# Surf Fishing for Cobia



## Guy

Ok, I heard rumors that it's possible to surf fish for cobia. Is it true? and if so, what kind of tackle and bait would a person need?


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## PBTH

There's always a chance of hooking a cobia on standard beach fishing outfits during the Spring run, but it's a small chance. Your best bet would be to drag a ladder out to the sandbar and sight fish them with a jig. It's been done many times before.


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## PAWGhunter

I've done it by accident. Caught a little 24" cobia in about 5ft of water on Dauphin Island a few years back. Best part was that it was on a carolina rig and dead shrimp


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## Caddy Yakker

Yeah sight fishing would be your best bet. I have paddled live mullet out and dropped them off for cobes on my high line capacity reels but all I got was sharks and my biggest bull red that hit a left over live eel. I planned on fishing out of my yak that day but there was too much wind chop for me.

If the water is clear chances are you will see fish within casting range especially on a ladder.


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## Guy

I've heard of that, but never attempted. Sounds cool, and may be worth a try. Thanks!!!


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## JoeZ

The best theory I've heard on this is to try to float live bait off the beach during the April full moon. Especially effective (well, more plausible I guess) if there's a high tide at night as well.


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## Bodupp

I've caught them swimming less than a rod's length from land, fishing from a boat. As a matter of fact, I cast onto the beach, and a guy walking the beach thought I was throwing at him until he saw me hook up. So yes, it's possible, but I would go early in the morning and the more deserted the beach the better.


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## Hawkseye

I've spotted quite a few from shore while working over the years. Of course it always happens when I don't have a rod around. 

If you can see them, you can catch them. I've always told myself I was going to take a couple of days one season and give it a shot.


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## Charlie2

*Surf Cobia*

There are a lot of cobia right on the beach that go by unseen because everyone is looking out deep for them.

I keep a Mitchell 402 on a cobia rod in a spike by itself to throw at one if and when if it comes by.

Put an eel, hardhead catfish or cobia jig on your rod. JMHO C2


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## Guy

It's always sounded plausable to me, but I've never heard of anyone really targeting them from the beach. And it sounds like I gotta try it out. If I get lucky, I'll most definitely post pics... Thanks everyone for the help...


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## amberj

Back years ago they use to stand on the sand dunes and spot them and run out in the water and cast for them...I still remember watching my father and my uncle doing it when I was really young. My father can still spot fish better than anyone I have ever known and doesnt wear anytype of poloraized glasses...Does it old school all the way!


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## marmidor

amberj said:


> Back years ago they use to stand on the sand dunes and spot them and run out in the water and cast for them...I still remember watching my father and my uncle doing it when I was really young. My father can still spot fish better than anyone I have ever known and doesnt wear anytype of poloraized glasses...Does it old school all the way!


DANG man that's awesome! Pops (no disrespect to your father) taking it to them OLD SKOOL!! No glasses....that's insane!


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## PompChaser315

Would a cobia eat a small catfish?


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## Caddy Yakker

FUPAGUNT said:


> Would a cobia eat a small catfish?


Yeah they love them! Just pop the spines off. Its one of the best cobia baits!


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## Hawkseye

amberj said:


> Back years ago they use to stand on the sand dunes and spot them and run out in the water and cast for them...I still remember watching my father and my uncle doing it when I was really young. My father can still spot fish better than anyone I have ever known and doesnt wear anytype of poloraized glasses...Does it old school all the way!



I would be willing to bet that many of the people reading that comment have no idea just how high the dunes used to be. When I was a kid, it was rare that you could see the water between the 30 and 40ft dunes while driving down the beach. 

Frederick
Elaina
Opal
Ivan

Really turned the beach into a parking lot.


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## Reelfly

20 + years ago the fish would pour through so thick..... you didn't need a tower.


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## Hawkseye

Reelfly said:


> 20 + years ago the fish would pour through so thick..... you didn't need a tower.


Good point. I can remember seeing them lined up on the piers.


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## Charlie2

Bodupp said:


> I've caught them swimming less than a rod's length from land, fishing from a boat. As a matter of fact, I cast onto the beach, and a guy walking the beach thought I was throwing at him until he saw me hook up. So yes, it's possible, but I would go early in the morning and the more deserted the beach the better.


A funny(not to me) happened while surf fishing for Cobia.

I had a 40-50 lb fish hooked and was in the process of landing it.

I had it beaten and in the first gut, where I was using the wave action to 'surf' the fish in.

Lo; and behold, some 'Monkey Boat' came up and began casting at my fish.

After repeated casts, he finally hooked up on something and it became a tug of war. He won.

He probably mistook my arm waving. The bent fishing rod should also have been a clue.

He got a nice fish as well as a Cobia jig. Thanks! :thumbdown: C2


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## Guy

That's funny right there... But not really... :whistling:


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## Bubba Feesh

Guys fish Cobia all the time from the beach around Cape Hatteras. Fresh LY's and a 8/0 circle on a fish finder rig with 50# shock leader. Throw em over the second bar or Yak them out. Summer before last while we had oil the east coast was catching record numbers. Soaking bait on one rod and jig for sight fishing in hand in case one comes in close.


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## Charlie2

Caddy Yakker said:


> Yeah they love them! Just pop the spines off. Its one of the best cobia baits!





Bubba Feesh said:


> Guys fish Cobia all the time from the beach around Cape Hatteras. Fresh LY's and a 8/0 circle on a fish finder rig with 50# shock leader. Throw em over the second bar or Yak them out. Summer before last while we had oil the east coast was catching record numbers. Soaking bait with one rod and jig for sight fishing in hand in case one comes in close.[/QUOTE
> 
> You may remove(snip) the spines on a hardhead catfish, but this is mainly for creature comfort. I have butchered many cobia and found their stomachs literally festooned with catfish barbs. The cobia don't care. BTW; I snip mine.
> 
> I fish as you do. I like to soak bait, then fish with small Pompano jigs. If a cobia comes by, I'm ready with either a hardhead catfish, eel, or a jig handy just in case.
> 
> Some time; I will relate with my 'experimental fishing method' which worked, but couldn't keep the boats from investigating it and get mono wrapped around their propeller shafts. Too much hassle. Better done at night.
> 
> Yes; cobia travel at night and are pretty close in.
> 
> Things really change on the beaches after decades. C2


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## Island24

Good point on the dunes. I still remember hiding in the middle of the dunes when my Mom said it was time to go home. Despite me hiding 35 feet high in the middle of a complex of dunes she too misses them. Wish my kids could play in those dunes.


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