Hope everyone had fun cobia fishing last month. Continue to look around the 50/60 foot range for the rays and leatherbacks holding fish. Free swimmers will be abundant continuing through this month as well. If you find some type of color change, weed line or temp break, 70 degrees, in that depth you’re golden. Buck tails and live bait will do the trick. If they won’t fire on the buck tail follow it up with a live bait of some sort. Cobia are not picky so whatever you have will work. When using live bait, I use a 60lb leader from my 50lb braid to an 8/0 circle hook. This is also the time of year that they will come in very close as well. Don’t hesitate to start or end up in the 20 foot depth. Cover your ground and use the sun to your advantage.
Kings will start showing up in better numbers as well. Live bait will be choice this time of year for the big ones that come back through. We were just on the tail end of the smaller fish migration. Soon the 30lbers will start showing more consistently. Fish your local reefs and any structures that hold bait. Ship wrecks and any other structures work great. You can also sabiki these structures for baits.
Bait pods will soon show up. The water is warming up and the fishing will only get better. Start looking for birds and flipping pogies. It’s been scarce to non-existent lately but don’t worry its almost here. Get yourself a good cast net. Tim Wade nets are what ya want. Get a little extra lead on it to sink it faster. Leave the Wally world net at home. That 4 footer just won’t cut it. We normally throw a 10/12 foot net.
Bottom fishing for grouper and throwback reds are gonna be good, (check your local regs) use live bait with 3 ways and knocker rigs, (whatever works best for you) 80/100lb leaders and 8/0- 10/0 hooks. I believe you’re supposed to have circle hooks now in federal waters, so again check the regs.
To keep the kids busy you can chicken rig all the reefs for triggers and the mighty sea bass. Use squid and small chunk baits. Triggers tend to hang a little higher off the bottom so once it hits crank it up a few feet.
Mahi are close by so get that gear ready. I will touch base on that in Mays issue.