Today is the day many have waited all winter for, the first day of cobia season. Unfortunately, no one told mother nature that the air and water temperatures should be warmer but warmer weather will be here soon and so will the cobia. I personally can't wait for a chance to catch the "man in the brown suit".

Cobia can put up a great fight as they can grow to be over 100 pounds and they make a great dinner. It is possible to catch them from the beach, pier or even nearshore from your kayak.Cobia are a migratory fish and they migrate south for the winter and return to our coast in the spring as water temperature begins to reach 70 degrees.

So, what do you need for gear?We recommend a 10’ – 12’ rod and a spinning reel (or conventional if you prefer) with a large capacity spool. Cobia tend to take a long run and are very strong so it is recommended to have a fluorocarbon shock leader on your line to help prevent the cobia from breaking it off. Cobia are not picky eaters and artificial lures work well. Bucktail jigs are popular for cobia fishing and can be paired with soft plastics.Here are some recommended items:

Where can you find cobia? Based on previous year fishing reports, cobias have been caught from the beach at the Point, ramp 49 and ramp 55. If you are lucky enough to have your own boat, sight fishing from a boat is popular for cobia and the items above are great for sight fishing as well. If the water is calm and clear, a great way to target cobia is from a kayak.You can head to the “hook” in Frisco and try your luck at targeting cobia from a kayak.Imagine the thrill of hooking up with one of these big guys from your kayak! We can help you with that too as we are a Vibe Kayak dealer or you can rent one of our kayaks.

Always be sure you know the limits before heading out fishing.The recreational limit for cobia is one cobia per person per day and the minimum size is 36 inches (fork length).If fishing on a private boat (including kayak) one cobia per person with a max of two cobia per boat for the month of May and after June 1st changes to one cobia per boat regardless of the number of people on the boat.

If you would rather rely on a local charter captain to help you target cobia, we recommend Kinnakeet Experience, Hallelujah Charters, Hatteras Light Tackle Fishing, Tightlinez and Got-Em Charters.