How to Fish for Cobia on the Chesapeake Bay

[@saxon6]

Lenny puts out info. you can use. I can't wait to go after cobia this summer

[@FishTalkMagazine]

Go get 'em, Johnny!!

[@user-vx7sb5bm5q]

Eric is a fishing machine and Lenny is this generations Bill Burton.

[@lennyrudow7519]

Thanks!

[@louieemery6006]

Is there good sight fishing for Cobia near the Reedville/Great Wicomico river area of the Chesapeake?

[@santacruzboy]

THAT IS MY UNCLE MARCUS

[@FishTalkMagazine]

He's a cool dude!!

[@joehawk9839]

Captain Marcus Dat there is Bunka! River Queen to the worm.

[@jlintvet1]

Random question re all the rays. How are you releasing them with the gaff? Haven’t figured out a good way to get the circle hooks out of the big ones. Thanks for posting this.

[@FishTalkMagazine]

We're not sure there really is a good way to do it, especially since handling them up close and presonal is dangerous thanks to that stinger - on my boat usually I just crank down the drag and break them off. We did crank the drags once a ray was positively ID'd and sometimes they did break off but if not, the captain and mate opted to use the gaff. In the wings this isn't necessarily fatal but in the body of course it's a different story; if you do injure one fatally note that while they aren't good to eat cow nose rays are great crab bait.

[@rickwu6005]

For cobia inshore fishing, what tide do they come in near surf for chesapeake bay?

[@lennyrudow7519]

Can't say I've ever heard of anyone catching them from the beaches of the Bay, I'm afraid...

[@Randy-nk2ne]

Is the leader florocarbon?

[@lennyrudow7519]

Yup, that was 40 lb fluoro and Capt Marcus says 40 to 60 is fine.

[@matthewlong2981]

Where in Maryland can I catch these?? How far North do they run?

[@FishTalkMagazine]

You can catch them as far up as Poplar Island some years, though usually they're only around that far north for a couple of weeks. They also make a pretty good midsummer showing near Solomons. That said the best zone in MD waters for them is off Point Lookout and near the Target Ship. They generally are around to some degree in those areas the entire season (which runs June 15 to Sept 15).

[@thomasmallory971]

Was that frozen bunker?

[@FishTalkMagazine]

Nope, it was fresh. We've used frozen before with success but fresh is always better.

[@Chris-bx4vk]

What depth?

[@FishTalkMagazine]

We were in about 20 feet of water.

[@GusGusGames]

Why are you gaffing the rays

[@FishTalkMagazine]

Hi - we don't want to speak for the captain/crew here and I'll ask them to chime in, but just for the record, it's difficult/dangerous to handle them, they have a stinger on the tail that can do some serious injury if you bring them into the boat. They're also very overpopulated, and while they aren't good to eat, do make a good crab bait.

[@PropTalkMagazine]

Who knew cobia fishing was similar to catfishing!

[@FishTalkMagazine]

Right?! But once they're on the line it sure is a whole different ballgame - much less when they hit the oven!!