Species
Cobia Fishing Charters
Cobia are large, curious fish that cruise near buoys, wrecks and rays, and run along the coast in spring and summer. 246 captains and guides in 44 towns list cobia. Here is where, and the months it is in season where we have a published calendar.
Key facts
About the cobia
Long, torpedo-shaped body with a broad, flattened head and a lower jaw that sticks out past the upper. Dark brown with a dark stripe from eye to tail, and a first dorsal fin made of 7 to 9 short, separate spines. Often mistaken for a shark or remora.
- Scientific name
- Rachycentron canadum
- Also called
- Ling, lemonfish, crabeater, sergeantfish, cubby yew
- Family
- Cobia family (Rachycentridae) – the only member in North America; its closest living relative is the remora
- Typical catch
- About 30 inches and 15 pounds in South Carolina; adults commonly reach up to 50 pounds.
- How big they get
- About 6 feet and 100 pounds; the Florida Museum gives a recorded maximum of 135 pounds and 79 inches.
- Where they live
- Most abundant from Virginia (Chesapeake Bay) south and throughout the Gulf; in the western Atlantic it ranges from Nova Scotia to Argentina.
- Habitat
- Coastal and continental shelf waters, inlets and bays, in 68 to 86 degree F water. Hangs around anything that breaks up open water – buoys, pilings, platforms, wrecks, reefs, flotsam and anchored boats – and often follows rays, sea turtles and sharks.
- Diet
- Mostly crabs (hence 'crabeater') and shrimp, plus fish such as mullet and eels, and squid.
- Lifespan
- About 12 to 15 years.
- On the table
- Sweet, rich flavor; lean, moist and firm with a nice flake. Raw meat is light tan and cooks snowy white.
Where
Where to catch cobia with a charter
Counts are captains who list cobia, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about cobia fishing
Things to know
- Migrates north in spring and south and offshore in fall; in South Carolina, nearshore fish are present April through October, peaking in late spring.
- Spawns in coastal bays and estuaries from late June to mid-August in the Southeast.
- Management is split: NOAA Fisheries and the Gulf Council for the Gulf and Florida's east coast, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for Georgia to New York. Size and bag limits apply; fish must be landed with heads and fins intact.
- The 2020 assessment found the Gulf stock not overfished but subject to overfishing.
- The dorsal spines are sharp and stout – handle these strong fish carefully to avoid injury.
How charters catch them
- Sight casting bucktails to fish migrating along the coast
- Fishing around inlet buoys and navigation markers
- Bottom fishing with live bait near reefs and wrecks
- While trolling for king mackerel
- Fly fishing
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Cobia questions
Is a cobia a shark?
No. Cobia are often mistaken for sharks or remoras, but they are not sharks; the remora is their closest living relative.
Why are cobia found around rays and turtles?
They often travel with rays, sea turtles and sharks and scavenge behind them.
When is cobia season?
Cobia move north along the Atlantic coast in spring and leave in fall; exact seasons and limits are set by state and federal managers, so check current rules.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
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