Capt. Richie Lott
Senior Member
Hit it kind of late yesterday... Caught HUGE pogies on the beach at Jekyll.
First, we combed the nearshore reefs for Cobia and didn't see any. We ran downriggers with Pogies, flatline powerbait eels (and downrigger). Never saw the first one... HUGE spades are still on a few of the nearshore reefs, but we just didn't have time to get them going yesterday, we were on a different mission and already running late.
An hour after playing around, we shot out to the R-5 Tower. Plenty of bait around the tower, so we baited up livewell #2 to match the hatch. Huge Cobia were all over the tower legs and in the bait as usual.
The Cobia on the surface wouldn't eat... We had a few chase down the powerbait eeels and other various baits live and artificial, but not one fish on the surface would eat.
Since we have been here before in this situation, we knew the Cobia closer to the bottom would eat, and those are normally the bigger Cobia at the Tower anyhow.
Sure enough, first bait down (pogey) slammed Clark to the Gunnel. After about 4-5 minutes of BRUTALITY, we got a peek at the Cobe.. he saw us too... he made a hundred yard run back to the tower and broke us off on the tower leg. One down....
A few drifts later, mid line doubles over screaming drag off. 12-14 pound bonito.. Stowed him on ice for Shark Bait later in the year. Letting that one back out, bamm.. Another one about 15 pounds. In the box he went...
Back up on the tower again, made our drop and clark hooks another MONSTER cobia. Same deal.... got him out off the tower (WAY OFF) and about the time you could tell he was 70 pounds plus and get excited, back to the tower at 30 MPH they went.
Keep in mind, we weren't fishing light.. We fish 80 pound braid and the drag on each reel is so tight, it's nearly at the breaking point, so basically, there isn't any drag, but 4 more times HUGE cobia claimed the tower..! I had all the drag I could put on the monster Cobes.
Anyhow, it was fun as we caught and released several Red Snapper and kingfish as well.
There cobia at that tower right now like i hav enever seen. They're MONSTERS. A few of those fish we lost could have been close to 90 pounds.
Pretty good box of fish and a GREAT time playing with the cobia. Thats just tower fishing... We're bringing Penn 300 International Torque reels next time with 130# braid.. I will hook the fish, put the boat in gear, set the drag to about 22 pounds and drag him out a few hundred yards, then land him!! We were UNDERGUNNED. Period. 50-80 pound tackle wouldnt turn those fish...
Tight Lines!
PS - I would post the video, but there is quite a bit of profanity when those fish would break clark off..
First, we combed the nearshore reefs for Cobia and didn't see any. We ran downriggers with Pogies, flatline powerbait eels (and downrigger). Never saw the first one... HUGE spades are still on a few of the nearshore reefs, but we just didn't have time to get them going yesterday, we were on a different mission and already running late.
An hour after playing around, we shot out to the R-5 Tower. Plenty of bait around the tower, so we baited up livewell #2 to match the hatch. Huge Cobia were all over the tower legs and in the bait as usual.
The Cobia on the surface wouldn't eat... We had a few chase down the powerbait eeels and other various baits live and artificial, but not one fish on the surface would eat.
Since we have been here before in this situation, we knew the Cobia closer to the bottom would eat, and those are normally the bigger Cobia at the Tower anyhow.
Sure enough, first bait down (pogey) slammed Clark to the Gunnel. After about 4-5 minutes of BRUTALITY, we got a peek at the Cobe.. he saw us too... he made a hundred yard run back to the tower and broke us off on the tower leg. One down....
A few drifts later, mid line doubles over screaming drag off. 12-14 pound bonito.. Stowed him on ice for Shark Bait later in the year. Letting that one back out, bamm.. Another one about 15 pounds. In the box he went...
Back up on the tower again, made our drop and clark hooks another MONSTER cobia. Same deal.... got him out off the tower (WAY OFF) and about the time you could tell he was 70 pounds plus and get excited, back to the tower at 30 MPH they went.
Keep in mind, we weren't fishing light.. We fish 80 pound braid and the drag on each reel is so tight, it's nearly at the breaking point, so basically, there isn't any drag, but 4 more times HUGE cobia claimed the tower..! I had all the drag I could put on the monster Cobes.
Anyhow, it was fun as we caught and released several Red Snapper and kingfish as well.
There cobia at that tower right now like i hav enever seen. They're MONSTERS. A few of those fish we lost could have been close to 90 pounds.
Pretty good box of fish and a GREAT time playing with the cobia. Thats just tower fishing... We're bringing Penn 300 International Torque reels next time with 130# braid.. I will hook the fish, put the boat in gear, set the drag to about 22 pounds and drag him out a few hundred yards, then land him!!
We were UNDERGUNNED. Period. 50-80 pound tackle wouldnt turn those fish...Tight Lines!
PS - I would post the video, but there is quite a bit of profanity when those fish would break clark off..
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