Cobia Season 2008 "Baptismal by Salt"

In the Navy when you are the first crew on board a new ship after it is commisioned you are forever referred to as plankowners of that ship. Being that my first post wouldn't have been possible without three people they are the plankowners of my blog. The first is my Brother Rick. We have been hunting, or fishing for anything we could find since we began to walk. The second is Captain John Irwin of http://www.flyrightcharters.com/ based out of Charleston, or wherever the fishing is good at that time. The third is my Wife who as head of our house IT department actually set-up the blog. This was edited after she read my first post, and said "Not Possible Without Whom". Rick & John huh.
The background:
My brother calls me on a Friday morning, and says a friend of ours Gitou was unable to go on a trip my brother and him had been planning. He then asks if I would like to go try, and catch some Cobia on the fly with his friend John. This is at 7:30 in the morning the day of the trip. I'm a lucky man for sure. I have a great boss, and wife. After getting approved by both of them within 5 hours I meet my brother at my house to leave.
The Trip:
We arrive in Beaufort, South Carolina that evening, and I get to meet John for the first time. He is as gracious, accomodating, and as good of a fly fisherman as you would ever meet. John spends 4-6 weeks chasing the Cobia in Beaufort when they work up the coast, and had a house rented in a beautiful part of town. The Jasmine has the most unbelievable smell in May there. If you experience it once it is something you will never forget. I've had a fly rod in my hand every chance I could since I was around 7 years old. This was my first trip in the salt though. Day 1 was tough, and the water was choppy. I missed a shot at a redfish, and quickly realized this was a different game than anything I had ever done. Day 2 we were pushing out towards Hilton Head, and Rick spotted a Cobia blasting under the boat. It was a sign off what was about to happen. For around three hours it was Cobia everywhere. They were up on top, and life was good. I made a bunch of my worst casts of my life, but got to watch Rick land the nice 36# fish in one of the pics below. John made a sick cast with a bucktail & Spinning rod, and hooked into one. He handed me the rod, and I tried to decline (felt like when my dad would hook my fish as a kid then let me real them in) John insisted he didn't want to do battle with this fish. I was convinced remembering the picture of the 130# Tarpon pictures from the week before he showed us from a 10 day trip he had just come back from in Belize. I got it to the boat, and my nerves were now settled somewhat. The first fish I casted at earlier had me so jacked up I thought I was about to have the first anxiety attack of my life. My heels were jumping up, and down on the deck I was shaking so bad. We came up on a fish, and Rick pulled out his camcorder. I casted and started stripping as fast as I could while John said "Strip, Strip, Strip" ATE". Amazing i fumbled to deal with the line on the deck, and then it was game on. Look at that picture of the 12 weight bending below. It looks like I'm fighting a cinder block. I think John put it best instead of a 8# Redfish my first Saltwater fish on the fly was a 34# Cobia. What a great trip. Rick was able to get everything from the Cobia eating the fly to the release around 20 mintues later on video.
I will post that if we ever figure out how. Enjoy the pictures below, and if you want to experience a great day on the water I suggest you look up Captain John.