Cobia fishing out of Fort Myers Beach is a spring and fall fishery centered on structure, from the Lee County artificial reefs a few miles off to the USCGC Mohawk, about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. This page covers when the fish move through, how far boats run, which named reefs and wrecks to check and where they sit, and which charters list cobia here.
Season: spring and fall around the wrecks
Cobia here are spring and fall fish, moving through around the wrecks, which is why time on structure pays better than time in open water. No ground guarantees fish, but during the migration reefs and wrecks give a passing cobia something to hold on. The wider migration up and down the coast is covered in our Gulf of Mexico cobia guide (see also the wider Gulf of Mexico guide).
Where boats run
Boats go two ways for cobia here: to reefs and wrecks a few miles offshore, and on long offshore days.
Reefs and wrecks a few miles off
The near tier is reefs and wrecks a few miles offshore. The Lee County artificial reefs in the table below belong to it.
Long offshore days
Gulf Bound Charters lists cobia on its 8 to 12 hour offshore trips. The farthest named structure on this page is the USCGC Mohawk, about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. Other species caught on those long days are covered in our coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
Grounds and structure that hold cobia
Six named Lee County sites and wrecks give cobia structure off Fort Myers Beach, from patch reefs to the USCGC Mohawk Veterans Memorial Reef.
| Site | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Big Carlos Bridge Artificial Reef | – | Named Lee County artificial reef |
| The Mount (Chris Koepfer’s ARC reef site) | 26°24.721′ N, 82°24.747′ W | Reef site |
| Dean Hicks East Patch | 26°22.045′ N, 82°17.121′ W | Paired patch |
| Dean Hicks West Patch | 26°22.043′ N, 82°17.464′ W | Paired patch |
| Phoenix (Lee County reef site) | 26°45.582′ N, 82°28.443′ W | Latitude places it well north of the others |
| USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 Veterans Memorial Reef | – | 90 ft, about 30 miles off Sanibel Island |
Coordinate lists and chart layers are not for navigation. Check every position against your own chart.
USCGC Mohawk
The USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 is the Veterans Memorial Reef, a wreck in 90 ft of water about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. It is the farthest named structure here and worth checking during the spring and fall movements.
Dean Hicks patches
The East and West patches sit at nearly the same latitude, about 0.34 minutes of longitude apart, so check them as a pair on the same stop.
How cobia are fished here, and who runs for them
Cobia relate to the reef and wreck structure above. Bait, rigging and behavior are covered in our cobia species guide.
These operators list cobia out of Fort Myers Beach:
- Gulf Bound Charters: lists cobia on its 8 to 12 hour offshore trips.
- Captain Tony’s Deep Sea Fishing: Captain Tony and Captain Chris are named on the site.
- Day5 Charters: Robalo Cayman Sky Deck bay boats and a Contender 39ST.
- Sea Reaper Fishing Charters: Captain Chris Argiro, 24-foot Blue Wave bay boat with a 300-hp Suzuki.
- Salty Fishing Charters: Captain Daniel Medina, a 2600 Angler and a World Cat 330TE.
FAQ: cobia out of Fort Myers Beach
When is cobia fishing out of Fort Myers Beach best?
Spring and fall, as the fish move through around the wrecks. Time your trips to those movements and spend them on structure.
How far do boats run for cobia?
Boats run to reefs and wrecks a few miles offshore. Gulf Bound Charters lists cobia on 8 to 12 hour offshore trips, and the USCGC Mohawk is about 30 miles off Sanibel Island.
What is the USCGC Mohawk and how deep is it?
The USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 is the Veterans Memorial Reef, a wreck in 90 ft about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. Check every position against your own chart.
Which local charters list cobia?
Gulf Bound Charters, Captain Tony’s Deep Sea Fishing, Day5 Charters, Sea Reaper Fishing Charters and Salty Fishing Charters all list cobia out of Fort Myers Beach.
Where are the cobia rules for this port?
Rules for state waters are on the Florida saltwater regulations page. Runs beyond state waters fall under the federal mackerel and cobia rules page. Check both before you fish.
