This year the cobia migration has been especially bountiful in the Tampa Bay area and June through November are excellent months to pursue these brown bombers.

Cobia are constantly on the move and in search of a meal. Often, the best ways to locate cobia are to cruise channel markers, fish around bridges and look for manatees or large stingrays on grass flats. Cobia are opportunistic and follow the aforementioned for an easy meal. Manatees and rays move along the grass flats and flush crabs, shrimp and bait fish. When the bait flees, cobia swoop in and gobble them up.

Big cobia require stout tackle. I like to use a 8 foot, heavy action rod with a 3500 Daiwa reel loaded with 25-pound X-Rated, Triple Fish brand fishing line, topped off with 40 pound test Triple Fish fluorocarbon leader.

Some of my favorite baits for cobia are a fake eels, live pinfish or crabs.

The most important thing about cobia fishing is the bait presentation. Always cast so the bait is worked away from the fish. It’s unnatural for a bait fish swim up to a cobia to be eaten.

The St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area of Florida is one of the greatest fishing areas in the United States. The primary reason for this is the idyllic weather. The sub-tropical climate allows fishing charters year round, and the pleasant temperatures make it enjoyable to be out on the water any time of the year.

Highs usually stay between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 33 °C) year round, and lows rarely go below 32°F (0°C). Summer can be humid with afternoon storms, which typically last a very short time. Spring and Fall are perhaps the nicest times of the year, but winter months are generally very pleasant also.

While the fishing certainly varies with the time of year and the weather, a good Tampa Bay fishing guide should be able to put you in fish just about any time of the year. That's the beauty of the St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area.