Cobia Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

– As over the last month, Tautog fishing remains strong. Anglers that are able to find crab for bait are doing well. Ocean wrecks are the best producers. Tilefish are willing biters also, however deeper water near the Canyon edges are the targeted regions. With Tilefish, Grouper, and Rosefish are encountered also as Seabass, however Seabass are out of season. A 220lb Bluefin Tuna was stated out of Oregon-Inlet on 2/20/16. The same charter returned with Yellowfin Tuna also. (blog.greentophuntfish.com)

The cobia has a long body that that’s blackish on the back and brown on the sides, typically growing 3 to 4 feet long and weighing more than 50 pounds. Two silvery bands sandwich a black band that runs along its sides from the head to the rear. Its stomach is yellowish- or grayish-white. Its flattened head has a big mouth with a protruding lower jaw. Seven to 10 sharp spines run along the front of its dorsal fin, and its rear fin is forked. (chesapeakebay.net)

There are 2 main techniques for cobia fishing in the lower Chesapeake Bay. The 1st is sight casting. Here you get up as high as you may be able to like a tower on your hardtop, and do a slow troll over the regions you think the cobia may be cruising near the top of the water column. The other main technique is chumming for cobia while at anchor. There are days when sight casting can create and there are days when chumming can create. Here is a short video presentation of how I chum for cobia. Enjoy. (seaduction.averys.net)

The Western Shore boasts some productive places for cobia throughout the early season also. When the cobia 1st arrive in spring, they’ll be concentrated between the York and James rivers, with the area around Bluefish Rock off Hampton the lion’s part of the action. Between Bluefish Rock and the shore, cobia may be found in comparatively shallow water along structure like ledges, humps and sloughs. Good numbers of cobia are taken close to shore just off Grandview Beach by anglers in small boats, and pier fishermen score on citation-sized fish off Grandview and Buckroe piers. Other Western Shore hotspots include the York Spit area and the mouth of Back River. (gameandfishmag.com)

: Flounder 36A area on the bayside and inside the seaside inlets. Croaker and sea mullet are available at the Concrete Ships and out of Oyster. Red drum continue to be caught on the shoals on the seaside and bayside, both by anglers soaking baits and by those sight-fishing. Cobia are caught on Latimer Shoal. Tarpon are inside the seaside inlets if you’re up for a challenge. (dailypress.com)

Other than fishing, the Healthy Grin crew serves on a range of boards and fishery management advisory groups. Many of us serve as board members and officers of the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman s affiliation. Personally, I serve on the Finfish Management Advisory board of the Virginia Marine Resource Commission. I’m a member of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament board. This is the group that manages Virginia s trophy fish citation program and certifies and maintains state records. In 2013, I was appointed relate Commissioner of the Virginia Marine Resource Commission. I’m an International agent of the International Game Fish affiliation IGFA, I have served as a member of the Atlantic greatly Migratory Species Advisory Panel for the National Marine Fisheries Service and I’m a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel. (vbsf-hookedup.net)

Cobia may be big, strong and powerful. They’re typically brown in color with a white shaded stomach area and a broad flat head contour. The lower jaw of a cobia protrudes out more than the upper jaw. They may have a black or lighter stripe that runs horizontally across most of their body. They usually have small spiny type fins just forward of their major dorsal fin. Cobia don’t seem to have teeth compared to other fish. They do but have bands of villiform teeth on their jaws and on the roof of their mouth. (Check this out)

These fish enduring. Once you hook into a fish, it’ll most probably run straight toward the nearest marker. Don’t attempt to stop Cobia on its 1st run if you don t want to lose your fish! Loosen the drag a bit and let it run. If the line gets caught on the marker, get close, untangle it and resume your fight. By then, the Cobia will be tired at least till you bring it into the ship…. (fishingbooker.com)

The Veteran captained by Scott Sinclair and Edgar Monge, is a 47 foot Hatteras powered by 2 Cummins engines. The Veteran has safety features that surpass all USCG safety prerequisites. Her power plant is twin Qsm 11’s. She’s equipped with state of the art electronics as well as sat weather, many GPS’s units, Autopilot, Furuno Radar and Sounders, SSB and VHF Radios. She’s professionally rigged and maintained. Interior will include Flat Screen TV’s, AC & Heat, Full Galley, Staterooms with heads. Salon includes full leather sofa with extra seating. Captain Scott is a USCG Lic. Master with endorsements. (virginiafishing.com)

POTOMAC RIVER – BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE – The major river is high and muddy. That means that there’s lots of debris floating or just somewhat submerged and care should be exercised to avoid it while boating. Bass are beginning to actively forage for food, wanting to fatten up before the spawn. They’ll be holding in deeper water bordering to sand or gravel banks, coming up on the flats to feed in the afternoon sun. Lipless, rattling crankbaits; small, tight wiggling crankbaits; small plastic baits and spinnerbaits should take the fish when they begin foraging. Lots of big crappie are available around shallow, submerged cover during the creeks. (charlietaylorfishing.com)