Cobia fishing out of Port Canaveral runs from within sight of the beach out to offshore Hetzel Shoal, with a listed working band of 30 to 70 ft covering the whole fishery.
This page covers where boats run, the named grounds with their Brevard County BV site IDs, the depth band, and who targets cobia from this port. It gives you names and numbers to plot and leaves the reading of the water to you and your sounder.
Where boats run for cobia out of Port Canaveral
Trips from this port range from a short nearshore run to a longer offshore run to Hetzel Shoal.
Within sight of the beach
C Suite Charters runs a 3-hour cobia trip that stays within sight of the beach. It is a useful reference for a short nearshore run on your own boat. The same listing is the source of the 30 to 70 ft cobia depth range used on this page.
Offshore to Hetzel Shoal
Brevard County’s reef list describes Hetzel Shoal (BV-122) as an offshore area known for cobia. It is a longer run than the nearshore options, and you can plot it from the BV ID.
When the fish are around
Seasonal movement along this coast is covered in the Atlantic Southeast cobia picture (see also the Atlantic Southeast fishing guide). Before the run, check wind, wave height and period in the official NWS marine forecast.
Grounds and structure near Port Canaveral
The BV site IDs below come from Brevard County’s reef list. Plot them, then check each site against your own soundings.
| Site | BV ID | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Fathom Ridge South | BV-128 | Southern end of a natural reef |
| 8A Reef | BV-102 | – |
| Pelican Flats Center | BV-19 | – |
| The Pines | BV-13 | – |
| The Cones | BV-65 | – |
| Hetzel Shoal | BV-122 | Offshore area known for cobia (Brevard County reef list) |
| Ocean Venus (Lead Wreck) | BV-64 | 425 ft by 57 ft steel WWII cargo ship |
| Cities Service Empire | BV-66 | 465 ft tanker listed as breaking up |
Wrecks
Two wrecks on the list are named structure:
- Ocean Venus (Lead Wreck, BV-64): a 425 ft by 57 ft steel WWII cargo ship.
- Cities Service Empire (BV-66): a 465 ft tanker listed as breaking up.
"Breaking up" means the structure is spread out and changing. The listing is a description rather than a recent survey, so what your sounder shows on the day outweighs the entry.
Reefs and ridges
27 Fathom Ridge South (BV-128) is the southern end of a natural reef. The other named grounds are 8A Reef (BV-102), Pelican Flats Center (BV-19), The Pines (BV-13) and The Cones (BV-65). These sites also hold other coastal and offshore gamefish.
You can view the BV sites in Chart Contours. Chart layers are not for navigation.
How cobia are fished locally
C Suite’s listing gives a cobia depth range of 30 to 70 ft. Treat it as a working band for deciding which structure to check first:
- Start with sites whose depth falls inside the band, and cross-reference against your own soundings, since the listings give no per-site depths.
- Match your approach to the run, whether short and nearshore or long and offshore.
For bait and tackle, see the cobia fishing guide.
Who fishes for cobia out of Port Canaveral
C Suite Charters, with Captain Rick Ely, lists cobia. Its 3-hour trip within sight of the beach is one way to see the nearshore fishery before you run your own boat.
FAQ: cobia fishing out of Port Canaveral
How far do boats run for cobia out of Port Canaveral?
Runs go from within sight of the beach, as on C Suite’s 3-hour trip, out to offshore Hetzel Shoal. Choose the one that suits your boat and the forecast numbers.
What depth do local boats fish for cobia?
C Suite’s listing gives a cobia depth range of 30 to 70 ft. Use it as a working band when choosing which named structure to check first.
Which wrecks near Port Canaveral are named sites?
Ocean Venus (Lead Wreck, BV-64), a 425 ft by 57 ft steel WWII cargo ship, and Cities Service Empire (BV-66), a 465 ft tanker listed as breaking up.
Does Hetzel Shoal hold cobia?
Brevard County’s reef list describes Hetzel Shoal (BV-122) as an offshore area known for cobia. That describes the area and does not promise fish on any given day.
Who runs cobia charters out of Port Canaveral?
C Suite Charters, with Captain Rick Ely, lists cobia and runs a 3-hour trip that stays within sight of the beach.
