Cob on artificial

[bubbleboy]

HI Guys


Being from PE, I have been told that Cob is the easiest fish to catch on artificial,  my count is currently on 1, and it deosent really count as he was like 20cm 


I only fish with artificial, I am therefore requesting assistance on the best methods.  To be told that the Drop Shot must be retrieved slow does not help much.  Surely the Pro's out there have a specific system that they use to decide to change lures/depth etc.


Can anyone help me with this more "specific" information?


I was fishing on Sunday, which, in theory, should have been a successful day in PE - but I blanked. I have all the tools, so it is the operator.  I just need to cross this last hurdle.


So if there are any coaches out there - Please coach 

[pieta]

Where did you fish? You have one of the best art lure fishing partners in the country.  Speak to the Alcock brothers in Cape road. If you can get their dvd's. Loads to learn from them.

[bubbleboy]

Thanks


but done all of that.  I have all the Alcock's DVD's.


I am literally hoping to find someone that will show me how its done.  I have nearly all the theory, I just need the final instruction.

[bubbleboy]

I fish anywhere in PE

[pieta]

I like to fish places like Sundays, van Stadens and gamtoos. If you have the tackle and the know how to retrieve all the different lures. You will only need to get the right structure on the right tide. Eastern winds for sundays westerly wind for gamtoos and van stadens. I like to fish with a 2.5 to 3.5m swell. When fishing the surf you will have to do some mileage to get to the fish. Fishing the rivers you should stick to the mouths.  Look for banks with nice steap drop offs. Sundays and Gamtoos river normally produce more cob than swartkops. Swartkops is more a leerie skipjack river, also lots of grunters. See if you can get hold of a guy called Flippie. He is more into the big rod rapala thing but maybe he can help you. He is one of the local guys.

[Lenny]

I am no Pro , but was taught by the PE guys , and have caught a large number of Kob on Lures , ,ai;y the old Havocs , and lately the Clones and Paddletails , like I told another  guy today , spoons work very well , but for some reason its just not my forte , I have seen friends getting fish on spoon under my nose and me NADA.  I taken a couple of fish while the others are using spoons , I got them on PD tails .


1st thing , the swell must not be too big and the water not too turbulent  , meaning fish when the conditions are right to fish with lures , or lets say more conducive to retrieve a lure .
If theres too much water moving around , and current , you will not be able to present you lure properly it WILL twist and roll , and no KOb will eat it EVER , believe it or not .


Accurate casting , and reading the water will be essensial too , you have to put your lure over areas where Kob ly and wait for a meal to pass.


Another way to put you lure in the strikezone for longer is to fish Parallel with the channels , on the edges , Kob patrol these edges when they are actively feeding  , by putting you lure along the edge your chances are better to encounter a Kob .


Slow down your retrieve , 99% of guys fish too fast , for Kob , they are lazy buggers and will not go through too much effort to get a meal . The tendency I have seen a number of times , once you have your retrieve slowed down , and you start to get pulls , you will find that they smash a lure in many many diffent ways , but the skelm bite is a tap , tap , you have to stay in contact with your lure via your rod tip at all time otherwise the Kob will just spit it out again  ,they tend to engulf a lure and spit it out VERY quickly if they chew it and feel hey this is not a Mullet ... before you can tighten up .
Then theres the plastic bag bite , it feels like you have a plastic bag hooked and just feels heavy , and if your lucky a headshake gives him a way . then you get the smash properly , like we all see on TV and your just VASSS without a doubt , and your drag goes for a couple of meters ...
Check you hooks every trip and during fishing trips , you will not believe how blunt the Sand can make you hooks blunt , this is also a issue that does not ,  get enough attention , don't ask me why . A SHARP HOOKS is a good hook .

If you throwin PD , bounce the jighead on the bottom , along as you stay in contact with the bottom every now and then , you can even pause your PD on the bottom for a few seconds , give it a twitch , and let it flutter back to the bottom [ i know the a dlocks are masters in fishing PD's flutter . it works for them and they have caught loaaadsss of job on lure , I have not been so successful with a flutter retrieve , but my retrieve is works for me , so why change it . 

The first Kob on Lure are the hardest , try to go back to the spot you got the first one , unless its washed closed , and spend some time there . EC are a mecca for getting proper KOb on lure . GREEN with envy .
What plastics are you fishing size colour , jighead size ? Do you make use of a fluorocarbon leader , sometime they are finicky and the FC does the trick .


ENJOY

[Bwana]

Great info there Lenny 

[Poenskop]

I might go out on Saturday morning to van Stadens. Send me you number if you want to tag along.

[bubbleboy]

Thanks for all the responses.


My equipment being used currently is the Following:


Dave Alcock Custom Rovex 9.2
Ryobi Arctica 4000
Maxima 30lb braid


I have 10, 20 & 30lb Flourocarbon.


I have the following bucktails:


White & Olive
White & Yellow
White & Pink


All 2 Ounce


Lures for Cob:
Clone - White
Clone - Blue & Purples
Both 2 Ounce


The rest are Dual Slims and other spoons




My biggest problem (I think) is the fact that I have never seen it done, and I am very new at trying to read the water.
Secondly - I have never fished at Sundays, Van Stadens and Gamtoos - So once again, the inexperience coming out.


But the info has been excellent - So please keep it coming

[bubbleboy]

I might go out on Saturday morning to van Stadens. Send me you number if you want to tag along.

Email sent - Thanks for the invite

[Lenny]

Ohh those adlock customs are nice .
Get yourself a pink clone
ASAP . If you are on fb , have a look at clone lures page .  Those olive bucktails are also deadly in you part of town . Have a look at some of reef mans water reading threads .

[Kent]

  ..Heres a tip for you.....look at the pic attached....see the channel running just off the rocky ledges in front under the water...NOW...gooi into the white water over that channel....bring it trough at a nice pace ..not strolling ...a steady walk , if you get my drift , rod tip up , be aware . when you feel him on , dont stike , reel and lift and then hold....then keep pressure...too much he swims ...too little , he swims......this method is what i use with spoons ranging from 1.5oz to 3oz...Use a single short shank 6/0 to 8/0...AND.....If you dont like blanking....dont ONLY stick to useing spoons!!!!...GOOD LUCK!!!...One more thing...find you spot(s) ...work them....on all tides...make notes...and before long ...you will be getting those kobbies!!!

[bubbleboy]

Thanks


I don't only use spoons - but i do use them more than paddletail or bucktail. 

[WalkersKiller]

A mate of mine, on the site Gavin, caught some Kob on bucktail (White and olive) in feb, using the EXACT retrive the Alcocks do on their DVD's. It was in a deep hole found amongst some shallowish water. I think the key is to try to find the Kob.

A camo worm can be worked the same way after letting it drift for smaller Kob.

[bubbleboy]

I think my biggest problem is identifying those holes.  It looks easy when there is a still picture and lines on it.  but when the water is moving, it is a different story.


Regarding making notes - mine is simple - Blank, 1 Leerie, Blank, Blank.
Not much to be excited about 

[WalkersKiller]

You can identify holes quite easily in the surf... In the rivers its more difficult, the best way to do it is going over areas with a boat and a fish finder.

The way I do it though is cast a ball sinker (Just the sinker) into different areas, leave the bail arm of the reel open and if your line peels off more in one spot than another, you have found your hole!

Often in main channels in a river, there are holes close by or in the channel.

You probably shouldnt be taking my advice though, last time I caught a Kob on artificial was 2010 

[bubbleboy]

Does anyone know hoe up to date Google earth is when using it?


Example: If I use Google Earth for an area when it is lowtide - will it help much?

[WalkersKiller]

If you have Google Earth downloaded, it will tell you when the photo was taken, either in the bottom of the screen, or in some versions, when you click or highlight an area.

The Eastern Cape in Google Earth varies from 2004 to 2013, but is mostly outdated by 5 to 6 years.

[SAfish]

I think my biggest problem is identifying those holes.  It looks easy when there is a still picture and lines on it.  but when the water is moving, it is a different story.


Regarding making notes - mine is simple - Blank, 1 Leerie, Blank, Blank.
Not much to be excited about 

It really helps to get yourself something like an Excel spreadsheet or log book with various columns and write down as much detail as possible. Soon you will work out the pattern for a certain spot and then you can return when the conditions are similar and it will increase your chances. Do something like this:
Fishing Spot: Red Dunes
Date: 12 April 2014
High Tide: 8:00
Low Tide: 14:00
Time Started: 06:30 
Time Ended : 10:20
Moon Phase: 2 days after full moon
Water temperature: 21,7
Sea Conditions: 2.5m waves with lots of foam
Wind: SE 12 knots
Barometer: 1020 and falling
Catches: Bronze Bream - 22cm - red bait- released;
Gully Shark - 50cm - chokka - released
Comments: Water was choppy with a pea-soup colour. Fish stopped biting as the wind got stronger later in the day. Two guys next to me got a couple of Kob.

Man, now that I had this dream I really feel the need to get out of the office!!   
 

[Kent]

I think my biggest problem is identifying those holes.  It looks easy when there is a still picture and lines on it.  but when the water is moving, it is a different story.


Regarding making notes - mine is simple - Blank, 1 Leerie, Blank, Blank.
Not much to be excited about 

It really helps to get yourself something like an Excel spreadsheet or log book with various columns and write down as much detail as possible. Soon you will work out the pattern for a certain spot and then you can return when the conditions are similar and it will increase your chances. Do something like this:
Fishing Spot: Red Dunes
Date: 12 April 2014
High Tide: 8:00
Low Tide: 14:00
Time Started: 06:30 
Time Ended : 10:20
Moon Phase: 2 days after full moon
Water temperature: 21,7
Sea Conditions: 2.5m waves with lots of foam
Wind: SE 12 knots
Barometer: 1020 and falling
Catches: Bronze Bream - 22cm - red bait- released;
Gully Shark - 50cm - chokka - released
Comments: Water was choppy with a pea-soup colour. Fish stopped biting as the wind got stronger later in the day. Two guys next to me got a couple of Kob.

Man, now that I had this dream I really feel the need to get out of the office!! 
 

..THIS...is what its all about...MAKE NOTES!!!!!......