Saltwater Fishing Report for Sarasota, Florida.
Capt. Bob Smith
October 10, 2003
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Cobia!!!
The cobia have been in this week and have been concentrated along the coast. The 20 to 30 foot depths have been hot but the grouper diggers well offshore have also been finding cobia. On Wednesday I took the George Spofford party out and had eight hours of cobia action.
We fished off of Lido beach on a rock pile I call Lost Reef in 25 feet of water. All of the other reefs also had cobia but we did not need to move. We used live shrimp and pinfish for bait but whitebait and small grunts are also excellent baits. If using shrimp or pilchards for bait, you will start catching lots of bluerunners, pinfish and grunts. This is good and should draw the cobia to your boat within an hour. Look for follow-ups and be ready to throw out smaller bait. Cobia may take the bluerunners but it is hard to set the hook when it is inside of the bluerunner.
I like to use 12-pound test line, doubled at the end with a Spider Hitch or Bimini Twist. To this I add three or four feet of forty pound test mono with a Blood Knot with a 3/0 or 4/0 semi stout hook at the end. Eagle Claw L-253, 3/0 is my favorite for cobia on light tackle. For now the cobia have been mostly deep and I have been using a ¼ ounce split-shot and dropping the bait straight down to the bottom. When we see them on top, I like to free-line or use a float. Cobias eat everything and chumming will work, both live and ground. Spanish mackerel action has also been fair in the same area.
Some nice grouper have been caught offshore but it is not consistent. Bay fishing has produced plenty of Spanish mackerel, bluefish and seatrout on the grass-flats.
Enjoy and Protect
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