King Killa

<SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__c tl1_lblFullMessage>OK, first time posting here but feel compelled...not sure if I am in the right section, so go easy on me...went out with a buddy of mine who had never been salt water fishing here (and who is a marine pilot just stationed in Pcola) to kill kingfish on Tues morning, and had some success...kept two ofsix caught. We ran in to the beach to anchor out in front of the Dock restaraunt for a burger and beer before heading in....this was about 12 noon. Right on the beach we saw some spanish so we flipped gotchas at em (this is all within the second sandbar...so 100 feet to the beach. We got a few nice spanish and were fixing to anchor when I saw a cobia coming along the first sandbar, right in front of us...I grabbed the spinning rod with the only lure I had on (the silver gotcha with the feather thingon the back) and lobbed it out in front of him. He took it and I set the drag carefully...25 LB Sufix and a 40 LB mono flouro leader made me nervous. I fought while my buddy drove...we chased for a while right on the beach..1 hour 22 minutes later we boat him...

I knowthat people are calling BS on the whole thing...thing is, I don't fish for Cobia, but like any other fisherman, I take my shots where I see em. I have pics and some video of the actual fight (some showing the gotcha in the corner of her mouth) which I will post tonight. The fish weighed 82.5 LBS 2 hours after being put in the box. This was my first time ever casting to a Cobia, and YES I know I got very lucky.

Now for the crazy part: I had no scale, but wanted to weigh her bc I knew she was pretty big. A guy down on the beach suggested I weigh her at the peir. I have the # in my phone, so I called to see if that was cool. The fellow on the phone said hell yes, bring her up.Well, before I could, I got a phone call from "Jerry" on the pier, telling me it would be easier to just pull up to the pier so he could lower us a scale...I thought bout it, asked him if it wouldn't piss off the guys fishing up there. He said just come to where he was waving which should not be a problem. I did it...I know ALL THE RULES...I dive, fish from boats and piers/bridges, etc....but the guy said come on so I did....Gimme a ticket if you don't like it, and I'll pay it.

Anyway, long and short of it is that after we weighed it, we dropped his scale in the drink, so I owe him a scale.(Jerry is a good guy, he later told me not to worry about the scale....but that is not right. I will be bringing you a new scale Jerry...and thanks for the help). Well, aswe weresitting beside the pier, nowhere near anyones fishing line,we start hearing the "regular" cobia fisherman cursing at us, calling us every name you can think of. My buddy asks if they are serious. I say oh yes...I have seen the cobia fishermen on the pier RUN CHILDREN OVER trying to cast to a cobe or a turtle or whatever...broken poles and no apologies, knock a tourist over no apologies...no regard for the basic rules commonplace to any civilized scene. So to hear them cussing us out for catching "THEIR COBIA" was no shock to me. Of course I knew that they are notorious for lobbing jigs at boats. I have never had this to worry about bc I try to respect the pier and their lines and casting requirement (they could need to make a long cast to reach a cruising fish). Also, I think the law also requires 500', or something like that...?

Well we did not get hit, but 2 jigs plopped in about 2 feet from the boat, and one line went over, touching my buddy's shoulder. If I could have grabbed it in time, I would have cleated that line and taken off...Well, just for the guys that were throwing on us, we know who you are now. The REGULARS on the pier didn't want to ID you while everybody was around...but you IDIOTS THREW ON MY BOAT WITH 50 PEOPLE WATCHING YOU.

My trip to the pier with the deputies right after was not to arrest anyone...it was to figure out who we could talk to about it AFTERWARDS. One more thing, you show up great on video we took of you throwing on us. You are aware that aside from being pointless, stupid and dangerous, it is a FELONY to launch any missile at a boat....you did know that didn't you. What do you expect to achieve? Do you want to injure someone when you do that? You can't expect any good to come from it!

Here is the bottom line...youwere JEALOUS and PISSED OFF because you think that was your fish. You think I "cut you off". Gimme a break. I don't even have the gear to properly pursue cobia. Quit your crying, because you would have casted to that fish, too. Oh yea, one more thing.. You saw us anchored on the beach right after that. If you were angry and bold enought to throw a jig at us when you were 35 feet in the air and safe, why not come throw it at us from 3 feet away? Maybe bc you would get something thrown back at you? If you threw on my boat, you are a coward. Get a life...I love to fish...been out 5 days straight now, but I know that there are more important things than a damned fish. When you figure that out, you will be all grown up.

As for MY cobia, it is delicious. I got some good advice back at Navy Point from REEL TWIZTID and his buddies on how to grill it up. AWESOME TASTING FISH!!

Thanks for all the help to those who helped, and screw you to those who hated.

fishing with carl childers

yessir, thats the way them ol boys are out there on that pier, i've seen em plum knock the tar outta folks to get to casting reach of a fish.mmmmmmmmmmmm, i'd have done the same thing if i would've caught that cobia, some people call em a ling, i call em a cobia. that wasn't right for them to go calling you names either mmmmmmmmmm.they ain't no count. i reckon god wouldn't send nobody like you to hades for what you done, but i reckon hell is chock full of folks that try to cause you harm by intentionly hitting you with a sharpened hook.mmmmmmmmmmmmm. anyway, you got the fish. i'd say you won that deal sure enough. mister, i think that was right nice of that feller for wanting to weigh your fish. it's nice to see folks helping one another out.good luck to ya , names carl.

Baitcaster

ah yes, the blue center-console incident .

I was watching and said to my self " what does he think he's doing ? "

I'm amazed you made it out of there unscathed .

gator7_5

great story and congrats on the cobe. I can't believe you had the nuts to approach the pier. Next time do yourself a favor and drop by Outcast to weigh it. They wont hurl jigs orinsults your way.

seacapt

Sounds like a great fish, Congrats.

I'm guessing that thisis going to be a very long thread. I would have found a better place to weigh a fish. Personal feelings about the pier... I won't take my six year old son out there (or go myself) because of what I've seen and read.I would like to see some people banned from the pier (by the pier) for their actions and I think the ones that try to hit boats (including boats with women and children)with lead should be charged and arrested. They know if they hit someone in the head with a cobia jig it very well may kill them so what do you charge them with? Attempted murder? I'll bet you wouldn't have to arrest many before the others figured it out.For me the pier is a good thing to look at from a distance but I have no desire to go there anymore.

GULFFISHER1

I like dem ling with french fried potaters mmmmmmm

JoeZ

First, great catch.

Second, great story -- at least had a happy endingand no injuries.

I've seen it done before and it'll be done again for sure but what gets me is that you were "OKd" to go over there so what's the fuss?

I've seen jigs thrown at surfers and boaters and laughed my ass off (only because nobody was hurt) but, yeah, it could get real serious real fast if you hit the boat (or worse a person).

If you've got evidence, I'd say take it the Sheriff, screw'em. I'm not a big tattletail but flinging jigs is not something I'd let slide.

Brad King

I beleive in giving the pier guy's there space(and do)and not running up on em. But I'll be DAMNED if someone's gonna bounce a jig off my boat or someone on the boat. It's childish, it's dangerous, and just plain STUPID. Maybe the pier anglers should mount a small weather proof housing / a VHF radio, and an antenna, and pre-worn any one approaching to steer clear. I know better and so do all other locals. But a tourist from outta town drags his boat down for a weekend then gets a 4 oz. jig slung through his console, and god forbid a child is hit in the head with one.

I just think that a better way of warning approaching vessels needs to be used by the Anglers on that pier. To many adults fishing there for such an unsafe practice to still be going on. Sorry if I pissed anyone off. (Actually.........no I'm not)

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Capt. Brad King
South Again Charters LLC
www.southagain.com
captbrad@southagain.com
Inshore/Nearshore Charters

L.Crooke

im not one to throw at boats...but people with boats, is there not enough water for ya? i mean c'mon there is plenty of room to go around the pier and get back on the bar or wherever you are fishing...they aren't trying to hurt someone but they are trying to scare people from doing it again! with that said don't worry about the people cursing you out they are just pissed off that they didn't catch the fish... i think that if anyone comes close enough to get hit with a jig then its mosts likely out of stupidity of the boat driver. i mean we are pier fisherman, most likely one person up there is gonna throw when the chance is given!

Pinksnappertrapper

I truly believe that has to fall in the stand your ground law. And if your dumb ass is throwing led at me im throwing led back. but not the type with a hook on it. Think, before you do some stupid shit like that. It really doesnt matter if the boat is to close to the pier its not your pier and the law doesnt apply to the pier. Now by no means do i ever ever go any where near the pier on my boats or on foot and its mainly for these reasons. Too many cool guy assholes.