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. Off season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM at 57, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Off 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
Off season, about 6 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
Shoulder season, about 2 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
Shoulder season, about 2 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 8-10 PM (57) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (60) · 24 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (58) · 46 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 AM (60) · 79 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (55) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (58) · 92 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (54) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 7 AM (60) · 81 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (53) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (58) · 39 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (53) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (62) · 4 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (53) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (58) · 23 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (52) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 8 AM (61) · 126 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (53) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 9 AM (59) · 131 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (50) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 9 AM (59) · 49 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (51) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 8 AM (59) · 20 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 5 PM (55) · 13 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (48) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (61) · 88 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (64) · 22 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (50) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 7 AM (61) · 195 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (42) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (46) · 11 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (40) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (59) · 21 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 3 AM (35) · 199 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 82 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 6 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 109 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (30) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 1 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (30) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 AM (35)
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 AM (35) · 16 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (23) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 9 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (16) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 7 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (18) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 4 PM (35)
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (16) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 6 AM (35)
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 Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed cobia rule for Florida is on file yet. Check with FWC before you keep one.
Other Florida species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Bonefish
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Bluefish
- Striped bass