What is the best bait to use for cobia?

Best Bait For Cobia

• Traditional Cobia Baits.
• Crabs. Cut open a cobias stomach and the most food you will find is crabs.
• Shrimp. It’s hard to find a game-fish that won’t eat a shrimp, including cobia.
• Baitfish. Cobia and mullet are no strangers.
• Specialty Cobia Baits.
• Eels. Plain and simple, cobia love eels.
• Catfish.

Can you chum for cobia?

The trick is to chum enough to bring up the cobia without alerting every bull or tiger shark in the area code. Basically, Steve usually cuts up a pogy, and drops a piece at a time until each piece has had time to reach the bottom. Remember, you’re serving appetizers, the main course will have a hook in it.

Is cobia hard to catch?

It is difficult to target cobia while bottom fishing or fishing a structure, unless it swims up to the boat to take a look, which they often do: always have a spinning rod with a jig or bait ready. One way to improve your odds of catching a cobia is to use chum. Balloons are also an effective way to target cobia.

How fast should you troll for cobia?

between four and six knots
In the meantime, here are the basics you need to know to troll for cobia: Maintain a speed between four and six knots. Use 40- to 60-pound class gear.

Does eel make good bait?

Eels are some of the best live baits to use since they are very strong and lively. They can go hours without needing to be placed in water and also can live in Salt water or in Fresh water. Eels are extremely slippery and can be difficult to hold so a rag is very useful when hooking these baits.

Where do cobia hang out?

Cobia are scavengers for the most part and will follow along with sharks, turtles, and rays that are also cruising the beaches. Cobia often hang out around the mouth of the pass especially on the outgoing tide and will hang out around buoys and FADS.

Are cobia bottom feeders?

Understanding these migration patterns will increase your success rate. Cobia are bottom dwellers and are known for eating whatever comes their way, including smaller baitfish, squid, eel, and crab. They can be found in waters as shallow as 3 feet, or as much as 20 feet deep.

Are cobia fish bottom feeders?

Do cobia have teeth?

Cobia have bands of villiform teeth on jaws, and on roof of mouth and tongue. Weighing up to a record 135 pounds (61 kg), cobia are more common at weights of up to 50 pounds (23 kg). They reach lengths of 20-47 inches (50-120 cm), with a maximum of 79 inches (200 cm).

Do cobia bite at night?

Cobia at night are not rare. They eat just like any other fish, and they too like to eat at night. Cobia locate some of their food via scent, thats why boaters use chum bags to attract them. This ability allows them to feed at night too.

How deep do you troll for cobia?

20 to 30 feet
Troll over shoals and structure in 20 to 30 feet of water. When you get a hook-up, always have a rod rigged and ready to cast with a jig. With some regularity, the cobia on the end of your line will have a buddy swimming close-by.