Species guide · Florida
Cobia fishing in Florida
Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm at 35, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
South Florida and the Keys
Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks- Jan: Peak season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Off season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Peak season
Peak: Dec to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Nov to Apr.
Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region
Winter grounds. GSMFC lists South Florida adults November through March and uncommon in summer; fish often travel with rays, sharks and turtles.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Eastern Gulf
Off season, about 16 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: Mar to Apr. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Sep.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
Spring migration along the Panhandle beaches, usually peaking late March through April as surf temperatures pass 68 F. Northern Gulf adults are present March through October (GSMFC).
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Off season, about 17 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Sep.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Fish pass Florida's east coast in spring, fill Port Royal and St. Helena sounds in South Carolina to spawn April through June, and reach North Carolina inlets in May and June. SCDNR has closed state waters south of Jeremy Inlet during May; check current rules.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 31
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's cobia score this hour.
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 49 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (62) · 199 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (63) · 82 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 6 AM (54)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 126 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 39 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 20 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (52) · 81 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 22 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 12 PM (67) · 6 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 24 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 4 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 131 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 13 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (63) · 109 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 7 AM (63) · 16 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (53) · 11 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (53)
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 46 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 79 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (64)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (63)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 195 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 92 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 23 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (55)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (32) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 1 PM (35) · 21 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (31) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 6 AM (57)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (30) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 10 AM (35) · 88 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (25) · Best day Thu, Nov 12 at 3 PM (52)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (22) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (42)
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 66°F to 86°F, best between 68°F and 80°F.
- Water depth
- 3 to 120 ft of water.
- Structure
- Inlet, wreck, pier, beach, reef, bay and open water, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and moving water, with moderate current.Inshore fish in sounds, inlets and the Chesapeake feed on a moving tide, and anglers chumming at inlets usually favor the incoming. Sight-casting along beaches depends more on calm, clear water and high sun than on tide stage.
- Light
- Little tied to dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 3 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Cobia cruise inlets, beaches, buoys, wrecks and the backs of rays in 5 to 100 feet of water. On calm, sunny days sight-cast bucktails or live eels to fish near the surface. Otherwise anchor up-current of structure, chum, and fish live eels, crabs or menhaden near the bottom.
- Methods
- sight casting, anchoring and chumming, bottom fishing with live bait, drifting, jigging
- Lures
- bucktail jigs, soft plastic eels, jigs tipped with plastic tails, large spoons
- Bait
- live eels, live crabs, menhaden, pinfish, croaker, squid, shrimp
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
1 per day · Minimum 36 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
2 per vessel per trip.
50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026
1 per day · Minimum 36 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
2 per vessel per trip. Cobia off Florida's Atlantic coast are managed as the Florida east coast zone of the Gulf group.
50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026
1 per day · Minimum 36 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less. Spears, gigs, hook and line, seine or cast net.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Cobia · verified Sep 13, 2026
Other Florida species
- Black sea bass
- Bluefish
- Bonefish
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- King mackerel
- Little tunny
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spanish mackerel
- Spotted seatrout
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Black drum
- Gray snapper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spot
- Striped bass
- Summer flounder
- Yellowfin tuna
- Mahi-mahi