# How to go for cobia in a kayak



## Fishymcfisherman (Mar 23, 2011)

Hey guys wondering what you do to get cobia off of a kayak. I know that you primarily sight fish for them, but if you are right on the water do you do the same or can you use bait?


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## Ivarie (Mar 2, 2010)

Paddle along the sandbar until you see them. Then throw your bait or jigs at them. Half the time they're not even spooked by the kayak.


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## keperry1182 (Oct 6, 2010)

I asked the same thing a month or so ago and this is the advice I got, though I haven't had the opportunity to put it in action it seems legit and some of these guys are pretty damn good at what they do so it's good enough for me.
Chum with crushed blue crabs
Freeline a small whole or half a larger blue crab
Cruise the bar and try to see one
have a jig ready to flip out at a moments notice (easy as pie on a hobie BTW)
and try trolling/freelining eels
All this sounds like good tactics especially after seeing how effective a good chum slick can be this weekend. Good luck and I'll see ya out there


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## Capt. Redbeard (May 19, 2010)

keperry1182 said:


> I asked the same thing a month or so ago and this is the advice I got, though I haven't had the opportunity to put it in action it seems legit and some of these guys are pretty damn good at what they do so it's good enough for me.
> Chum with crushed blue crabs
> Freeline a small whole or half a larger blue crab
> Cruise the bar and try to see one
> ...




Very good advice!!!:thumbup:


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## Mayday (Sep 9, 2011)

good advise... my goal for this year is 1 (and my first)cobia. want to taste what everyone is saying at top of their good taste fish list.


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## Mayday (Sep 9, 2011)

btw, what size hook is good for them?


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## capnjustin (Nov 2, 2011)

I am planning on trying for Cobia from my Kayak as well in a few weeks and was curious if you do hook one of the brutes, how do you get it home? 

Tire it out completely and try and get it in the yak with you? 
Throw a stringer on it and tote it back to the beach?
Stick the rod in the holder and go back to the beach to fight and land it?

What's the best tactic?


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## keperry1182 (Oct 6, 2010)

to land a cobia in a Kayak take one gaff, and one small fish bat. Gaff the fish and beat the crap out of it till it calms down! Just like gaffing any fish if you're not SURE he's legal, or if you are going to release then don't gaff him and surely don't schwak him with the fish bat. But if he's a biggun and you're gonna eat him then it doesn't really matter if you beat him to death or if he suffocates slowly in the boat. For smaller ones or catch and release I'd let him get yakside take a photo and let him tire his self out before trying to handle him. I've done it with a few dozen big kings and it seems to work well for them.


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## capnjustin (Nov 2, 2011)

Hooking a pissed off fish with a gaff and schwaking it with a bat is outstanding! I can't wait to get out there and give it a shot!


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## keperry1182 (Oct 6, 2010)

On a serious note I find that with most fish, if you give them one sharp hard blow right behind the head it "stones" them and they become motionless for at least a moment. Granted this doesn't work all the time and sometimes you have to use the machine gunners motto "accuracy by volume" and beat the crap out of it.


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## Szoccer (Jan 24, 2011)

Last time I hooked one in my yak was out of VA Beach in the Atlantic. We were live lining spot and croaker (or whatever other small bait fish you can find), and chumming ones that died or other fish. Hooked up with a 56" Cobia, took about an hour to reel and get into the boat with 2 yaks. Another 1 hour paddle back into shore through the dark, and dinner that night made it all worth it. I'm going out this weekend if anyone is interested.


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

I usually slip them a few roofies and wait, put them on your yak and have your way with them!


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