Capt. George Beckwith said he would rather eat a 40-pound cobia and release a 60- to 80-pounder, because the larger females produce the most eggs. The texture and flavor of fish just over the size limit (33 inches fork length, two fish per angler per day) is better than that of the larger fish.
“We don’t have the science to completely understand their life history,” Beckwith said. “They appear to be spawning in nearshore and inshore coastal waters from here to the Chesapeake Bay. They migrate south to north and from offshore to inshore in spring. A female may be accompanied by several smaller males, indicating that spawning is taking place.”
Spawning activity may be one reason that fish sunning on the surface are not very aggressive. Sight-fishing can attract a strike from lethargic fish, because the angler can “read” the fish’s mood when he makes a cast. If the fish turns toward the lure or bait or follows it, there is a good chance it can be hooked.
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