What is it

Not a fish to take lightly, Cobia will put up a fight with even the most seasoned anglers. As the Gulf Coast’s king of nicknames—they’ve been called “cabio,” “ling,” “lemonfish” and “crabeater”—an average Cobia runs about 20-30 pounds, but they’ve been roped in at sizes of up to 100 pounds. You’ll get plenty of good eating out of them too; a favorite amongst seafood lovers, they pack a sweet, almost nutty flavor that pairs well with a number of sauces and seasonings.

When to get it

Cobia are a migratory fish, so their peak season only runs for a few months. As long as the winter doesn’t last too long, you can start hunting them down (in the seas or in a restaurant) from mid-March to mid-May.

Where does it come from

These guys live in warm tropical waters during the wintertime, but when they make their way up to the coastal regions, you can find them hanging out around natural and artificial reefs.

How it's prepared

This fish is quite flavorful on its own, so if you’re cooking up some Cobia, go easy on the seasoning. You can grill it, broil it or sauté it, but whichever method your choose, try cooking with olive oil and garnishing the filets with lemon juice or lemon wedges afterwards.

Species

Cobia.