The Day of the 67 Pound Cobia

[Jeanine]

Had a party of 3 guys this day, leaving out from Crystal River Water Sports in Crystal River. Decided to start out fishing for Speckled Trout. Well by around 11 a.m. or so, between the 4 of us, we had our limit. Asking what they wanted to do next, I mentioned we could try for some Spanish Mackerel in Crystal Bay, everyone agreeing, off we went.
 
 We caught up several nice pinfish to use for bait. Adding corks to our lines, we started catching some nice sized Mackerel but in the process we were getting some really big hits and loosing some big fish of some kind. Thinking they were probably some nice sized sharks, I decided to put some stronger leader on the lines. No luck, still were breaking off. So after a few more times of that, decided we needed a really big rig set up right! Pulled out one of the grouper rods with 100 lb test plus some steel leader. That’ll show ‘em!

Rick (one of the clients) puts a large pinfish on and throws his rig out only about 20 or 30ft or so from the boat and we all wait and watch, still thinking that the misses we were having we probably sharks. A few minutes later he says he thought he saw a Cobia swim by and about that time, down goes his cork, quiet as you please. Seconds later this very large Cobia swims up to the top (not knowing that he was ‘hooked’ yet).
 
 Of course everyone is getting excited about that time. Rick reels up some and sets the hook, the Cobia then realizes that he is indeed hooked and starts taking off. So with line screaming the chase is on! I pull up anchor and we start chasing after it. 

Nearly 30 minutes later, after much fighting and running around, he gets it close enough to the boat to gaff. It takes all of us to get it up into the boat. Amongst much cheering and yelling between Rick’s father, Richard and friend Jeremy, we all take a few minute ‘breather’.
 
 Now, with a limit of trout, several nice Spanish Mackerel and this very large Cobia that won’t fit all the way into the cooler, we decide we are going to have to call it a day. And it’s only still early afternoon, but we just don’t have room for any more fish!
 
 Once we get back to the docks, pictures are of course taken and the guys get the fish weighed, a whopping 67lbs! Biggest one for the year so far. Didn’t get the length but you can tell by the picture that it was a long one.
 
 Captain Jake Herrin