Cobia
Cobia in South East Queensland: minimum 75 cm, 2 per person, no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: September to January.
Updated
Scientific name: Rachycentron canadum. Also called black kingfish and cobes.
| Scientific name | Rachycentron canadum |
|---|---|
| Other names | black kingfish, cobes |
| Minimum size | 75 cm |
| Bag (possession) limit | 2 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | Sep–Jan |
| Also in season | Feb–Aug |
| Best tide | No clear tide preference |
| Best light | Dawn and dusk |
| Habitats | Offshore reefs; the open bay and passages |
Cobia size and bag limit in QLD
Min 75 cm. 2 per person. No closed season.
Checked 8 Oct 2026 against the Queensland Government pages: size and possession limits and closed seasons.
Limits are possession limits: they count everything you hold, including any at home in the freezer. In yellow (conservation park) zones: max 2 lines and 2 hooks in total per angler. Green zones: no fishing. All QLD fishing rules
When to catch cobia in South East Queensland
October 2026: Cobia is in its peak season across South East Queensland.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEQ-wide | January: peak season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: peak season | October: peak season | November: peak season | December: peak season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Time of day: Mornings in the bay; any time offshore.
Weather: not fussy about wind; rain makes little difference.
Seasons partly come from Coastwatch report mentions, not catch numbers.
| Area | How common | Best | Also in season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Coast | Also caught | Sep–Jan | Feb–Aug |
| Pumicestone Passage & Bribie | Also caught | Sep–Jan | Feb–Aug |
| Northern Moreton Bay | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Western Moreton Bay | Also caught | Mar–Jun (local season) | Sep–Feb |
| Gold Coast | Also caught | Sep–Jan | Feb–Aug |
| Offshore Sunshine Coast | Main area | Sep–Jan | Feb–Aug |
| Offshore Moreton | Also caught | Sep–Jan | Feb–Aug |
| Offshore Gold Coast | Main area | Jun and Sep–Nov (local season) | Feb–May and Jul–Aug |
Not in our guide for Noosa, Brisbane River, Southern Moreton Bay, Moreton Island and Straddie & Jumpinpin.
Around Scarborough and the Redcliffe Peninsula
Our local Redcliffe Peninsula notes come from local fishing columns and reports, and for cobia they differ from the South East Queensland picture. Around Scarborough the best months are March, April, May and June, with October to February also worth a try.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarborough | January: in season | February: in season | March: peak season | April: peak season | May: peak season | June: peak season | July: off season | August: off season | September: off season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
| SEQ-wide | January: peak season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: peak season | October: peak season | November: peak season | December: peak season |
Bramble Bay, Woody Point jetty (land-based), off the beaches and inshore reefs; shipping channel beacons and Bulwer Ledge further out.
When: Mornings, as for the other pelagics at the jetties.
Spots in our local notes: Woody Point Jetty.
Where to catch cobia in SEQ
Offshore reefs, wrecks and FADs all year: Noosa North and Sunshine reefs, halfway to the Barwon Banks and Caloundra Wide, Mooloolaba wrecks, Gold Coast 18s and 24s and the Tugun outfall; in Moreton Bay the shipping-channel beacons, Bulwer Ledge, Bramble Bay and Woody Point jetty.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate cobia: Maroochy, Mooloolaba & Coolum, Caloundra & northern Pumicestone Passage, Bribie Island & southern Pumicestone Passage, Redcliffe Peninsula & Deception Bay, Bramble Bay, Pine River & Sandgate, Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway & Nerang River, Burleigh to Point Danger, Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra, Offshore: Cape Moreton & Point Lookout, Offshore: Gold Coast.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| Woody Point Jetty | Redcliffe Peninsula and Deception Bay | Scarborough |
| Mudjimba (Old Woman) Island | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| Narrowneck Reef | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Shorncliffe Pier | Bramble Bay, Pine River and Sandgate | Shorncliffe |
| Hutchison Shoal | Offshore: Cape Moreton and Point Lookout | Brisbane Bar |
| Gneering Shoals | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| South Stradbroke Artificial Reef | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Cabbage Tree Creek mouth (Cabbage Tree Head) | Bramble Bay, Pine River and Sandgate | Brisbane Bar |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits cobia (our habitat match), not from catch reports. Each spot links to its place on the area page; tide times are for the place our forecast reads for that spot.
How to catch cobia: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Live tailor, yakka, slimy mackerel or herring
- Big pilchard or squid baits under a burley trail
Lures
- Heavy bucktail jigs and big soft plastics
- Stickbaits around bait schools
Cobia rig
50-80 lb leader, 7/0-9/0 circle or suicide hooks on live bait; strong gear near wrecks.
Good to know about cobia
Coastwatch mentions: Gold Coast reefs peak Sep-Nov, Noosa reefs all year (Dec-Jan surges), Sunshine Coast Jul-Nov, western Moreton Bay Apr-May and Sep-Jan.
Open in the forecast
See cobia in the Catch Signal app: seasons for the area you fish, closed-season warnings and the best days this week.
Sources
- Queensland Government: size and possession limits for tidal waters (last updated 25 Sep 2026; checked 8 Oct 2026)
- Queensland Government fish species guide (entries updated Mar-May 2026)
- Coastwatch weekly reports (seasons from report mentions, not catch numbers; we use the facts only)
- Catch Signal’s own Redcliffe Peninsula notes (from local fishing columns and reports)
Rules are short, dated summaries: always check the official pages before you keep a fish. Species notes are in our own words from the sources listed.