Cobia fishing out of St. Augustine runs from spring sight fishing near the beach to reefs in 56 to 104 ft of water. Long Line sight casts and trolls for cobia up to about 20 miles offshore. Match a reef’s depth and distance to your boat’s range and the forecast numbers.
When cobia are around St. Augustine
Local captains give two answers on timing. One puts the sight-fishing window in spring, and the other lists cobia in every season. The coastwide migration picture is in the Atlantic Southeast cobia guide (see also the Atlantic Southeast region guide).
Spring nearshore
Brian Walker names spring as the window for nearshore sight fishing, with boats working near the beach.
Other seasons
Sly-Fox lists cobia in every season. Outside the spring sight-fishing window, more of the effort shifts to the reefs and to trolling.
| Season claim | Source |
|---|---|
| Spring, nearshore sight fishing | Brian Walker |
| Listed in every season | Sly-Fox |
How far boats run
Run distance determines which reefs are realistic for your boat. Three distance figures anchor the list below.
Near the beach
In spring, nearshore fishing happens close to the beach, where sight casting applies (see the methods section below).
Out to 20 miles
Long Line sight casts and trolls for cobia up to about 20 miles offshore. Nine Mile Reef sits about 9 miles off St. Augustine, per Long Line. Moody Reef is listed at 26 miles east, past Long Line’s 20-mile working range. Check these numbers against your boat’s range and the forecast before choosing a reef.
Reefs and structure that hold cobia
The named grounds run from 56 ft near Nine Mile out to 104 ft at Intruder. The table is ordered from shallow and near to deep and far.
| Name | Structure | Depth (ft) | Location/Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Nine Mile Reef sites 1 to 7 | Concrete culverts, dumpsters, rubble | 56 (listed depths run 56 to 80 by site) | Near 29 54 N, 81 07 W |
| Nine Mile North Reef | Concrete culverts | 56 | 29 54 47 N, 81 07 01 W |
| Andy King Reef | Bridge of Lions permit area | 60 | Offshore; 29 52.591 N, 81 09.207 W |
| Nine Mile Reef | Tug Leon Roddy | 63 | About 9 miles off St. Augustine (per Long Line) |
| Capo Reef North | None listed | 97 | 29 51 4 N, 80 46 2 W |
| Capo Reef South | None listed | 97 | 29 50 59 N, 80 46 1 W |
| Moody Reef | None listed | 100 | 26 miles east of St. Augustine |
| Intruder Reef 1 and 2 | A-6 aircraft frames | 104 | Reef 1 at 29 54 20 N, 80 48 10 W |
The Chart Contours layer in Breakpoint shows the depth breaks around these sites. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Nine Mile and North Nine Mile
Nine Mile Reef holds the tug Leon Roddy in 63 ft, about 9 miles off, per Long Line. North Nine Mile Reef sites 1 to 7 are concrete culverts, dumpsters and rubble, with listed depths of 56 to 80 ft by site. Nine Mile North Reef is concrete culverts in 56 ft. This is the nearest named cluster in the data.
Andy King Reef
Andy King Reef sits in 60 ft in the Bridge of Lions permit area. Coordinates are in the table above.
Capo, Intruder and Moody
The deeper set starts with Capo North and South at 97 ft. Intruder Reef 1 and 2 sit in 104 ft and hold A-6 aircraft frames. Moody is in 100 ft, 26 miles east, which makes it the longest run on this list. Weigh all three against your range and the forecast numbers.
How cobia are fished here
Locally, cobia are fished by sight casting, trolling and bottom fishing. Rigging and bait detail are in the cobia guide.
Sight casting
Sight casting is the spring nearshore method near the beach, and Long Line sight casts for cobia.
Trolling
Long Line trolls for cobia up to about 20 miles offshore.
Bottom fishing
Bottom fishing is the third local method. It suits the reef structure in the table, such as the culverts, rubble and the tug Leon Roddy.
Reading conditions
NOAA NDBC station 41012 is the nearest buoy, and no active replacement buoy was found. Offshore readings from that station are not available, so plan from forecast numbers. Read wind, wave height and period in the National Weather Service marine forecast, and make the go or no-go call from those.
Who fishes for cobia out of St. Augustine
These local charters list cobia. Long Line and Rodbender list cobia on nearshore trips.
- Long Line Charters, Captain David Ledford
- Brian Walker Fishing Charters, Captain Brian Walker, U.S. Coast Guard licensed and insured
- Fishardy Charters
- Drop Down Sport Fish Charters, Captain Alex
- For What It’s Worth Charters, Captain Chris Worth
- Rodbender Fishing Charter, Captain Anthony Menichino
A trip with a local captain is one way to see the methods before you run your own boat.
FAQ: cobia fishing out of St. Augustine
When is cobia fishing out of St. Augustine best in spring?
Brian Walker names spring as the window for nearshore sight fishing. Sly-Fox lists cobia in every season.
How far out is Nine Mile Reef?
About 9 miles off St. Augustine, per Long Line, in 63 ft over the tug Leon Roddy.
Which St. Augustine reefs are deepest?
Intruder Reef 1 and 2 at 104 ft, Moody Reef at 100 ft (26 miles east) and Capo Reef North and South at 97 ft.
Is there a live offshore buoy near St. Augustine?
NDBC station 41012 is the nearest, and no active replacement buoy was found. Use the National Weather Service marine forecast for wind, wave height and period.
Where are the cobia rules?
FWC sets them. See the Regulations section above for where to check.
Where are the guides for other species?
Other coastal and offshore gamefish have their own species guides. Start with the coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
