Species guide · New York
Cobia fishing in New York
Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region.
Season by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Mid-Atlantic
- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Not present
- May: Off season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Not present
- Dec: Not present
Peak: Jun to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Jun to Sep.
Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region
Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach are the northern hub; adults are in the bay May through October and spawning peaks in July (ASMFC). Virginia's recreational season has opened in mid-June in recent years.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 0
Not scored in this forecast: Long Island Sound West of New Haven CT/Port Jefferson NY, New York Harbor, Peconic and Gardiners Bays and South Shore Bays from Jones Inlet through Shinnecock Bay.
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
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Synced with NYSDEC Nov 2, 2026.
No reviewed cobia rule for New York is on file yet. Check with NYSDEC before you keep one.