Matt McCabe was fishing for fluke off Fort Adams in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island when something much bigger than the average summer flounder slammed his high-low rig.
“When I felt it hit, my first thought was bluefish,” said McCabe. “Then, it started fighting more like a striper. The first time I got it up near the boat, I was sure it was a shark.”
The fish made a second long run and jumped clear of the water, at which point McCabe’s brother-in-law Todd Taylor, Jr., who was visiting from Florida, recognized it as a cobia – and a big one.
McCabe managed to bring the cobia to the side of the boat after several strong runs without breaking the 20-pound-test rig, and Taylor slipped it into their flounder net – or, at least, its front half.
“It was too long to fit in the net, so I dropped the rod and grabbed its head, and the two of us managed to get it into the boat. It immediately broke through the bottom of the net, broke the line, and was going crazy in the boat with just the hook in its mouth,” said McCabe, who was content to continue fluke fishing until Taylor Googled “Rhode Island cobia” and estimated that the fish could eclipse the current state record of 35 pounds set in 1995. Eventually, they brought the fish into a local seafood shop and recorded an official weight of 36.2 pounds.
McCabe, who has shared his catch with friends and family, is ready to catch another. “Not only was the fight great – it was a really good-eating fish.”
Sorry, not a record. We caught one several years ago that tipped the scales at 50 lbs. we were told by the state that there was no record because they were a rare visitor to these waters.
Well it’s the Official State record, and there’s always a record of biggest fish caught you should’ve implored more! Good job on your catch guys!
Sorry, yours wasn’t a record. You should have researched more. I Googled it on the boat and the state record popped right up on the DEM web page that the last record was set in 1995. I called them and they were excited to hear about it! They even told us to take it to an official scale and make it official in the books. Next time you’ll know.
When I used to work the trap boat’s in Newport ri growing up we saw ton’s of cobia, white marlin, tarpon and a lot of southern water fish. They ride the gulf stream which has been creeping closer and closer to ri over the yrs. That’s what I love about fishing, it’s like a box of chocolate’s you never know what your gonna get. Tight line’s guy’s. Nice catch. Oh, cobia is best grilled
[…] We have reached the apex of our fishing season in terms of water temperatures and species. This is despite the fact recent air temps are more suggestive of mid September. Earlier this week of Ft Adams here in Newport Tom McCabe landed the likely state record cobia. Details on the catch at On The Water. […]
Nice one, congrats!
Congrats on your record. My dad was the last record holder.