FISHING FOR COBIA
Upper Hand Pensacola Fishing Charters with Captain Brandy Wallace
Cobia, also known as Ling or Lemon Fish, are one of the most outstanding game fish caught off the coast of Pensacola. Cobia are very strong, with a lot of endurance and always put up a good fight. Besides being extremely fun to catch, cobia are delicious to eat.
Each spring, cobia migrate north along Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coasts after spending the winter in South Florida as far south as the Keys. Their arrival off the coast of Pensacola in March kicks off the local cobia fishing season. From late March through May, the spring cobia run is at its height in the Pensacola area with April being the main month. The annual spring cobia "hunt" will attract large numbers of anglers to Pensacola. In the northern Gulf of Mexico, cobia will spawn several times from late summer to early fall before beginning their migration south again as local water temperatures cool.
The cobia we catch on our Pensacola offshore fishing charters, average 30 to 40 pounds but larger cobia are not uncommon. Cobia can reach over six feet in length and over 100 pounds in weight with the state record being 130 lb 1 oz, caught right here in the Florida Panhandle near Destin.
Cobia can be caught while trolling in the Gulf of Mexico but the best way to catch cobia is to sight fish from a spotting tower or "cobia tower" like the one on Captain Brandy's boat. Captain Brandy is a tournament winning cobia 'hunter' and had his cobia tower custom built and fitted for his 24' Blazer Bay Boat. Cobia will ride the waves just under the surface of the water like a dolphin making them visible to anglers, especially anglers with the advantage of a cobia tower like on Captain Brandy's fishing boat. Cobia are often found near offshore buoys and will even swim for miles below giant Manta rays. The rays, swimming near the surface with their accompanying cobia, can be spotted from long distances from a cobia tower especially when they breach the surface like a whale, a spectacular sight!
For current Cobia fishing regulations in the Pensacola area go to:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Cobia Fishing Regulations