Cobbler are a common estuary catfish found around southern Australia, and most anglers know them for their stubborn fight and nasty spines. They are not usually a glamour fish, but they turn up regularly when you are soaking baits in creeks, channels and muddy bays.
In Australian waters, cobbler are mostly found in estuaries, tidal rivers, muddy bays and sheltered inshore areas from South Australia through Victoria and Tasmania, and into southern New South Wales. They like soft bottom country like mud, sand and weed edges, and often hold in deeper holes, channels and around flats that drain with the tide.
Cobbler are bottom feeders that hunt by scent and feel, picking up worms, yabbies, prawns, small crabs, shellfish and bits of fish off the bottom. They are not fussy, and they usually cruise slowly over mud and sand looking for an easy meal, especially when the water is moving.
Tide makes a big difference, with the better bite often happening on the run-in or run-out when food is being pushed along channels and flats. Low light helps, especially early morning, late afternoon and into the night, because cobbler are happy to feed confidently when the sun is off the water. Light to moderate wind can help by stirring up the bottom and moving scent, but hard wind can make estuaries dirty and harder to fish cleanly. In sheltered water swell is not a major factor, but where swell pushes into bay entrances and lower systems it can fire them up by dislodging food and adding water movement.
A simple running sinker or paternoster rig with a tough 2/0 to 4/0 hook works well, fished right on the bottom. Baits like pilchard pieces, squid strips, prawn, mussel and fish flesh all get eaten, and a medium estuary outfit is plenty. Just handle them carefully with pliers or a lip grip because the spines can ruin your day fast.
Cobbler have venomous spines in their dorsal and pectoral fins, which is why plenty of Aussie anglers give them a lot of respect at the boat ramp.