Fished the Eastern Shore Anglers Club Cobia Tourny yeasterday aboard Capt13's Privateer along with one of Capt13's neighbors Len with fresh bunker for bait.
Both sides of the tide.
Incoming: we were dealing with agressive Cow Nose Rays (8) around 20 to 30 pounds which put up a hell of a fight as they ran circles around the boat. 3 small sharks & small bluefish (snappers) which went toward the bait pile.
I did hook up a HUGE Stingray with what looked to be 5 feet wingtip to wingtip & had to go 50+ pounds. THought my rod was going to snap.
Outgoing: the Cobia showed up. Let me tell you these fish out fight bass. Had 4 at 25 to about 50 inches. I took 2. Best was just shy 30 inches which we photographed & sent back. 40 inches is the limit & only 1 per boat regardless of the number of anglers. Wanted to try for something larger anywho for tourny win,
2 others were hooked by Capt13 with the largest being a really nice potential winner at about 50 inches. Darn did that put up a fight. Len insisted we use his net as it was a pretty large net. Unfortunatly it was also a 20 old net. 13 got the fish intio the net just as the circle hook came out. As Len was lifting the net to get the Cobia into the boat I was astonished to see the fish swimming away. 😳 I wasn't really sure what I was seeing. The fish had been firmly netted. Then realized the fish had somehow managed to swim "through" the net. He had put two holes in the netting & escape the later we found outto be a 20 year old net.
Talk disappointed.
😡
There were only 4 boats & anglerrs in the Tourney & we made up 3 of those Anglers. That was a potential Torney winner.
As we had been at it since 9:30 & it was now approaching 5 & we were exhuasted from playing with those Rays we headed back in (Tourny closed @ 6). Because of the limits on Cobia the rules were if you land something that less then the 40 ijnch keeper size (meaning you have to return) a photgraph with a tape measure would suffice to enter it. WE got back before the other 3 boats did. So we don't know if anyone else beat my "30ish" size catch.
We'll find out shortly.
Chesapeake cooperated beautifully. Just about 80 with a light breeze & 1 to 2 foor swells.
