Species › Africa › Dusky Kob

Saltwater

Dusky Kob

Argyrosomus japonicus · Kob, Kabeljou, Mulloway (Australia)

Water temp
61–73°F
Peak season
May–Jul
Best light
Low light
IGFA record
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Dusky Kob (Argyrosomus japonicus.JPG)

Photo: Show_ryu · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Dusky kob are long, powerful fish with a silver-bronze body, a row of pearly spots along the lateral line, a large mouth and a croaking swim bladder. They range from South Africa's Cape coast to Mozambique, with the same species in Australia, where it is the mulloway, and in East Asia. Juveniles grow up in estuaries; adults move between estuaries, surf zones and offshore reefs, feeding on mullet, sardines, prawns and squid, mostly in low light and at night on a pushing tide. Kob are slow-growing and heavily overfished in South Africa, but a fish over 1 m (39 in) from the beach remains the dream of Cape and Eastern Cape rock-and-surf anglers.

Typical size5–20 lb (2–9 kg); 24–36 in
Trophy50 lb+ (23 kg+); 100 lb+ fish are rare giants
Table fareExcellent — firm white flesh; but stocks are depleted, so release large fish

Where & when

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Kob are caught year-round, with the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal winter (May–August) run of large fish into surf and river mouths the classic peak; summer estuary fishing is good for smaller fish.

Breede River estuary, South AfricaWestern Cape; famous for giant kobSundays River, South AfricaEastern Cape estuary; year-round kobTranskei Wild Coast, South AfricaRemote surf and river mouths; big winter kob

How to catch

Live or fresh bait in the surfFish a live mullet, fresh sardine or chokka (squid) on a sliding or fixed trace with a grapnel sinker into deep gutters and river mouths at dusk and after dark on a pushing tide. Keep the line tight and let the fish run before setting; kob pick up and move off steadily.
Dropshot and paddletails in estuariesCast 4–6 in soft-plastic paddletails on 1/4–3/4 oz jigheads along channel drop-offs, bridge pylons and current seams, and retrieve slowly with occasional hops so the lure stays near the bottom. Night and low light on an incoming tide are best.

Gear

Rod12–14' heavy surf rod, or 7' medium-heavy spinning for estuaries
Reel6000–8000 spinning or large multiplier
Line30–50 lb braid or 20–25 lb mono; 40–60 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

Soft-plastic paddletailSoft-plastic dropshotDeep-diving minnow

Baits

Live mulletChokka (squid)Sardine (pilchard)Red-eye sardine

Regulations

South Africa requires a recreational marine angling permit and sets a minimum size and a very low daily bag limit for dusky kob, with a smaller limit again for large fish; Australia manages mulloway with state size and bag limits. Rules change, so check the current permit conditions.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best time to catch dusky kob?

Dusk, night and the first hour of dawn on a pushing tide are prime, especially in winter when big fish push into river mouths and surf gutters to feed on mullet and sardines. Dirty water after rain and a moderate swell improve the odds. Daytime fish come from deeper estuary channels on lures.

Bite forecast — Dusky Kob

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Dusky Kob.

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