The Go-Anywhere Balloon Fishing Rig For Cobia

Aside from being one of the best fish as table fare on the planet, cobia are some of the gamest creatures to be chased anywhere. This explains why, during the summer months, anglers head out in droves to fish for them. Cobia—found from the Atlantic Seaboard to the Gulf of Mexico in the U.S., to South America, the African coast, Asia and Australia—are targeted by all manner of lures and baits.

But the most popular means of targeting the fish is with cut bait and live bait, which are ideal for use with balloon fishing rigs.

Since the fish are typically found near the surface during the warmer months, a balloon fishing rig is perfect for keeping cut bait or live pinfish high in the water column for hungry cobia. The problem typically posed by balloon rigs when chasing cobia is the fish are prone to taking long runs, making for quite a bit of hassle when an angler is forced to fight a balloon, swivels and such, in addition to the fish.

What’s more, as the fish gets closer to the boat and starts to jump and flail, the balloon can foul the eye of the rod, resulting in lost fish.