Species › North America · Saltwater › Cobia

Saltwater · #27 most targeted in the US

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum · ling, lemonfish, crabeater

Water temp
72–82°F
Peak season
Apr–Jun
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
135 lb 9 oz (61.5 kg)
Cobia (Rachycentron canadum.jpg)

Photo: Jorge Alarcon or Dr. Daniel Benetti · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Cobia are a long, dark-brown fish with a broad flattened head, a white belly, a dark lateral stripe that is sharpest on juveniles and a row of short, separate dorsal spines ahead of the soft dorsal fin. From a tower they look like a small shark or a remora, and new anglers often mistake a cobia for a shark until it turns. They are the only member of their family. Most fish run 20–40 pounds and a few top 100.

Cobia live in warm waters worldwide except the eastern Pacific. In the US they range from Massachusetts to Texas, with the main fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Louisiana, the Carolinas and Virginia's Chesapeake Bay. The Gulf and Atlantic stocks migrate north in spring as water passes about 68°F (20°C), hugging the beaches of the Florida Panhandle in March and April, reaching the Carolinas and Chesapeake by May and spending summer around buoys, wrecks and reefs before dropping south in fall.

Cobia are curious, structure-oriented predators that eat crabs, shrimp, eels and small fish, and they shadow large rays, sea turtles, sharks and whale sharks to pick off flushed prey. They cruise just under the surface on calm days, which makes them one of the few big fish regularly spotted and cast to from a tower, a pier or the beach. They also hold on wrecks, channel markers and oil platforms, where a bait dropped alongside often brings one up.

For anglers, cobia are a spring rite along the Gulf coast, where towered boats run the beach looking for fish, and a summer staple in the Chesapeake and off the Carolinas on chum and sight-casting. They eat jigs, eels and live bait, pull like a jack and go berserk in the boat. Strict size and bag limits reflect concern about the stocks; many anglers release all but one fish.

Typical size15–40 lb (7–18 kg); 33–50 in
Trophy60 lb+ is a trophy; 80–100 lb fish are caught every year in the Gulf and Chesapeake
Table fareExcellent — firm, white, mild fillets; one of the best-eating saltwater fish

How to catch

Sight-casting from a towerRun the beach or the color change at 8–12 knots on a calm, sunny day with a spotter in the tower. When a fish is spotted cruising, cast a bucktail jig, swimbait or live eel a few feet ahead and bring it across its path. Cobia often follow before eating; keep the lure moving and do not stop it at the boat.
Fishing rays, turtles and whale sharksCobia shadow big rays and sea turtles. Approach slowly, look for brown shapes beside or beneath the animal, and drop a jig or live bait right off the ray's wing. Several fish often travel together; keep a second rod ready for the follower.
Chumming on structureAnchor up-current of a wreck, buoy or the Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel pilings and set a steady chum slick of ground menhaden, then fish live eels, croaker or spot on the bottom and mid-depth. Cobia follow the slick to the boat, where a sight-cast often seals it.
Live eels and bait on a jigheadA live eel is the best cobia bait, cast on a 5/0–7/0 hook or jighead so it swims naturally. Live pinfish, croaker and menhaden also work. Hook the eel through the lower jaw and out an eye socket to keep it alive and casting well.
Bucktail jigs with a trailerA 2–4 oz chartreuse, white or orange bucktail with a plastic eel or curly-tail trailer is the standard cobia lure. Cast past the fish and retrieve with steady pumps so the hair breathes; the bright color helps a fish find it in sandy water.
Pier and surf fishingIn spring, cobia pass within casting range of Gulf and Atlantic piers. Keep a heavy spinning outfit rigged with a bucktail or a live bait under a float and scan the surface for brown shapes; pier anglers on the Panhandle and Outer Banks land fish over 60 pounds.

Gear

Rod7'–8' heavy spinning with a fast tip for casting; 7' medium-heavy conventional for bait
Reel6000–8000 spinning or 20–30 class conventional
Line40–65 lb braid with a 50–80 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

Bucktail jig with trailerSoft-plastic eelLarge paddle-tail swimbaitPopperSinking stickbaitJigging spoonLarge curly-tail grub on jighead

Baits

Live eelLive pinfish or croakerLive menhadenBlue crabSquid

Regulations

Cobia are managed jointly by NOAA and the states with a fork-length minimum, a small daily bag (often one fish per person and a vessel limit) and seasonal closures that vary between the Gulf and Atlantic stocks. A saltwater license is required and rules change frequently.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 135 lb 9 oz (61.5 kg) — Shark Bay, Western Australia, July 9, 1985 (Peter Goulding). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Is a cobia a shark?

No. Cobia are bony fish in their own family, Rachycentridae, but their broad flat head, dark brown color and the way they cruise just under the surface make them look like a small shark or a remora. The separate short dorsal spines and the single long dorsal fin identify them.

What is the best bait for cobia?

A live eel, hooked through the lower jaw and cast ahead of a cruising fish, is the top choice. Live pinfish, croaker, menhaden and blue crabs also work, especially on a chum slick at structure. For lures, a 2–4 oz bucktail jig with a plastic eel trailer is the standard.

When is cobia season in Florida?

The Panhandle sight-fishing run peaks in late March and April as water warms past 68°F (20°C) and fish migrate west and north along the beach. The Atlantic coast around Port Canaveral sees fish in winter and spring following manta rays. Harvest seasons and limits are set by FWC and NOAA and change yearly.

Why are cobia so hard to land?

They are strong, heavy fish that often follow a lure without eating, then make long runs and dive for the structure when hooked. Once in the boat they thrash violently and can break gear and bones, so gaff or net them cleanly, get them into a fish box fast and keep hands away from the head.

Bite forecast — Cobia

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Cobia.

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