Fishing for Cobia is an exhilarating experience.  Techniques involved for Cobia fishing can most directly be related to a combination of hunting and fishing.  Cobia are a migrating fish, they move southwards down Florida’s east coast during winter and show up around Stuart in January with cold fronts and mill up and down the local beaches where we sight cast jigs on spinning tackle to catch them.  In February we typically see an influx of Manta Rays.  These giant rays swim down near the bottom of the ocean floor and stir the bottom as they swim.

Cobia’s primary diet is crabs and they forage on the crabs tossed up by the Manta Ray wings.  When the Rays come to the surface the Cobia follow and that’s where you pick them off with a jig and a spinning rod.  When there is a 12ft ray swimming around the boat and 10 Cobia between 20 and 60lbs the blood really gets pumping.

Sight casting to the fish you want to try to catch is probably the coolest element.  It challenges your casting skills but is much more rewarding when you do it yourself. One tip – stay a good distance away but within casting distance and cast in front of the fish, slowly moving the bait or lure back towards the Cobia.

In May and June we see the fish invade Stuart’s inshore reefs and wrecks where we anchor and chum them to the boat.  We also catch them on the beach during these months.  Cobia have a minimum length requirement to be kept – it is 33″.  That fish weighs between 12 and 15lbs.  The average size Cobia we catch is near 25lbs, we catch 30+ fish a season in excess of 40lbs and a few over 60lbs every season.  Cobia has a slightly mild taste with firm white meat that freezes very well. It’s versatile to cook and soaks up the flavor of any seasoning well.  They look like a shark, fight like a bull and occasionally jump.

Come and challenge your casting and light tackle skills on a charter fishing trip for Cobia. Call Capt. Price on (772) 380-3455‬ or use our contact form.