1-26-14 SLI Saw the Cobes but No Takers

Shoeless

Decided to take a solo trip this weekend to clear my head a bit and get my fix in. I launched the boat at the house and head toward the inlet to a brisk cool morning.

Tried all the normal bait spots, but only picked up some blue runners and horn bellies. I decided to see what the bottom could hold as I couldn’t find the preferred baits. Lots of throwbacks and smalls, but did manage one nice Porgy to give to the wife when I got home. Seas were flat calm and I could run wide open no problem offshore. I ran out to 600 with only one piece of weed so I fished it and came up with the shark. I stopped at a few more spots on the way back with nothing to show for it.

On the way in I thought I spotted some porpoise so I head in for a closer look. Nope, HUGE Ray cruising the surface with about 5 Cobia in tow. I throw everything I have at this guy and couldn’t get a bite. We seemed to play you chase me, I’ll chase you for over 45 minutes. I tried every bait I had, but they weren’t having it. Decided to call it quits with some pretty cool video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8I-390lbb4

Angler Managemnt

sweet footage, can't believe they didn't eat it.

Reelsmooth

Awesome video.

4PLAY

Old rob allen goes a long way in a situation like that bummer dude

fishknut

I see whatcha did there with the "sole" searching. Great video. You need to carry a speargun for finicky fish, they always hit that.

swordawet

Cool experience Sean. Great day to be wet. Thanks for sharing.

LastMango

Nice! @ 3:14, you almost caught yourself a ray!

Shoeless

My wife has been dying to try out spear fishing for situations just like this. One of the first few times I took her offshore a school of dolphin surrounded the boat, but wouldn't bite. She asked if she could get in and spear them. She got a ring on her finger shortly after.

fishknut
I love a good solo trip every now and again. Brings me back down to early and rids me of stress, but I sure felt it when nobody would bite.

Hey Pete
Thanks buddy!!! Definitely an awesome experience. Glad I had the camea to capture it. I should have taken some under water shots, but was too focused on trying to get a bite before the ray left.

Jupiter Double D's

Great video even if you couldn't get the bite!
Good stuff!

JohnnyPlant

Nice video. Looked like a lake out there.

century7

Cool video

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

Shoeless

Hey Dave
I know I got darn close with that cast. I think after 45 minutes of me plunking lures around him he was done and took off.

Jupiter Double D's
Thank you Sir!!!

JohnnyPlant
Thanks, it was definitely Lake Atlantic out there. Don't you love it when you clear the inlet to calm seas!!!!!

Fi$h2nguyen

Very cool encounter Sean.

reef raida

I saw a huge Ray Sunday as well in @75' on a weed line at about 1:00. Boy did my eyes light up, but I also came home with no Cobes. I did pick up some Spanish early in the day.

Atkinson

It was a slow day fishing, but a great day to be on the water. To bad about the cobes not chewing.

We were in the Contender that circled you at Tetra, we didn't want to push in on you since it is such a small spot. We finally found some fish in 180', everything inside was that was dead or loaded with small seabass.

Shoeless

Steven
Thanks. How's the new job working out for ya?

Long
Thank you Sir. I saw the pic of the little one with the Stella. Very cool Dad!!!!!

reef raider
Yup sounds we saw the same guy. I will most definitely be looking into a pole spear at the very least for situations like this.

Atkinson
Yea, I wasn't finding much action in shallow, a lot of smalls and garbage fish. Feel free to hit me up and let me know how you guys are making out. I am always willing to share info on bait, good bottom, rips,... anything. Two boats searching is always better than one. I may be 30 ft. off on a drift and we could both get dialed in.

MakoLogic

Wow it was a pond out there.

Cobia are weird. Very inquisitive too. We would find them at the rigs in Tx, a lot of times they wouldn't bite or come off the rig legs but if you make a bunch of noise they'll sometimes come check you out. More than once we caught them by slapping the sides of the boat and they'd come off the rig and follow us and we'd get a shot.

fishslayer12

jump in and force feed them the iron mullet...works EVERY time...

JerryB

Great video Shoeless. You should have gotten the Ray as I hear the wings are used for Scallops.:crossed
Looked like a beautiful day. Bo and I just got back and did get 1 nice Wahoo but not another knock down.

Pairadox

Awesome video! Flat calm day allows you to actually see those guys from a distance.
Nice effort and thanks for the video!

4Rs

Nice video. Too bad there were no takers but better luck next time. Looking forward to your next posting.

LET'S GO

WTG Sean you should give me some pointers on that bottom fishing, I bet I can not catch any thing that way too.

footankleg

Great video! thanks. Blows that the cobes wouldn't cooperate.

latitudeajustment

Yup, time to get a gun! Of course jumping in solo is a different story right there! At least you got out after being landlocked for awhile.

Barrell

Nice vid and music. A mullet gets them to open their mouth. Ive also had better luck this year with a six or seven inch bomber when they wouldn't chase the jig. How deep was the ray?

Shoeless

Many thanks everyone for the posts and comments!!!! I will definitely try out all the recommendations posted next time.

Pairadox
How have you been??? Thanks for the post. I remember last time we ran into each other you were getting the bottom redone on your Jupiter. I bet she is looking NICCCCEEEEEE!!!!!!

Bo Man
Any time, there's really no trick to it. Print off the local charts that have the reefs marked on them, motor around til the screen lights up with fish, drop chicken rig with squid, and bam reel up the fish. Some days are more productive than others and I am branching out with larger gear and baits to dial in the grouper once the season opens back up.

Pat
I hope all is well buddy!! Yea a solo spearing venture would definitely been a bit risky, but with seas the way they were and no current, I probably would have been ok.

Barrell
Thanks for the tip, that's what this place is all about. The ray was in 100 ft NE of SLI.

Cut runner

Polespear for a cobia is a bad idea, especially solo.
Like the others suggested a speargun would be key, but solo its not a good idea to get out of the boat, lots of horror stories because of that.
I've done it plenty of times in nice condition but I would always tie the anchor line to my waist (without the anchor obviously), so I'm always attatched to the boat and have a couple hundred feet of line to roam on.

Alwaysforward

Clearing the mind is a good thing Sean. Couldn't make it out as we had other plans. Always seems the case lately. Either the winds are blowing or out of town. Thanks for the report...

eugene krabs

**** dude WORK THAT JIG...get them fired up,looked like a 3rd grader working that jig like it was in the slow lane...LOL
you gotta get those cobes going...:Rockon

bullchaser

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

Stepabo

Good stuff, have you ever had a chance to catch the schools of Manta Ray outside Cape Canaveral or Sebastian Inlets, it's an incredible sight. 15' ~ 20' wing spans and get full airborn. I'm out in my 21' bay boat and these things are as big or bigger than it is. And same thing as you, I've been out with boats banging into each other trying to catch cobia off the rays and it didn't matter what anyone was throwing, live or dead they wouldn't eat, and other times everyones catching. Salud