05 Jan Backcountry Fishing Report

Happy New Year! Captain Ron here with your Robbie’s back country fishing report. One word describes Florida Bay right now… COBIA! These hard-fighting junkyard dogs of the seas are as plentiful as I’ve ever seen them. Fishing the structures where Florida Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico is as guaranteed as fishing gets of catching a monster cobia.

These fish average from 20 to 60 pounds and are great eating and highly prized. These fish follow large sharks and rays and because of the lack of water clarity in the Gulf and Bay; it pays to keep casting a bait around your hooked-up fish because these fish travel in groups. They are willing feeders and will eat just about anything that fits in their mouths, but in the Bay large live shrimp, crabs, and pinfish work best. Your guide will provide these baits but if you are using your own boat or renting a boat, Brian and Elizabeth have these in stock at the tackle shop on the premises. I have constantly caught permit, large black drum, and huge redfish in the same locations as the cobia. In the Gulf the mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel bites are great. Following the Spanish mackeral are black tip and spinner sharks. There’s nothing more exciting than watching a 100-pound shark explode on a live mackerel or blue fish suspended from a kite. Looking forward to fishing you and have a happy new year.

Tight lines
Captain Ron