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Rules by state · Florida (Atlantic)

Cobiain Florida (Atlantic)

Rachycentron canadum

Also called Ling, Lemonfish.

Recreational rule, FWC 2026, checked Sep 20, 2026. The official rulebook is the final word.

Studio photograph of a Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), side view, on a white background

The rule in Florida (Atlantic)

Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for cobia in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.

Size36 in fork length min
Bag1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less
SeasonOpen year-round

Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.

FWC 2026· checked Open

Beyond 3 miles: federal waters

A different rule past the 3-mile line, written by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Where the two differ, the water you are in decides.

Size36 in fork length
Bag1 per person per day
SeasonOpen now; season and vessel limits vary by state's adjacent federal waters (NC closed Jan 1 – Apr 30; GA closed Nov 1 – Feb 28; SC and FL year-round)

Vessel limits: NC 1 (recreational), SC 6, GA 6, FL 2 per day.

SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked 2026-09-16

Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Atlantic) rules

Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.

FishSizeBagSeason
CobiaThis page.36 in fork length min1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is lessOpen year-round
Atlantic sharpnose sharkCobia has no shark tail; swims flat and slow.Tell them apartNo size limit1 shark per person per day; max 2 per vesselOpen year-round

Florida (Atlantic) state record

130.06 lb, Destin, 1997. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23

How to tell it

Broad flat head, dark lateral stripe, no true dorsal spines — often mistaken for a shark at boatside. More on the cobia page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.

Cobia in other states

Florida (Gulf)North CarolinaEvery state

In the app

Point the camera at a cobia in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.

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Cobia in Florida (Atlantic): the questions

What is the size limit for cobia in Florida (Atlantic)?

36 in fork length min. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.

How many cobia can you keep in Florida (Atlantic)?

1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less.

When is cobia season in Florida (Atlantic)?

Open year-round.

What is the Florida (Atlantic) record cobia?

130.06 lb, Destin (1997).

How current is this Florida (Atlantic) cobia rule?

Source: FWC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.