Cobia are the only member of their family: a long, dark brown fish with a flat, wide head and a dark stripe along each side, found in warm seas over most of the world. They are curious and will swim right up to a boat, and they like to shadow bigger things, cruising beside rays, turtles and sharks or hanging under buoys, weed and wrecks. Hooked, they run hard and often save their wildest moment for when they reach the deck, so crews bring one aboard with care. They are also one of the best eating fish in Florida waters, firm and white.
The cobia boat on our page is Tuna Wahoo Fishing Charters, a 31 foot Rampage express cruiser that Captain Rich Adler runs from Riviera Beach Marina. It has an enclosed head and is wheelchair accessible. Trips are private for up to 5, leave at 7:30 and last 4, 6 or 8 hours. The day is a mix of trolling the tops, drifting and bottom fishing the reefs, and kite fishing live baits. A cobia comes into that mix when one shows under the kite baits or follows a hooked fish up, and a live bait or jig put in front of it fast is usually what gets the bite.
So book for the offshore day and count a cobia as a bonus. If it is the fish you most want, say so when you book, ask whether any have been seen lately, and ask the crew to keep a rod ready for one. Florida sets its own size and bag rules for cobia, and our guide to fishing regulations in Florida explains how the state rules work.
Questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask before they book. Anything else, ask the captain in chat.
Does Tuna Wahoo Fishing Charters target cobia?
Not as the main plan. Captain Rich runs mixed offshore days from West Palm Beach with trolling, reef drifting and kite fishing, and cobia are a fish that can show up on those days. If cobia matter to you, tell him when you book and ask what has been around.
Can you keep a cobia caught off West Palm Beach?
Cobia are excellent eating and can be kept in Florida when they meet the state's size and bag limits. The rules are reviewed from time to time, so ask Captain Rich about the current ones before anything goes in the fish box.