| Cobia,
Snook & Barramundi |
The cobia, the only
member of the Rachycentridae family, is a prized gamefish. It is also
fished for commercially for its fine flesh but not here in Malaysia,
which is often sold smoke. Snook and barramundi belong to the
Centropomidae family, which contains about 30 species. Some of the
Centropomidae are exclusively marine, others are marine but move into
brackish water and even into rivers; some live in rivers and spawn in
brackish estuaries, while a few are found only in freshwater. |
| FISHING
NOTES |
|
|
Techniques |
|
|
Cobia are usually taken by
bottom fishing with lures or natural baits. Lure fishing is an effective
technique for barramundi and for snook, which can also be taken on fly
tackle. Here in Malaysia, nobody land cobia using fly tackle. If you got
one please let me know. |
|
| Tackle |
|
|
For cobia, use a heavy spinning
rod with 6.8 to 9.1 kg (15 to 20 lb) mono line and a 90 cm (3 ft) leader
or wire or 27.2 to 36.3 (60 to 80 lb) mono, and hook sizes 2/0 to 4/0.
Try a 1.8 m (6 ft) surfcaster with 4.54 to 5.4 kg (10 to 12 lb) mono
when lure fishing for snook, and a fast, 2.7 m (9 ft) tip-action rod for
fly fishing. For barramundi, use 2.7 to 3 m (9 to 10 ft)
spinning rod with 9.1 to 13.6 kg (20 to 30 lb) mono line. |
|
| Baits |
|
|
Good baits for cobia include
natural baits such as fish, crabs, and shrimps, and artificial large
plugs with bright blue or silver finishes, and 42 to 85 g (1 1/2 to 3
oz) jigs with yellow or white skirts. Try plugs, spoons, jigs, shrimps,
streamer flies, and fish (especially kembong/mullet) for snook, and
jointed, 15 cm (6 in) shallow-diving plugs for barramundi (I prefer Rapala
brand). |
|
| Note: Cobia
& Barramundi (Giant Perch) |
|
|
This long, slim-bodied fish (Cobia)
occurs in most warm seas, from coastal waters to the open ocean, but is
not found along the Pacific coast of North America. It has a flat head,
a large mouth with a slightly protruding lower jaw, and a first dorsal
fin that consists of eight separate spines. Fish and crustaceans make up
the bulk of its diet, and it grows to a weight of about 68 kg (150 lb).
It is usually solitary but sometimes forms small schools.
The barramundi, or giant perch, lives in
rivers, creeks, and mangrove swamps, and spawns in estuaries and coastal
waters. It feeds on fish, crayfish, crabs, shrimps, and insects, and
grows to a weight of 60 kg (132 lb); the closely related Nile perch, an
African freshwater fish, can reach 91 kg (200 lb).
|
|