# Cobia from the kayak?



## docholiday174 (Nov 5, 2012)

Just wondering if anyone has tried to catch cobia from the kayak?
What type of gear would you recommend?
I have a couple of med/heavy spinning combos with 30 & 50 lb braid. What types of bait would be most productive?
Thanks for any help


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I've caught quite a few from the yak. Medium spinning or conventional gear works fine. Anything from 15lb mono on up. I like to drift and chum for them with a drift line out while keeping a rod rigged with something to throw


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

Harpoon and rope? Idk...sounds like fun to me lol.

(I'm with Chris V actually, semi-light tackle - chum - live bait)


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Gaffing them is the fun part! The 52lber I got from my yak several yrs ago had my yak doing the tilt-a-whirl


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Cobia are tough of a stick gaff from a yak.*

Rig up a 12/0-16/0 hook for a flying gaff. It is a lot easier and safer to handle a big fish on a line than it is on a stick. Look in the tips column for the one I make. Make your break away handle 37" so you have a good measuring device. Actually, there is seldom a need to gaff a Cobia that small out of a yak.

Never stick a fish that you aren't ready to handle and kill. A big Cobia could dump you in a heart beat on a stick gaff

I generally use an Ambassadeur Record 60HC on a little 5-1/2 foot Spidercast baitcasting rod with 40# for Cobia and Tarpon from my yak. Prior to the Record 60HC I used a Shimano Bantam Mag 50 with 40# and I haven't felt undergunned with Cobia to 60# Tarpon to over 200 and Cubera Snapper over 50#.


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## rfh21 (May 17, 2012)

This is my goal for the spring is to get a few ling as well. I was thinking Hawaiian style gaff (30milesout on youtube got me turned on to this idea). Got my spinning rod and reel ready for chucking at them aside from the braid/mono decision and conventionals all set for flat lines. 

What are you using for chum? Frozen stuff or just some chopped pogies? Are you chumming just past the first sand bar or a little farther out?


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## BrandonFox (Jan 31, 2013)

The Hawaiian style gaffs are great for cobia, but can be dangerous upon leaving/returning to the beach. With the rough surf here in Tx there has been multiple accounts of people flipping their yaks and taking the blunt end through their body... keep a bottle or something on the end.


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## rfh21 (May 17, 2012)

Good looking out on that one. I'll probably pop a tennis ball on the end to keep it safe and add a little buoyancy in case of a yard sale situation.


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## jasonh1903 (Aug 6, 2010)

Gaffs are so dangerous in the surf. I put a nice puncture hole in my foot launching from the surf a couple summers ago. Best to cover them up and store them out of harms way. A lot of people store them in their paddle holders. Bad idea. Easy to get impaled if you decide to swim your yak in.


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## jbs_bama (May 24, 2010)

Yes, I'm thinking the previous mentioned Hawaiian style gaff will be what I use. Of course it will be tipped with a tennis ball when not in use. I'm thinking if you get something big like a cobia you'll want to have a little more leverage and get a quick kill before you put them in the yak. What do you guys use?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I use a regular gaff. After watching a friend stick a fish twice with a spear gaff and then it throw the hook just to swim off and die, there's no way I'll use one. I feel I have total control with a standard gaff. Stick him and hold to the side of the yak, he will be done soon. A small bat is a good thing too.


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

Chris V said:


> I use a regular gaff. After watching a friend stick a fish twice with a spear gaff and then it throw the hook just to swim off and die, there's no way I'll use one. I feel I have total control with a standard gaff. Stick him and hold to the side of the yak, he will be done soon. A small bat is a good thing too.


Yeah I'm with you Chris. I carry a good strong gaff and an aluminum t-ball bat. I think it would be very difficult to get a kill shot on a cobe first stick and I could see one shaking off very easy and turning into a big [email protected]#!&. I think the main thing is don't horse them in.


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