If you’re looking for an exciting and challenging fishing experience, look no further than cobia. These fish can be quite elusive, but with the right bait, you’ll be reeling them in before you know it! In this blog post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about catching cobia, including the best bait to use. So read on and get ready to catch some fish!
How To Choose Fishing Bait For Cobia
Cobia will wreak havoc on almost all types of fishing gear and will put up long, hard fights. If you happen to be one of the lucky anglers who manages to catch a cobia then good for you and here is some information about how to fish for them.
Cobia mainly live offshore in waters that are at least 65 feet deep. These fish feed heavily on crustaceans and will attack many different kinds of baitfish. They are not discerning at all, they will strike just about anything that smells or looks edible.
Cobia have large mouths with thick, strong teeth. They also have bony heads which make it hard for them to swallow most baits whole. Smaller baits like small pieces of fish or squid can be swallowed without too much ado. Bigger baits need to be cut up into smaller pieces so that the cobia can swallow them easily.
The best kind of bait for catching these creatures is either live or dead baitfish. Live bait needs to be no more than four inches in length and anything bigger may not be able to fit inside the fishes mouth. Cut baits are lures or pieces of cut baitfish that can be used on their own or as part of bigger baits.
Cobia spend most of their time down at depths of more than 150 feet so your normal, everyday fishing line just will not do the trick. You have to get special deep water fishing line that can carry your bait to even greater depths. While you are at it, get some extra heavy duty hooks because cobia have mouths that are very strong.
Cobia live in schools so if you do happen to catch one of these fish then there is a good chance that more than one cobia will also take the bait. You might even get a big cobia or two on your line at the same time. It is important to note that all of these fish will be males and they can weigh anywhere between 30 and 200 pounds.
Cobia are not fussy at all when it comes to lures, but most times it’s best to use a metal lure. Metal lures are very strong and will not tear during the fight. Try to get a metal lure that is bigger than what you would normally use for other kinds of fish because cobia have big mouths and require larger baits.
Cobia love crustaceans that include crabs, shrimps, lobsters or any other kind of shellfish that you can imagine. They will also eat small fish, squid and octopus. As for baits, crabs are both tasty and tough so they are perfect in this situation. Other kinds of small shrimp are just as good too. Crabs have hard shells which makes it easier to penetrate the cobia’s mouth when you try to hook them.
Cobia do not feed during the day so it is best to fish at night when they are out and about searching for food. You can catch these fish both offshore and inshore because they tend to travel both far and wide in search of food. They generally spend their time near reefs, wrecks, channels and drop-offs. Inshore, these fish will keep to the deeper waters during the day and move closer to shallower waters at night.
When fishing for cobia you should have a range of lures so that you can use different kinds if they do not take your first option. You should have at least one metal lure with a large profile and a smaller one with a smaller profile. Other kinds of lures include topwater lures, jigs and soft plastics.
Best Live Bait For Cobia
Cobia love to eat crabs and shrimp, and the bigger the better! They will scavenge on dead fish and squid so some anglers use these baits while others prefer to use live bait.
Cobia, while they do appreciate a good meal, also require a lot of effort for them to take that meal out of your hands. You have to present them with live bait that’s just right. You can’t just simply hook up a live blue crab and expect the fish to come running.
Cobia are very smart, crafty, and curious creatures. If you want the big boys to take your bait, you need to be able to mimic exactly what they eat in their natural habitat.
Nancy Island, located in the Chesapeake Bay, is a perfect place to catch cobia. The island itself is known for having an abundance of live bait such as blue crabs and shrimp that attracts all types of big fish.
To use live blue crabs as bait for catching cobia you’ll need to do some preparation and planning. First, you have to catch a bunch of live crabs on your own. Believe me, it’s not easy! So unless you want to spend the rest of your fishing trip catching blue crabs instead of catching cobia then go ahead and hire some local crabbers first.
Once you’ve got a good amount of live blue crabs in your possession then you’ll have to keep them alive until it’s time to fish. The best way I’ve found is to use a Styrofoam cooler. Get about 5-7 inches of water in the bottom, place an aerator inside, and drop all your live crabs inside.
The water must be salted or else the crabs will die. The solution needs to be about one ounce per gallon of water. If you don’t have the salt lying around then stop by any seafood store and purchase it there.
Also, make sure you keep your live crabs together in the cooler because if they are separated they will die much quicker than if they were kept together (and alive for that matter).
If you don’t want to use live blue crabs as bait for catching cobia, then your second best option would be to use a piece of the real thing.
First, cut off a small chunk from a live blue crab and hook it just below the back shell with any size hook you have lying around. If the crabs are small, then use a small hook. If they are big, use a big hook.
Cobia have sharp teeth so make sure you attach the bait securely to the line! Now cast it out and wait for the fish to take your offering. As soon as he does pull back on your rod because cobia do not fight like other fish, they tend to run and then stop abruptly making it hard for you to bring the fish in.
Once you’ve got a good cobia on your line, give him some time to get nice and comfortable with your bait. He will play around with it for a few minutes before he starts chowing down. By this time, he should be close to your boat and ready to be brought in.
The next time you’re out fishing for cobia, experiment with live blue crabs and live shrimp to see which one works best for you. The only way you’ll find out is if you try it yourself!
Live blue crabs are great for catching cobia because they are full of life just like these ferocious fish. You won’t regret your time spent out on the water with live bait in hand, ready to catch a live cobia. Good luck and good fishing!
Conclusion
The next time you’re out on the water chasing cobia, be sure to try using one of these baits. You may just land yourself a big one! Have you had any success with these baits or do you have another go-to for cobia? Let us know in the comments below.