Cobia are found from the Carolinas to Florida and along the entire Gulf Coast. While most anglers run into cobia on accident while fishing for other fish, you can target these fish specifically and have some good results. Most of the cobia that are caught will average 5 to 20 pounds, but some do grow bigger than 100 pounds. These fish are usually caught offshore, however, in some areas cobia will migrate along the beaches and you can often find cobia following very close to manta rays.
Cobia Fishing in the Tampa Bay Area
Cobia migrate through the Tampa Bay area in large numbers in the spring as they head to the northern Gulf of Mexico. These fish can often be found nearshore along the beaches and around the nearshore reefs and wrecks. The spring fishing is usually better than the fall, however, cobia migrate back down south as the water temperatures cool off during the fall months.
Cobia Fishing Tips
The best baits to catch cobia are live baits such as crabs, shrimp, pinfish, mullet and other small bait fish. Cobia aren’t too picky when it comes to eating, so most bait fish will work for cobia.
Visit our Cobia fishing page to learn more.
