Species guide · North Carolina
Cobia fishing in North Carolina
Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 2 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Croatan and Roanoke Sounds at 63, one of 9 North Carolina 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 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 · 9
North Carolina bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's cobia score this hour.
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (70) · 49 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (62) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 PM (64) · 75 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (59) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (64) · 331 named spots
Best window today 8-9 PM (56) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (63) · 21 named spots
Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (58) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (65) · 26 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (64) · 260 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 6 PM (66) · 7 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (53) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (60) · 134 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 1 named spot
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
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed cobia rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.
Other North Carolina species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Bluefish
- Sailfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Atlantic bluefin tuna
- Striped bass