When cobia are around the Lower Keys
Cobia fishing out of the Lower Keys runs off Big Pine, Ramrod, Summerland and Cudjoe Keys. FishingBooker calls cobia a seasonal visitor on the reefs here. Ramps and conditions sources are in the Lower Keys port guide.
Migration and biology are covered in the cobia species guide. The Atlantic Southeast cobia guide (see also the wider Atlantic Southeast guide) places the Keys within the wider coast.
Where boats run and the grounds that hold cobia
Local operations work three kinds of water. Boneafide Charters runs ocean-side patches and reefs off Big Pine. Mile Marker 27 lists nearshore cobia off Ramrod Key. Goliath Charters lists cobia on the reef. The other named grounds below are structure you can run to, but none of them is tied to cobia beyond that.
| Ground | Depth | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean-side patches and reefs | Off Big Pine Key | |
| Nearshore water | Off Ramrod Key | |
| Looe Key Reef | 35 ft | About 6 miles south of Big Pine Key |
| American Shoal | Southwest of Big Pine Key | |
| The Humps | Offshore of Cudjoe Key | |
| Adolphus Busch Sr. wreck | 112 ft | |
| Wood’s Wall | 2000 ft | About 30 miles off the Atlantic coast of Big Pine Key |
Getting out: Newfound Harbor, Spanish Harbor and Niles Channels
Newfound Harbor, Spanish Harbor and Niles Channels are the routes from harbor and bay water to the ocean side.
Nearshore off Ramrod Key
Mile Marker 27 Fishing Charters, working from Ramrod Key, lists nearshore cobia.
Ocean-side patches off Big Pine
Boneafide Charters reports running ocean-side patches and reefs off Big Pine for cobia. Its method is described in the next section.
Looe Key Reef
Looe Key Reef sits in 35 ft, about 6 miles south of Big Pine Key. Goliath Charters lists cobia on the reef.
American Shoal
American Shoal lies southwest of Big Pine Key.
The Humps
The Humps is a named ground offshore of Cudjoe Key.
Adolphus Busch Sr. wreck
The Adolphus Busch Sr. is an artificial reef wreck in 112 ft.
Wood’s Wall
Wood’s Wall is 2000 ft deep, about 30 miles off the Atlantic coast of Big Pine Key. It is the farthest and deepest named ground on this list.
How cobia are fished out of the Lower Keys
Boneafide Charters out of Big Pine fished ocean-side patches off Big Pine with all live bait and chum on its reported trip. That is the only local method on record: live bait on the patches, with a chum slick working behind it.
Tackle and rigging detail is in the coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
- Bait: all live bait
- Chum: run on the patch reefs
- Ground: ocean-side patches off Big Pine
Who fishes for cobia out of the Lower Keys
Four local operations list cobia, and their captains and boats show how these grounds are run.
Southern Water Charters
Southern Water Charters lists cobia.
Goliath Charters
Goliath Charters is run by Captain Craig Clopper on a 25-foot SeaVee out of Cudjoe Key. The operation is listed at Summerland and also listed as Key West. It lists cobia on the reef.
Boneafide Charters
The Boneafide Charters report is signed Captain Jason Gabriel. The operation runs ocean-side patches and reefs off Big Pine.
Mile Marker 27 Fishing Charters
Mile Marker 27 Fishing Charters is run by Capt. Jim Loftus on a 23-foot Coastal Skiff center console out of Ramrod Key. The operation lists nearshore cobia.
A 23-foot skiff and a 25-foot SeaVee both work these grounds, which gives a sense of the boat size local captains use.
FAQ: cobia fishing out of the Lower Keys
When do cobia show up in the Lower Keys?
FishingBooker calls cobia a seasonal visitor on the reefs. No month range is given, so plan around the reef trips local captains list rather than a fixed window.
How far is Looe Key Reef from Big Pine Key?
Looe Key Reef is about 6 miles south of Big Pine Key, in 35 ft. Goliath Charters lists cobia on the reef.
How deep is the Adolphus Busch Sr. wreck?
The Adolphus Busch Sr. is an artificial reef wreck in 112 ft.
What bait do local captains use for cobia?
Boneafide Charters fished all live bait and chum on its ocean-side patch trip off Big Pine. No bait species is named in that report.
Which Lower Keys charters list cobia?
Four operations list cobia: Southern Water Charters, Goliath Charters (Capt. Craig Clopper, 25-foot SeaVee), Boneafide Charters (Captain Jason Gabriel) and Mile Marker 27 Fishing Charters (Capt. Jim Loftus, 23-foot Coastal Skiff).
