TAIGAN Heath and a few mates were fishing around South West Rocks back in February targeting pelagics.
After noticing some larger marks deeper on the sounder, they decided to change their fishing tactics and send live bait to the bottom. Shortly after, Taigan hooked and landed a solid 15kg Cobia, which was tagged. The details of the tag were recorded and the fish was re-released with the original tag still in place.
Taigan reported the recapture via the online recapture form on the DPI website. A search of the database revealed that the Cobia had been tagged by Hervey Bay Game Fishing Club member, Glen Radunz. The fish was originally tagged offshore of Rooneys Point, K’gari (Fraser Island) in November 2023 and measured in at 120cm and an estimated 12kg.
Despite only being at liberty for 84 days (nearly 3 months), the Cobia had moved a minimum distance of 358 nautical miles (~663 km) south before it was recaptured, making this the new record for the furthest distance travelled by a tagged Cobia since the Game Fish Tagging Program’s inception. A total of 1,486 Cobia have been tagged under the Program, with 43 recaptures reported.
The previous longest recorded distance moved by a Cobia within the Program was 300 nautical miles. That particular fish moved in the complete opposite direction (north) having been tagged at South West Rocks (Northern NSW) in July 2022, then recaptured off Double Island Point (QLD) in November 2022.
Source: NSW DPI
