fish

Question
Hi my name is joel and i wanted to know what kind of bait or lure i should use to catch coba. I love to fish at peirs or at the rock jeti.  Please help.....P.S olny 14 and live to fish

Answer
Hi Joel;

 Cobia is not one of the species I fish for regularly since my fishing is done in the Northeast.  However, I took the following from a reference source and it seems like good advice.

Brightly colored, jigs Bucktail (in white, lime green, yellow) and noisy sinking or diving plugs are popular choices

Bottom fishing from boat, bridge or pier use live grunts, eels, pinfish, bluerunners or crabs as bait.

Another reference is as follows:

Tackle and techniques

You'll need a medium to heavy duty spinning rod and reel with 15 to 30 pound test line, heavy monofilament leader, and a good drag system on your reel to go after these fighters. This is necessary because the fish, once hooked, makes it's initial runs towards the closest structure. Your job is to turn the fish and keep it from reaching something the fish can use to cut you off. In the summer, when the water is warm, cobia will be close to the surface and you can sight fish for them.

Bait

Cobia have a hard time passing up a small live fish or crab. Free line the bait when the fish are feeding near the surface or use just enough weight to get your bait down but still allow it some freedom to move. A large jig tipped with a chunk of squid is the most successful artificial lure. The goal is to cast ahead of the fish and bring it back towards the fish.

I hope this is helpful.

-Rich