UTERCobia fishing in Outer Banks & Hatteras
In Outer Banks & Hatteras, cobia peak June–July and are around May–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Peak sight-casting off the beaches and the inlets; live eels or bucktails.
Not in Outer Banks & Hatteras this month.
Cobia in Outer Banks & Hatteras, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingCobia show off Hatteras and in Pamlico Sound near Ocracoke.
- JunePeakPeak sight-casting off the beaches and the inlets; live eels or bucktails.
- JulyPeakNearshore wrecks and the sound shoals.
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish cobia near Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton
A hundred and twenty miles of barrier island — Ocracoke, Hatteras, Pea Island, Bodie, the northern beaches — with Cape Point at Buxton where the Gulf Stream and the Labrador Current meet, three inlets (Ocracoke, Hatteras, Oregon), and behind them Pamlico, Croatan and Albemarle sounds and the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. The Gulf Stream runs 20 miles off Oregon Inlet.
Fish Scouter charts 267 wreck, 207 artificial reef spots in the The Outer Banks 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 Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Peak season is June–July. Cobia are in Outer Banks & Hatteras May–September. June: Peak sight-casting off the beaches and the inlets; live eels or bucktails.
Where do cobia hold in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
Look on wreck, artificial reef, beach / surf — around Ocracoke, Hatteras, Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, Oregon Inlet.
What is the best bait for cobia in Outer Banks & Hatteras?
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 Outer Banks & Hatteras?
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 Outer Banks, the whole year