COBIA FISHING TRIP off Ft Pickens

Saturday, March 4th, 2007 I went cobia fishing with my son and some of his buddies. We didn't see any cobia on this day and only one boat out of the hundred or so cruising the beach did, to my knowledge. This boat belongs to a friend, unfortunately they didn't see anything either. I was fishing with the people that own that boat in the spring of 2004 and I wrote about that--- cobia fishing trip. We caught a nice cobia on that trip. Incidentally, that trip was 6-months prior to hurricane Ivan coming ashore on the western side of Pensacola destroying much of Pensacola as well as the road leading to Ft Pickens National Sea Shore and the Campground at Ft Pickens.

Ft Pickens National Seashore taken from the boat on our Cobia fishing trip

This is a section of Ft Pickens National Seashore, the spit of land stretching from Pensacola Beach to the western end where the campground at old Ft Pickens used to be. I say used to be because that campground has not been open since September 2004 when hurricane Ivan roared ashore near Pensacola. The stretch of beach in this picture was washed away. Boats were able to use the opening to navigate from the gulf to Pensacola Bay.

As you can see sand has filled in the hole. The road that once connected Pensacola Beach and the old fort is no longer there.

I am taking this picture from the Gulf of Mexico looking north across the National Seashore with Pensacola Bay and Pensacola in the distance. The sailboat is on Pensacola Bay.

Cobia fishing boats off Ft Pickens

Two boats out looking for the elusive cobia. Cobia migrate from warm tropical waters further to the south to the upper gulf each spring. They have a habit of moving north until they reach the beach then turn and follow the beach west. During the spring boats with tall towers, such as these, cruise along the beach trying to spot one of these gamefish that sometimes travel in schools of 6 to 10 fish. Note how anglers are in the towers on these boats where they have good visibility into the clear water.

Mike with Cobia

So you will know what a cobia looks like this is me with a small one, probably around 35-pounds, taken years ago.