Cobia on my Little Spinner - That was Different!

[Prof. Salt]

Good conditions have finally arrived on the Texas coase, so I paddled offshore last week and was jigging up some live 12-14 inch blue runners to use as king mackerel baits. I do this with a 3000 series spinning reel and 20lb braid, so I can drop small baits quickly and enjoy the fight of even the smaller fish.  I had already deployed one blue runner on a Release SG  for trolling and was in the process of bringing in a second fish, when halfway up there was a big "thump" and the line suddenly got heavy and began moving in a totally different way. I knew something larger had eaten my blue runner, but it took an hour and twenty minutes to get the larger fish into the kayak. I love cobia, and this 47 incher was well worth the effort! Landing large fish on small gear is a fun exercies, but this was pushing the envelope just a bit...



The next day I ventured out again, and put the SG to work. I caught several good sized fish, including this seven foot spinner shark. Summer is here and the fishing is getting hot!

[Steve-O]

Great report, Glen! that Cobia took forever to get bonked! Nice catch! 

Did your spinner shark get airborne any? ...or just pull like crazy?

I know you catch a lot of nice Kings, but do you ever harvest a shark for eating? Caught and prepped right...they are some kind of tasty grilled and dipped in butter like lobster.

Really enjoy your vids and the yak leashes I made from your YT tutorial. I will be taking a set of them up to AK this fall.

Thanks for sharing.

Steve

[johndtuttle]

Nice catches!

Be sure to take care of those reels. Yakking is brutal on gear. 

[Prof. Salt]

Steve, this one didn't do anything above the surface, but she got me completely dizzy running in circles. I think she was part ballerina! I do love the way spinners and blacktips will jump when first hooked. Hundreds of pounds of shark flailing six feet in the air is a sight to behold from the kayak!

This was the second shark for the morning, and had already blown apart the bait ball I was fishing, stole a bonita right beside my kayak, and stole one of my lures. She was determined to make it onto video, and she finally did.

[ChileRelleno]

Fantastic!

[coastal_dan]

Nice Job!

[Dominick]

Terrific it looks like you were having fun.  Dominick

[akfish]

Great video!! But I have to ask: Why did you bonk the cobia before gaffing it? Isn't there a good chance you'll knock it off that way? I always gaff before I bonk...

[Prof. Salt]

Akfish, there is one huge difference between your landing a cobia and mine: You're in a powerboat where there is room to escape the mayhem of a cobia tossed on the deck. When they come aboard a kayak they still have hooks attached and are in my lap - I can think of a hundred ways that would end, and only one of them is good. The other kayak guys used to claim I would knock the hooks out of the fish and that it should just be gaffed, but a couple of them have sustained real injuries. I've done this a dozen times, and when I aim carefully it sure beats the alternative. The worst I have faced was some negative comments about how I'm being mean to the fish for knocking it out. I'd rather read the comments as I'm comfortably dining on cobia steaks!

[Shark Hunter]

Great Job! That is a nice one!

[Tightlines667]

I used to get nervous gaffing a big Cobia boatside, not sure I would want to deal with a 'green' one from a yak.  Caution should definately be exercised here.

[conchydong]

A green Cobia is the worse fish you can throw on the deck of a boat much less a Yak. I've had Cobes barely put up a fight and come right to the boat and then when gaffed go absolutely ape sh**. They can destroy everything in the cockpit in a matter of seconds. Great job and good eats.

[Rancanfish]

Don't know Cobia, but a halibut woke up in the box once.  Knocked the lid open and chased my niece's husband across the deck.  He screamed and jumped up onto the transom.  We nearly died laughing..

[wallacewt]

good stuff

[Shark Hunter]

The Kayaking skills involved here are pretty much self taught. I hope to some day be that proficient.
When I get way out, I get nervous, mainly because I have a big bloody bait dripping out the back through the scuppers.
All I think about is getting back to shore and tighten my lines up. Its a nice place to visit, but I'm not staying long.
The professor has my respect.