UTERCobia fishing in Wilmington & Crystal Coast
In Wilmington & Crystal Coast, cobia peak June–July and are around May–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Peak: sight-casting off Bogue Banks and the piers; live eels.
Not in Wilmington & Crystal Coast this month.
Cobia in Wilmington & Crystal Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingCobia arrive off Cape Lookout and the Atlantic Beach buoys.
- JunePeakPeak: sight-casting off Bogue Banks and the piers; live eels.
- JulyPeakFish on the nearshore wrecks and buoys.
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish cobia near Calabash, Southport, Wilmington
South-facing beaches between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout, the Cape Fear River, marsh creeks and ICW behind Masonboro, Topsail and Bogue banks, Core Sound and Harkers Island — with the Cape Lookout and Frying Pan shoals, hundreds of nearshore wrecks and ARs, and the Big Rock and the Gulf Stream 30–50 miles out.
Fish Scouter charts 272 artificial reef, 208 wreck spots in the The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear map area — the kinds cobia hold on.
What to use for cobia
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Leader50–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook5/0–7/0
- Jig head1–1 1/4 oz
- Braid30–50 lb
Feeds in 66–84°F water, best at 68–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch cobia in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Peak season is June–July. Cobia are in Wilmington & Crystal Coast May–September. June: Peak: sight-casting off Bogue Banks and the piers; live eels.
Where do cobia hold in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Look on wreck, artificial reef, beach / surf — around Calabash, Southport, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Topsail, Swansboro.
What is the best bait for cobia in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Live bait: live eels, pinfish, blue crabs, blue runners (hardtails). Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 5/0–7/0, jig head 1–1 1/4 oz, braid 30–50 lb.
What are the rules for cobia in Wilmington & Crystal Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and change — read the current rule at https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries/rules-proclamations-and-size-and-bag-limits before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.ncwildlife.org/licensing.
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All about cobia · The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear, the whole year