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Captain Joey Leggio shares his expertise on targeting Cobia off the coast of New York, revealing how this once-rare trophy fish has become a viable target species. We explore effective techniques for finding and catching these powerful gamefish, along with the shifting fisheries that have brought them north.

• When sharks appear (especially blacktips and spinners), Cobia are likely following close behind
• Position downwind of bunker schools rather than casting directly into them
• Use a "knocker rig" with light weight and fluorocarbon leader instead of heavy snag hooks
• Keep the first hooked Cobia in the water to attract followers, just like with mahi
• Always have multiple rods ready with both live/chunk baits and artificials like bucktails or eel imitations
• Cobia season typically runs from June through early September in New York waters
• Climate change appears to be shifting fisheries northward, bringing southern species like Cobia to NY
• Capitalize quickly when Cobia appear – opportunities may be brief
• Look for Cobia following cow nose rays and large bunker schools
• If a snagged bunker dies or spins unnaturally, replace it immediately for better results

If you'd like to support Captain Leggio during his recovery from a recent prop strike accident, please consider contributing to the GoFundMe linked in the show notes.

https://gofund.me/86614fd5

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