| Most
people are intrigued by the unusual and fishermen are no
exception.
There
is something special about cobia, Rachycentron canadum,
also known as ling or lemon-fish that gets an angler’s
heart pounding. Although quite common in the northern Gulf
from late spring through early fall, this unusual fish is
always viewed as a reward from the sea when landed. Another
reason for excitement is it’s excellent table fare.
The flesh of the cobia is white, flaky and mild flavored,
making it a desirable ingredient in many fish recipes.
Cobias
are not only an unusual looking fish but are also the only
living species in their family and they have no close relatives.
Found
almost worldwide in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate
waters, they are open-water fish but tend to locate around
pilings, buoys or drifting objects. They are often found
around floating objects and may rise and position themselves
under boats or make inquisitive cruises around boats. Cobias
also appear to be attracted to noise.
They
range from saline bays inshore to offshore waters 4,000
feet deep. They are found over mud, sand, and gravel bottoms,
over coral reefs and in mangrove sloughs.
In the
Gulf of Mexico, cobia winter in the Florida Keys and move
north and west along the Gulf coast to Louisiana and Texas
in the spring. The cobia fishery reflects these migratory
habits. In south Florida, cobia are fished mostly in the
winter. Off of Louisiana, the fishery takes place in spring
and summer. Some research indicates that cobia also move
offshore to deeper waters during cooler months.
Cobia
grow rapidly, reaching 7 inches in a matter of months and
13 to 15 inches by one year old. Cobia are known to live
at least 10 years and may reach 15 years of age. The world
record for rod-and-reel-caught cobia is a 135-pounder from
Australia, although 150-pound fish have been reported.
Cobia
can be aggressive feeders, often taken by anglers using
methods from trolling to bottom fishing. However, they can
be extremely tight-lipped, with many anglers sharing stories
of frustration when cobia are seen, dropped baited offerings
and only to swim away in disinterest.
A food
habits study done in the lower Chesapeake Bay area found
28 different species of animals in the 78 cobia stomachs
examined. But swimming crabs were by far the number one
item in volume and number, making up 78 percent of cobia
diet.
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