Cobia move past Fort Pierce Inlet on the spring migration, and local charters list windows from March into October. Boats work reefs, wrecks, structure and buoys in 30-70 ft, with listed structure running out to 300 ft. Fishing for cobia out of Fort Pierce comes down to timing the run and picking the right named structure off Fort Pierce Inlet.
When cobia are off Fort Pierce
Local sources give three windows. They agree on spring and differ at the edges:
| Source | Window |
|---|---|
| Chosen One’s April to October window | Best fishing April to October, with migration through spring and fall |
| Spring migration listings | March through June |
| Colossal Catch chart | March to July |
All three overlap on April through June.
For the biology behind the timing, read why cobia migrate. The fish that pass Fort Pierce in spring and fall are part of the run up the Southeast coast (see also the Atlantic Southeast fishing guide).
Where boats run
Boats fish reefs, wrecks, structure and buoys off Fort Pierce. Most listings put the fish in 30-70 ft, while others place the structure anywhere from 30 to 300 ft. The reefs, wrecks and structure listings describe the 30-70 ft band, with the spring migration running March through June.
The deeper end of the range is the wrecks and rock areas north of the inlet, in 120-180 ft. The named grounds below run from the shoals off the inlet out to the deeper artificial structure.
Named grounds off the inlet
The table lists each named ground with its SL number, bearing and spec where one is available.
| Name | SL number | Location / bearing | Depth / spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capron Shoal | not listed | East-southeast of Fort Pierce Inlet | not listed |
| Pierce Shoal | SL-5 | Due south of Capron Shoal | not listed |
| St. Lucie Shoal | SL-4 | About halfway between Fort Pierce and St. Lucie inlets | not listed |
| Artificial reef (no name given) | not listed | Just north of Fort Pierce Inlet | About a mile long |
| Artificial wrecks and rock areas | not listed | North of Fort Pierce Inlet | 120-180 ft |
| Ft Pierce Artificial Reef | SL-60 | not listed | Five 25 x 60 ft barge loads |
| Deep Tug | SL-22 | not listed | 155-foot steel tug |
| USS Muliphen | SL-20 | not listed | C-2 attack cargo ship, 459 x 63 ft |
Charts and chart layers are not for navigation.
Capron Shoal
Capron Shoal lies east-southeast of Fort Pierce Inlet.
Pierce Shoal (SL-5)
Pierce Shoal lies due south of Capron Shoal.
St. Lucie Shoal (SL-4)
St. Lucie Shoal sits about halfway between the Fort Pierce and St. Lucie inlets.
Artificial reef north of the inlet
This artificial reef runs about a mile long, just north of Fort Pierce Inlet. The listings give it no name.
Wrecks and rock north of the inlet
Artificial wrecks and rock areas lie north of Fort Pierce Inlet, in 120-180 ft of water.
Ft Pierce Artificial Reef (SL-60)
SL-60 is five 25 x 60 ft barge loads.
Deep Tug (SL-22)
Ft Pierce Artificial, Deep Tug (SL-22) is a 155-foot steel tug.
USS Muliphen (SL-20)
The USS Muliphen (SL-20) is a C-2 attack cargo ship, 459 x 63 ft.
How it is fished and who fishes it
Local cobia fishing is structure fishing around reefs, wrecks, structure and buoys. For general tactics, see the general cobia and coastal gamefish tactics.
Three Fort Pierce charters list cobia.
Hot Reels Offshore Adventures
Captain Philipe Chibas runs Hot Reels Offshore Adventures. The boat is a 31-foot Bluewater center console built in Fort Pierce.
Colossal Catch Charter Fishing
Colossal Catch Charter Fishing is run by Capt. Jonathon and takes up to 6 guests. Its chart gives March to July.
Chosen One Fishing Charters
Captain Remus Griffin runs Chosen One Fishing Charters. It lists April to October as the best fishing, with migration through spring and fall.
FAQ: cobia out of Fort Pierce
When do cobia run off Fort Pierce?
The listed windows are April to October for the best fishing per Chosen One, March through June for the spring migration, and March to July per the Colossal Catch chart. They overlap on April through June.
How deep do boats fish for cobia here?
The working band is 30-70 ft. Listings run 30-300 ft. Wrecks and rock areas north of the inlet sit in 120-180 ft.
Which wrecks and artificial reefs are named off Fort Pierce?
The USS Muliphen (SL-20) is a C-2 attack cargo ship, 459 x 63 ft. The Deep Tug (SL-22) is a 155-foot steel tug. SL-60 is five barge loads, each 25 x 60 ft. A reef about a mile long lies north of the inlet.
Which Fort Pierce charters list cobia?
Three charters list cobia. Hot Reels Offshore Adventures is run by Capt. Philipe Chibas. Colossal Catch Charter Fishing is run by Capt. Jonathon. Chosen One Fishing Charters is run by Captain Remus Griffin.
Where are the cobia rules for Fort Pierce?
State or federal rules apply depending on where you fish. The Regulations section above links to the Florida saltwater regulations and federal cobia rules pages. Check them before you fish.
