Yes, there are cobia in Australia. And once you know what to look for, you'll start seeing them in spots you've fished a hundred times.
They're an odd-looking fish that a lot of anglers mistake for a shark at first glance. Long brown body, flat head, a low first dorsal of short spines. People also call them black kingfish or ling. Whatever you call them, they pull hard and they eat well.
About cobia and where they turn up
Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) are a warm-water fish found around the top half of Australia. They're a structure-loving, curious fish that hangs around anything that breaks up open water.
Where you'll find them:
- Queensland — right up the coast, in the bays, around the reefs, beacons and shipping channels. Moreton Bay and the broader south-east are well known for them.
- Northern Territory — around the reefs, shoals and structure off the top end.
- Western Australia — the mid-west, Pilbara and the north-west.
- Northern NSW — they push down the coast in the warmer months, often around the headlands, reefs and offshore structure.
The key word with cobia is structure. They hold around:
- Channel markers, beacons and navigation buoys
- Bridge and jetty pylons
- Reefs, wrecks and isolated bommies
- FADs and anything floating
- Large rays, turtles and even sharks — cobia love shadowing big slow-moving animals
That last one is the trick a lot of locals use. Spot a big stingray cruising the flats or the channel edge and there's a fair chance a cobia (or two) is riding shotgun underneath it.
When to target them
Cobia are a warm-water fish, so the warmer months are your window. In the south-east QLD and northern NSW that means roughly spring through to autumn, when the water warms up and the fish move into the bays and along the coast. Further north they're around for more of the year.
They don't fuss too much about tide the way some species do, but moving water around structure always helps concentrate bait and fire up the bite. Fishing the run of the tide around a beacon or channel marker is a solid plan.
How to target them
Cobia are aggressive and curious, which gives you a few good ways in.
Sight-casting
The most exciting method. Idle around the markers, beacons and flats with the sounder on and eyes up. When you spot a cobia (or a ray with one tucked under it), cast a soft plastic or a live bait ahead of it and let it sink into the zone. They'll often charge a well-placed lure. Polarised sunnies are essential for this.
Live bait
Hard to beat a live bait near structure. A live yakka, slimy mackerel, herring or a poddy mullet drifted or anchored near a beacon, wreck or reef will get smashed. Pin it on a strong single hook and let it do the work.
Jigs and soft plastics
Cobia respond well to lures. Big soft plastics (paddle-tails and jerk shads in the 5 to 9 inch range on heavy jig heads), and metal jigs worked around reefs and wrecks all produce. They'll also hit large surface lures and poppers when they're switched on.
The fight and why they're worth it
Cobia punch above their weight. They use their broad body to plane against you and they'll dive straight for the structure they were holding on, so you need to lock up and turn them early. Don't give them an inch toward the pylons or the reef.
They also have a habit of going berserk at the boat. A green cobia thrashing around the deck is a genuine hazard, so get it under control before you bring it aboard.
On the plate they're excellent. Firm, white, meaty flesh that's superb on the grill, in the pan or as sashimi. Bleed and ice them like any quality fish and you'll be rewarded.
Gear
- Rod and reel: a solid 8 to 15 kg spin outfit (5000 to 10000 size) or a baitcaster/overhead with grunt. You need enough to stop them reaching structure.
- Line: 30 to 50 lb braid.
- Leader: 40 to 80 lb mono or fluorocarbon. Cobia don't have cutting teeth like mackerel, so you generally don't need wire, but use heavy leader because of the abrasive structure they live around.
- Hooks and jig heads: strong, sharp single hooks for live bait and heavy-gauge jig heads for plastics. Cobia straighten cheap hooks.
- Lures and bait: big soft plastics, metal jigs, surface lures, plus live yakkas, slimies, herring and mullet.
Tips and common mistakes
- Check the rays. Always look under and around big stingrays cruising the flats and channels. It's the classic cobia giveaway.
- Don't go too light. Hook a good cobia near a beacon on undergunned gear and it'll bury you in the structure.
- Cast early and ahead. When sight-casting, lead the fish so the lure is in front of it, not landing on its head.
- Control them at the boat. They thrash hard. Have the net or gaff ready and a plan for the deck.
- Carry a few live baits. A wary cobia that ignores lures will often eat a live bait without hesitation.
- Check your state's current size and bag limits before keeping one.
Cobia share a lot of water with other warm-water pelagics, so it pays to be ready for them all. If you fish the same grounds you'll want our guide on how to catch Spanish mackerel, and the offshore approach in best offshore trolling lures is worth a look. If you fish the south-east, our Moreton Bay fishing guide covers the kind of structure cobia love.
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The short version
Yes, cobia are an Aussie fish, and a brilliant one. Look for them around structure and big rays in the warmer months, throw a plastic or a live bait at them, and lock up hard so they can't reach the snags. They fight well above their weight and eat as good as anything in the boat.