im 17 and ive done every kindof fishing u can do in va, i can think of anything more frustrating than being classified as insane, doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, ive been cobia fishing for many years but only winessed the catchin of two, one a 64 pound monster when i was 12 and a dink last year. when my dad and i arent going way offshore we go to the bay and try for flounder then cobia
Just two weeks ago for my bday we went to the bay and once again while cobia fishing caught shark after shark, using live eels and LIVE menhaden(yes i finally kept them alive) and we caught maybe 16 sandbar sharks well then i decided to put a line right below the boat w/ a live men. and it goes of immidiatly like everything else does and im thinking shark, well i pick up the rod wait a few seconds, bc using circle hooks, then i drive the baby down and this thing feels like a monster and instead of acting like a shark it dives and is takin runs kinda like a tuna and then im thinking COBIA and thinking this is a good one, this thing everytime i get it almost into sight it runs under the boat, down, to the bow, straight out, doing everything a cobia would do. well this thing was working me, even after all the weight training i do at stc, well i finally get it to the boat after 10 mins and it turns out to be mr.sharks closest relative the ray well and this thing we estimated to be about a 4foot wing spand absolutly huge but my heart was broken. the funny thing about it was there was another lil dink about 14, 15inches long hangin underneth him, i knew they liked to do that but i felt the need to ask my dad he said "hmm...shade?"
well ive got some questions to all u cobia guys that just keep on catching them when others like me just cant.
-what is the most prefered bait besides eels(bc i always use them)
-what is ur perfered set up, fishfinder rigs, balloon rigs, kite, etc
-where, where, where(we usually fish cape charels and silverbeach)
-best time of the day or just based around tide
-how do u keep the sharks off of u if u can(however they do keep the action going)
-buy chum, use a chum churner w/ by catch like croaker, blue fish
-live bait if u can(menhaden, small bluefish, small croaker)
Or just any general infomation u can spare would be appriciated, and used. i very grateful to have a father that loves to fish almost as much as me and he does kno a lot and we do kno a lot about cobia fishing it just turns out we cant catch them. it is my dream to catch a mako shark and a nice cobia within the next few years, so im begging all of u fishermen that are hiding secrets and dont want to expose them to everyone just pm me PLEASE...
Sam B

For this time of year I would forget about anchoring and chumming, it's a waste of time. Later in the summer, cobia start to cruise around on the surface. Try searching the bouys or CBBT pilings and sight cast to them. Use either eels or bucktails. What you're doing works earlier in the summer and can work now, but you would have better luck bouy hopping.

Brian

don't feel to bad about not catching a cobia yet. i have lived and fished here my whole 37 years and have only come close. i have had them so close to the boat you could have jumped on them, nose live bait and swim away and sadly yanked the bait out of their mouth. its just a matter of time and commitment their out there you just have to put yourself on them when their hungry. good luck and tight lines.

Agree with this. Cobia fishing is very frustrating.

Your a Cobia Virgin

Cobia fishing in the Chesapeake can be very frustrating. It really depends on putting in time...and if you are bait fishin...it sometimes takes alot of it. I have fished in the bay for 17 years and it took at least 3 years being a novist before I finally caught one. I fish alot in the area you talked about...and have done quite well off Cape Charles and up to Silver Beach area with the cobes in the past 10 years. The fishery this year is not what it has been. I chase them in NC , May-June out of Hatteras (sight casting) and didn't see the numbers as in past years.
Bouy hopping is or can be productive this time of year, but you can still catch them bait fishn Aug and Sept. Try using a variety of baits. Eels are expensive and they have to be alive...Sharks and bluefish love them and all it takes is one swipe and they're done. I rely on fresh menhaden and live spot, croaker, and or bluefish. I have probally caught more cobes in the Bay using fresh menhaden though. I have caught them on all tide phases but probally the end of ebb or slack....(either end )have been the best for me. Good luck and just stick with it and you will get one! Hope any of this helps.
M.E.

try not using circle hooks!

Everyone else pretty much covered everything. The only tip i really have is to stick around a little if you see a ray. A lot of times cobia stay close to rays when they're on the bottom because they kick up shrimp and stuff. When the ray sees bait fish on the top, however, it will surface to eat those and soo will the cobia. Thats what got me my first cobia at the CBBT. Hope this helps

"For this time of year I would forget about anchoring and chumming, it's a waste of time. "

R U Serious...???

Durning the Bluewater Classic we had one boat land 3 cobia, one of them worth $300.00...all while on the hook. There was also an 85 pounder weighed at the Fishing Center on Friday and a boat weighing some big Sheephead at Long Bay on Friday said they saw at least seven Cobia that day. They are still around for the taking!!!

thanks for the help and at least i kno im doing the right thing, it nice t kno i can ask for help if i need it

I def would forget about anchoring and chumming this time of the year. Sightcasting is the way to go this late in the summer.

Absolutely

Sam as Don mentioned it was my boat that caught 3 cobia during the tournament. All the fish weighed over 30lbs.... not monsters but good enough for $300.I was fishing in the ocean wasting time chumming !!!!!!
sorry had to be said.here is what we did
* cast net menhenden and keep them alive in the well
* anchor at bouy
*deploy 2 gallon frozen chum block half way down water colum
* hang rags soaked in oil off transom flating on top
*chunk pieces occasionally
*bounce live baits off transom without hook
*throw smaller livies they stay around the boat no hook
*40 lb class conventional gear
* #7 or #9 hooks 80-100 lb mono leader 6-8 ft long no weigth
*tail hook large live baits leave reel out of gear clicker on
* drink beer ( 17yrs substitute soda) wait for eratic cliker movement
* net fish collect $$
Todd

thanks todd so basically u put as much chum in the water and try to use live bait if u can get it, thats verykind and i love the detail but wich bouy were u set up near, a channel?? or reef? great job w/ three in one day thats sweet
Sam B

the ocean bouys have been productive there is a line of them off vabeach
Todd
there was some nice clear water there also

We were King fishing off Sandbridge on Tuesday and we had a cobia (about 36 inches) nursing off of our chum bag. I mean he had his mouth right on it. Every time we pulled a bait in to check it, he went for it. Very interesting watching him. We fed him 3 menhaden that had died in the bait well and he kept going back to the chum bag. I gues he hung around for a couple of hours. Only one we saw and NO kings. Great day anyway.
Va.