Got Out For Some Offshore Action

[SirSnookalot]

Hadn't been out in a while due to the weather, and the last few times were so good. The bite wasn't hot but what we did catch was pretty nice. We both had our limit on both species, only 1 & 2.....are allowed.

Decent size king fish, these guys don't fight until they see the boat, then it's game on. The cobia nearly yanked the rod out of the rod holder. My better cobia is still swimming, I didn't boat it. As I was fighting the fish we had a kingfish flopping around on the deck and several other rods with line in the water, my partner had a fish on at the same time, it was a little bit of chaos. After doing a 360 around the boat maybe 2 or 3 times( and tangled with a few other lines) I got it to the side of the boat, one final thrust and I was cut off on the trim tab........pitty, this fish was easily 10-15# larger, but as we had our limit it would have been released anyway.

[MCS]

Nice catches..thanks for sharing.

[Aluma-Bass]

nice cobia!

[SmokeRise1]

I'm heading out with my local club for Stripers tomorrow. I'll post some pics if we get some big ones.

[Helluva_Engineer]

See any dolphin or sails out there or did you stay shallow? Not going to be able to make it out until the 18th, hope the fishing starts picking up by then. Have been catching a few spanish mackerel just off the beach. Kings have been biting pretty well. Nothing really picture worthy. Need to work on my fish dip recipe.

[SirSnookalot]

We have caught sails in less than 100', but sails aren't too strong now, they like rough water in the wintertime. We pretty much fish between 75-125' but it varies in location, when I fish our of Riveria Beach we fish 120-200', but no dolphins. Our beach fishing is poor down here, need to getup to Hobe Sound, I am catching some snook in the ICW and the inlet.

[tomustang]

Sure sounds like fun, except for the line tangle dancing

Curious, what rod/reel setup where you using?

[SirSnookalot]

Sure sounds like fun, except for the line tangle dancing

Curious, what rod/reel setup where you using?

When I go out with my partners, we fish 1 rod at a time not as many tangles but we do get them. I go with this friend once week on his boat, he likes having 3-4 lines in the water and I have 2 or 3. The nature of these fish are to run and strip out lots of line, quite common for them to circle the boat, you have to move around with them keeping them in front of you. Don't mistake small boat fishing with being on a larger boat sitting in a fighting chair, the Captain will be moving the boat as to try and keep the fish off the stern.

I caught the king using conventional gear, an Avet mxj, 30# mono on a Star handicraft 25lb rod. The cobia was caught using spinning gear, a Penn conquer 7000, 30# PP on a Redbone 30# boat rod. Too much risk in fishing lighter, reels with lesser drags and lighter rods, increases your chances of being spooled, these fish are no where near the potential size they can get. By many peoples standards I'm fishing light as it is.

That said, can we catch fish this size inshore on light tackle, without a doubt, 2 different ballgames.

[Chris at Tech]

Nice! I'm heading to SC this weekend and have a few inshore trips booked. I'd love to come home with some cobia to grill again.