Species guide · Mississippi
Cobia fishing in Mississippi
Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the Eastern Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 2 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Mississippi Sound at 52.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
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.
Where it's scoring now · 1
Mississippi bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's cobia score this hour.
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 PM (58) · 81 named spots
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
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Synced with MDMR Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed cobia rule for Mississippi is on file yet. Check with MDMR before you keep one.