Species guide · Texas

Cobia fishing in Texas

Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the Western Gulf region.

Where it's scoring now All Texas waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

Western Gulf

Jan: Not present
Feb: Not present
Mar: Off season
Apr: Shoulder season
May: Peak season
Jun: Peak season
Jul: Peak season
Aug: Peak season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Off season
Nov: Not present
Dec: Not present

Peak: May to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Sep.

Research notes, Western Gulf region

TPWD lists cobia as most common off Texas June through September. The nearshore run starts in April when water reaches about 70 F, with fish under rigs, buoys, weed lines and shrimp boats.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 0

The Waterlands engine isn't scoring cobia in any Texas bay system in the current 14-day forecast, which usually means the species is out of season.

Not scored in this forecast: Baffin Bay and Upper Laguna Madre, Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays, Corpus Christi and Nueces Bays, Galveston Bay, Laguna Madre From 5 nm North Of Port Mansfield To Baffin Bay TX, Laguna Madre From The Arroyo Colorado To 5 NM North Of Port Mansfield TX, Laguna Madre From the Port Of Brownsville to the Arroyo Colorado, Matagorda Bay and San Antonio, Mesquite, and Espiritu Santo Bays.

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

TPWD saltwater regulations Buy a Texas fishing license License types

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Synced with TPWD Nov 1, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

Federal waters (Gulf)Retention openFederal

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

StatewideRetention open

1 per day · 2 in possession · Minimum 40 in, total length