I've caught ling on feather jigs, Russell lures and squid trolling, but I want to catch one on my new 20 class spinning rod. What's your favorite artificial for sight casting to cobia/ling?

Last year a Gulp! Alive Peeler Crab on a 4/0 circle hook did the trick for me on 30lb spinning tackle.

I use a 3oz snapper slapper or a live hard tail if I have any.

Last time out a large cobia would swim out from the rig and circle the boat with a medium sized and three small ling following it everytime we caught a fish that splashed a lot. It would follow a chart/pink snapper slapper. It would push the same jig tipped with cigar minnow around with it's nose. But would not eat it. Very frustrating. The first small ling to see snapper slapper pounced on it. I took off the jig and put on a circle hook with just a cigar minnow. The large ling would just swim right past. The medium sized on came up and suck it in. I saw the bait dissappear, waited a couple seconds, and swept the rod tip up. The bait popped right out of the fish's mouth. He swam forwarded a couple feet and sucked the bait in again and started to swim away. The line tightend and the bait popped out of his mouth again. And that was it they would turn from any bait presented after that.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A LING REFUSE A HARD HEAD (CATFISH).

Hard to beat a big curly tail grub in chartreuse with 3 oz pink jig head

Friend of mine caught 37in Ling on TNT slab with little piece of shrimp on the hook.

I throw 3oz leadhead jigs tipped with sardine or a pork rind.

Caught a 40 incher on a live croaker near Port Mansfield, TX. First cobia ever, best tasting fish i've had.

Do you hook them through the lips or in front of the dorsal fin?

Great suggestions. I'm taking a variety of jigs, swim baits and a couple of new hard baits. I'm pretty excited about throwing a big X-Rap and a Yo-Zuri Hydro Squid. I'll be fishing with a guide using live bait, but I want to try my hand a catching one on artificial.

Your biggest problem will be trying to find the Ling. Last year was an outstanding year for ling. I caught one on every trip. May and June are the best months. Ling are funny on what they eat. Live bait is best. Sometimes they will ignore everything but will take a simple bucktail jig. They are very territorial. They think they own a particual rig and will chase off others.

This year was slow. They just weren't around in good numbers. I would say it was 75% off from last year. Good luck.

There are still good numbers of kingfish inshore. Not my favorite, but action is action. I just release them as I don't know anyone that eats them anymore. I use to keep a couple for a neighbor who used them for cat food. Her cat died, so I don't bother to put any in the box if inshore fishing. Bend over and grab them by the tail and use 12" hookouts. They are OK if you cook them the day caught.

Spanish mackeral are starting to show up just off the jetties. They are a lot firmer meat than the King Macks. I'll keep them.