| In March and April each year, have you ever seen | | | | your blood will get pumping when you first see |
| boats going back and forth right off Orange | | | | one. You can ride for hours. Every wave, every |
| Beach and Gulf Shores with people up in the | | | | shadow will make the anticipation build. Your |
| tower? Have you ever wondered what they | | | | sunglasses will make you imagine them. |
| were fishing for? It's Cobia. They are also known | | | | Sometimes a false alarm stingray school will swim |
| as Ling or Lemon Fish. They look like a big brown | | | | by and your heart gets to pounding. |
| crossbred catfish-shark. They can weigh over 100 | | | | The neat thing about the Cobia migration is that |
| pounds. The average size of one caught off | | | | they are always swimming just under the surface |
| Orange Beach is about 30 to 50 pounds each. | | | | of the water, and heading from the East to the |
| Whatever the weight, they are truly a | | | | West. They swim as close as the second sand |
| sport-fisherman's dream come true. They are an | | | | bar to the beach and have been seen as far out |
| excellent catch and release fish or they are | | | | as a mile or more. Most of them are caught |
| mighty tasty after being cooked on the grill. | | | | within 1 mile of shore along the Alabama gulf |
| By the time these migratory fish get to Orange | | | | coast from Orange Beach, Gulf Shores to Fort |
| Beach in mid March, most every charter boat, big | | | | Morgan. |
| and small is ready to go for the year. This type | | | | If you want to go Ling fishing, I would |
| of fishing is a reward for those captains and | | | | recommend calling some charter boats to see if |
| deckhands who have been working tirelessly | | | | they fish for them. There are some people who |
| getting the boats polished and shined for the | | | | charter a boat to fish specifically for them. If you |
| fishing season. It is an excellent opportunity for | | | | are by yourself or do not have the funds to |
| anglers to get on a charter boat and go try and | | | | charter a whole boat, I would ask around and see |
| catch one. Not every boat in Orange Beach fish | | | | if you could buy the fuel and tip the deckhand. |
| for Ling. There are a lot of private boats that are | | | | Again, this type of trophy fishing can be boring. |
| out there every day. | | | | You can be a zero all day long and in a split |
| Cobia fishing is like trophy deer hunting. The | | | | second, have a monster fish looking right at you. |
| anglers that fish for them are patient and usually | | | | This is not a charter trip for those who are |
| like the challenge of finding, fighting and landing a | | | | expecting to go out and catch one fish after |
| big fish. This type of fishing is not for those who | | | | another. A lot of captains do not allow any kind of |
| want to go deep sea fishing and catch a lot of | | | | alcohol consumption because getting up in the |
| fish. Very often, the boats ride for hours and you | | | | tower can be dangerous. They do not want you |
| see nothing. When you do see one, it can be the | | | | to fall and get hurt. Being in the tower is like being |
| most awesome sport fishing challenges. The | | | | on a pendulum. The higher up you are on the |
| challenge is casting a live eel or a jig and trying to | | | | boat, the rougher the ride. |
| get him to eat. They can be real hungry or not | | | | I hope you find this information about Cobia |
| be interested at all. Your heart will be racing and | | | | fishing enjoyable. We hope to see you out there. |