AS SEEN IN THE SPRING 2004 ISSUE

With water temps on the rise, cruising cobia have west coast anglers scanning the horizon
well above the rest of my crew I find myself looking out over the horizon for tell tale signs. A hundred yards away off the bow an irregularity disturbs the surface of the otherwise calm emerald green water. I proceed to notify everyone aboard this just might be what we are searching for. Moving closer and closer I make out several brown figures through the glare on the water. Confirming my first assumption, It’s a pod of cobia working their way up the beach! I calmly remark to my crew to get ready and offer a distinct landmark to use as a reference for their cast.

A hard turn to starboard and we’re now well ahead of the cruising pod. We’re filled with anticipation as the fish approach. One angler confirms he’s got the targets in his sights. A well positioned presentation is followed by an instant hook up. With the drag screaming the second angler makes his cast and holds on for dear life as the second 40+ lb. fish almost yanks the rod from his grasp. It’s a double header!

On the west coast of Florida few things get fishermen’s adrenaline pumping like the annual spring cobia migration. From Naples to Tarpon Springs anglers have the opportunity to cash in on some of the most exciting and fast paced sight casting opportunities around. Yes, there are challenges involved and it takes a committed crew to ensure a successful day on the water. However, the hard work and dedication to this form of fishing pays dividends with multiple hookups and battles that will test the limits of you and your tackle. And the best part, its almost a sure thing!

West coast fishermen associate the beginning of the spring cobia run with preferable water temperatures. While cobia inhabit temperatures ranging from the high 60’s to the high 70’s, they can in fact be found in water as chilly as 66_. Overall though, I’ve found 70 to be the magic number marking the time when the fish fire up and kick off on their northward trek. They appear to follow this optimum 70 degree temperature mark as they gorge themselves on all available forage. Early spring fishing reports indicating consistent Spanish mackerel action is another dead giveaway that it’s time to go in search of the ‘bronze bombers’.

I’ve also noticed that tidal fluctuations do not have a substantial influence on the behavior of these fish. However, keep in mind that since this is a sight fishing game, tide does play a part in turbidity and overall visibility! Ideal fishing conditions consist of a slight easterly breeze with gin clear water. Fortunately, by early spring, the majority of cold fronts have come and gone and the southwest area is blessed with fairly consistent weather patterns.

Although advantageous to be one of the first to intercept the passing schools of cruising fish, getting up at the crack of dawn isn’t essential for a banner day of cobia fishing. In fact, the majority of fish I have caught have been when the sun is well above the horizon, thus making the fish easier to discern through the surface glare. West coast anglers can count on the average cookie cutter cobia in the 20 lb. category with an occasional fish tipping the scales toward the half century mark. It’s also not unheard of to stumble on even bigger fish at times. Just take a good look at the 90 lb. behemoth adorning the opening of this article.

When cruising the beach for cobia, the strategy is to intercept the northbound schools while heading in a southbound direction. Although depths vary, the majority of fish are taken between 12’ and 16’ of water. I typically maneuver the boat in a tight “S” pattern over this particular depth range to cover a large search area. Keeping one eye peeled on your fish finder is a good idea as cobia are also structure oriented and may be stacked up over hard bottom. As a rule of thumb, you should constantly be aware of every change in bottom topography. On one occasion I happened to peer straight down in 18’ of crystal clear water only to notice a half dozen cobes hoarded up on a small and seemingly insignificant rock pile!

Using your sight in sight fishing for cobia is imperative. Try to broaden your vision over the whole water column and pick out any small irregularities. What appears to be a floating brown grass patch could actually be a pod of potential drag screaming fish! A quality pair of polarized sunglasses are non negotiable in any sight fishing situation. A pair of marine binoculars is also advantageous for spotting fish further away. While the investment in a good pair of polarized sunglasses is incessantly mentioned in this magazine I’m still amazed at the number of fisherman out on the water without polarized lenses.

The excessive excitement of spotting that first pod of cobes often leads to fumbling and disorganization. Take a deep breath, relax and slow everything down. With the pod in sight, never take your eyes off the fish and make sure someone else also has made a positive ID before taking any action. The objective is to circle the pod and intercept their path without getting too close and spooking the fish. Since it’s rare to see a lone cobia cruising the beach, it’s essential to keep an extra rod ready at all times. Once an angler takes a shot at a prospective pod of fish, a second angler should immediately make another presentation. If all things go as planned, a double hook up should ensue!

When working a pod of cruising fish, don’t drop your bait in front of the school. An ideal presentation would entail casting well in front of the fish’s anticipated direction of travel. Manually close the bail right before your bait hits the water so you can immediately begin your retrieve. Try and skip your offering towards the fish. Cobia have a tendency to charge an offering and then proceed to pounce on it. A two to three count should be all that is required for a solid hook up!

Large pods of migrating fish will typically have smaller fish traveling with them. These smaller fish will often beat their larger brothers to the bait which again is another reason to have a backup rod ready to go at all times. If the cobia are in the feeding mode, they will assault just about anything placed in front of them. During the spring migration, the preferred bait is a small pass or blue crab. Cobia will also rarely turn down a live shrimp or white bait. I’ve found numerous advantages to using crabs though. Their hard bodies and compact shape allow anglers to cast long distances with bullet like accuracy. Compared to fragile white bait, crabs last for hours or even days in any style bait well. Best of all, cobia find crabs irresistible.

Artificial offerings can also be quit effective. Hard plastics, soft bodied jigs, and flies have all taken their fair share of keeper cobia. A favorite among many west coast anglers is a traditional eel imitation fished on a 3/4 oz. lead head. The buoyancy of a 10” worm more than compensates for the drop rate of a bare 3/4 oz. lead head and will almost suspend the offering in the water column. If throwing flies, stick to large black and purple imitations that mimic eel patterns. Rarely will one go unnoticed and I must say, not much beats catching a bruiser on fly!

The pure power of an upset cobia is something that demands respect, especially from your tackle. Fishing the beach requires quality medium/heavy spinning outfits holding several hundred yards of fresh 12 to 20 lb. mono or equivalent braid. Fishing structure calls for stouter tackle capable of man handling fish away from snags. A 2 to 3 foot section of 30-40 lb. leader material attached to your favorite double line knot will provide ample insurance against these formidable opponents. Keep a variety of hooks ranging from 2/0 to 5/0 on hand and always try to match the hook size to bait size.

Cobia make great targets for both professional and novice anglers. They can be temperamental at times requiring some finesse, but typically are very cooperative. However, don’t underestimate these fish. Even a small cobia is capable of literally impaling its head into the bottom in an attempt to dislodge the hook. The tenacity and incredible stamina of these fish also make them one of the most respected inshore/nearshore species, just ask anyone who has gaffed a big ticked off cobia and see what he has to say. Once a big cobia has been boated, be careful! You might think the fish has no fight left, but trust me he’ll still have enough juice to tear up the deck of your boat and break fishing rods as a token of appreciation.

Keep an eye on water temperature this spring when on the water, always be on the look out for cruising ‘bronze bombers’. Like me, some of your most successful and most memorable days fishing just might come from cruising the beach in search of these amazing fish. While cobia flesh does make excellent table fare, please remember to keep only what you will use. Become a professional at catch & release practices as all fish are too valuable a resource to waste!

Bio:
Born and raised in the Midwest, there are few freshwater species Brandon hasn’t tangled with. It wasn’t too long after a visit to the Florida Keys a number of years ago that Brandon moved to South Florida. Fulfilling his dream of moving to the fishing capital of the world, Mr. Barnhill was instantly addicted to Florida’s west coast inshore angling scene. With numerous wins and top five tournament finishes under his belt, he’s never looked back. Today, Brandon spends every minute of his spare time atop his poling platform in pursuit of bonefish, permit, tarpon and of course cobia. Look for more informative articles from Brandon in future issues of the South Florida Sport Fishing Magazine.

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