw some lead on the nose of a sprightly yakka and start a gentle troll about looking for bait schools. I found a few small loose patches then up on the sounder comes the unmistakable shape of a school getting balled up by something. I look over the side they are massed tight as I've ever seen..... my yakka is still the other side of the school but right on target then....BOOM ! After 20 mins a lovely 12kg Cobia is hanging from my gaff and slipped into the kill tank. I quickly reload the lucky rod and spin back around to find the school again. I actually spotted it this time the dark cluster moving with the tide..... I cruise across their path and slowly troll the bait right across its trailing edge and right on cue...BOOM. This fish wasn't too smart however .... after feeling the hooks it turned quickly and ran right at the boat I could barely wind fast enough to keep up with it by the time I came seriously tight again it was only 30 metres out. Considering the fish weighed in at 23+kg - scales bottomed out - it was over quickly in around 30 mins. I let this hog go as it behaved well when being unhooked and weighed and when being played. He would have met the fate of his brother if he had been hooked first but one's plenty for me.

I couldn't find that patch again so I went to Brennan Shoal and burlyed up again hoping to get a snapper..... only managed a 7kg kingy on a yakka fillet. It certainly did all in its power to rub me out.... the leader was chaffed and shaved its entire length. On returning to a now deserted Western Rocks I started looking for schools before employing a bait. I noticed a few more birds about than before and luckily saw a very small flurry of baitfish skitter the surface a bit off the bow. I nose hooked a yakka on my float lining rod and motored up current and to the side of the loose but large school and lobbed in the yakka… it drifted thru unharmed but the bait was still visibly skittery. I motored around the other side and lobbed it in again and this time I did the smart thing – I put the rod in the holder, whacked the bait runner into free spool and grabbed something to eat… on cue…SHABOOM ! It hit at real pace so I whacked it straight into gear and watched the rod buckle. On 8kg tackle and a longer softer rod it was a patience game but another 10-12kg cobia finally succumbed and was sent back from whence it came….

After crashing on the boat at Tanga I had another shot using the same ideas this morning on my way home to work without any success. Seemed to be much less bait than the previous day however a great spell on the water all the same.

[morty103]

Thats a great report, and good to see you letting them go.

[darryl_l]

A picture is worth a thousand words where is the picture

[kleiny]

good to see you got what you where targeting, persistance pays off. a great read to.
kleiny

[gavsgonefishing]

Thats a great report, and a good session by the sound of it

[bidkev]

Good report Serge. Nice to see some going back too.

cheers

kev

[fishyjoe]

Great Report Serge,

Well done, sounds like a great day.

Joe

[kingcobe]

Hi,

Top report . Hope got more good reports like that in store for everyone on the site.

Josh

[mattooty]

Everyone is into these bloody cobes. Dam u all.
Great report. Great effort releasing the big fella. He'll still be out there harassing some poor yellowtail next time you head out.
Matt

[fritzy]

Awesome stuff serge. I too am totally stoked that you released the larger fish in good condition. That is sustainable fishing practice!!
Congratulations, nothing better than being gutted after losing a fish only to go out next trip and settle the score. Well, as the title of your report puts it, more than settled the score!! Serge 3, Cobia 1. Serge in good form... Keep those cobia coming...
Cheers Fritzy

[seaspot]

Hi Serge. Yes a very good report.Thanks I have been hearing about Western Rocks. Can you give the general location. Is it at the top of Moreton. I am assuming that the rocks relate to structure underwater. I went out Wednesday 1409 chasing cobia around the beacons. No good on the cobia but manged to land a good sized tuna on a lure.