Nearshore Cobia Patrol

The early morning patrol is when cobia are most active. As the sun rises, these fish cruise the nearshore Gulf waters, often in shallow water close to the beach. Watch for the characteristic dark brown shape with a slightly lighter underside. Approach from downwind and make your cast before the fish sound. A 3/4 oz bucktail jig in white or chartreuse is deadly effective. We spotted a pod of five cobia last week and landed three before the rest spooked.