John Boggs has been fishing the Cobia migration between Panama City and Pensacola for over 40 years. As a lifelong north Florida resident and boat captain, he has watched as Cobia stocks in the Gulf of Mexico have slowly diminished, both in size and numbers, while fishing pressure has dramatically increased over the past 20 years.

To help ensure that great Cobia fishing will always be available, John invented the COBIA TUBE®. If stock assessment and economic studies result in Cobia regulations similar to those relating to Redfish (wherein they gain game fish status to prevent commercial resale, as well as harvest reductions and slot limits being implemented to protect undersized fish and large breeding females), the COBIA TUBE® will play a significant role in the implementation of any new regulations. But even without additional harvest restrictions, the COBIA TUBE® allows recreational fishermen the option of keeping fish alive instead of gaffing and icing every fish caught.

The COBIA TUBE® also makes it possible for tournaments to establish catch and release divisions for Cobia, or even complete catch and release policies that allow all Cobia caught to be weighted and measured alive before being returned to the sea. Such policies would put Cobia Tournaments on a level with Bass, Redfish and Tarpon Tournaments currently enjoying so much success.

As the emphasis turns from harvesting virtually every legal Cobia caught to releasing them in large numbers, the stocks of this fast-growing game fish will dramatically improve, and as their numbers increase, more fisherman will be able to enjoy the fun of sighting, casting and catching this exciting game fish.

(John Boggs is also the inventor and patent holder of the BILLFISH BAG.)