Species guide · Texas
Cobia fishing in Texas
Rachycentron canadum, a nearshore species also called ling, lemonfish and crabeater. Listed for the Western Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Laguna Madre From the Port Of Brownsville to the Arroyo Colorado at 58, one of 9 Texas 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.
Western Gulf
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- 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 · 9
Texas bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's cobia score this hour.
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (58) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 9 AM (63) · 8 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 9 AM (56) · 51 named spots
Best window today 7-10 PM (53) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (56) · 54 named spots
Best window today 7-11 PM (49) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (53) · 14 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (50) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 6 PM (57) · 97 named spots
Best window today 7-10 PM (47) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 9 AM (53) · 5 named spots
Best window today 7-10 PM (47) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 9 AM (51) · 2 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (50) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 9 AM (57) · 61 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (48) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 6 PM (55) · 37 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
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Synced with TPWD Sep 18, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
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
1 per day · 2 in possession · Minimum 40 in, total length
Season: No closed season on file
The possession limit is double the daily bag and does not count fish stored at your residence. While fishing, you may not hold more than the daily bag.
TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual, Cobia Bag & Length Limits · verified Sep 13, 2026