Destin is known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” With this being said, Destin has some of the best Cobia fishing in the world. For those of you that do not know what a Cobia is, it is one of the top game fish in the world and one of the best eating fish, hands down. Cobia season typically starts when the water on the Gulf Coast reaches 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit. Cobia are migratory species and typically cruise down the beach in early spring to mid-summer looking for food on the way to their breeding grounds. Cobia range in size between 15-100 pounds. Florida law states that Cobia must be 33″ to harvest and the limit is 1 per person or 6 per vessel per day. Most captains sight-fish for Cobias off their boats. These boats are designed with special towers/crow’s nest to give an angler height in order to locate the fish cruising down the beach. Most anglers use medium-heavy spinning tackle rods and reels with 15-30# mainline on them. Typical baits for Cobia consists of eels, fin baits, and brightly colored Cobia jigs. You can buy these baits at Half Hitch Tackle in Destin, Florida. Most anglers have their own special hook size and types to catch these fish. These fish can also be caught around reefs and wrecks around the Gulf Coast. Fish can swim in singles, pairs, or large schools and many fish are also caught off of sea turtles, floating debris, and buoys.
I have a specially designed inshore charter boat with a tower specifically made for this type of fishing!
Remember when catching Cobia: Always have a good gaff with you!
-Capt. Joey
