Cobia

[xFishdogx]

Thinking about pulling out the ten weight fly rod and trying some cobia fishing in the VA Beach area. Was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on catching cobia. This will be the first time i have fished the area and the speices. Thanks

[saltfly]

Well cobia like structure. it can be large or small. What I mean by that is this. Structure can be as large as a old ship or as small as the anchor chain on a buoy. If your going to try in the Va. beach area. You may want to talk to the guys on the Va. board. but I have been told that the cap Charles side of the bridge tunnel is better then the south side. But no matter which side you try look for structure. You may also want to try chumming around the structure, to bring them into casting range. They also like to cruse the surface. So a slow approach to the spot you want to fish is the best way not to spook them. I hope this will give you a starting point for your questions to others that are in that area.

[Salmo trutta]

That might have to be something I will try this year. Hopefully the cobia run around Virginia Beach will be as good or close to as good as it was in Hatteras this spring. Apparently there were epic numbers of cobia around Hatteras and many boats had double or triple hooks ups on 50-80 pound fish all while sight casting. How many fly rodders were at it? Who knows but it's got to be doable. I'm very surprised not to hear more about cobia fishing with fly rods on these boards. They sound like the ideal quarry when they present themselves on the surface.

So... this year you could either just drive around the channel bouys or the bridge in the shade of the CBBT and look for them or you can chum for them. Above average sportfishing runs a sight fishing business out of Virginia beach and his favorite style of fishing is to get on his platform or crows nest and sight cast for the fish. However, I think Capt. Ben does this mostly with eels and he mostly casts the large spinning rod for this clients and then passes down the rod with the fish hooked up. Who knows, maybe you can get on a school where you could cast to them with fly from the bow. Sure would be fun.

[CaptMikeStarrett]

I have tried this many years now. I have been refused 6 times now. They follow and nose the fly but never open there friggin mouth. Bouys and pillings in the lower Bay they frequinent in the summer months. It is sight casting at it's finest and most disappointing.

Capt Mike

[saltfly]

We get them here, off of the Del. Md. shores. Mark Samson a charter capt. out of oc. got his personable best on a fly just off Del. I think it was two years a go. But it does show you they are a round here. Now see what you did. You got me thinking. bwahahahaha Thats not only dangerous but scary as well. bwahahaha I just mite have to

[ctb]

You need to search for Captain Brian Horsely - he's an Oregon Inlet guide and catches many cobia on the fly. His website has alot of information on flies, tackle, etc. I broke my leg/ankle a week ago, or I would be trying for them out of Hatteras in a week.

[xFishdogx]

Thanks for the info so far. I just saw cobia and perhaps red drum to be fun to catch on a fly rod. I am starting to back into fly fishing after ignorning it for a few years. I am just hoping I can get a chance to trailer the boat down to VA. Beach to give it a try. If not, I will easily be found in the Lower Potomac River area.

[ko]

Me and some pals have caught them on fly in the bay and off Virginia Beach. You can either find a color change in the ocean and set out a chum bag and wait, or actively search. If chumming sharks will come in as well as cobia so have a rod rigged with a wire tippet if you want to try for one. As mentioned cobia like structure so checking buoys and such works, but many of the fish on buoys have had bucktails and other stuff thrown at them all day and will not bite. If you go out when it is very calm you can see their wakes on the surface and hunt for them that way. A tower helps. Smaller fish will eat a fly especially is you find more than one swimming together. When you cast the fly it needs to hit the water moving....don't let it pause and sink in front of the fish. If they get a good look at it they will follow but note bite. They need to see it for an instant and think it is escaping and they might bite. You can also try teasing them with a hookless bait....

[Capt. Ahab]

I've tried it a few times. We mostly cruise the bridge tunnel pilings and then the buoys that go out to sea in the shipping lanes. Never have seen one yet though. My brother brought a 50+ incher to the boat on a light spinning rod when we were drifting for flounder just north of cape charles/plantation light area. that was exciting. Unfortunately we lost it at the boat because we had no gaff. One of my duck hunting buddies recently put a tower on top of his center console, so I think we're going to use that this summer. See yall out on the water!