Barracuda

sphyraena barracuda

Barracuda fight hard making fast runs and jump often. They are very strong but tire themselves fairly quickly.
Barracuda live in warm tropical water world wide except the western Pacific.
Barracuda of trophy size are taken on live or cut bait.
Small barracuda may strike anything
Large barracuda scrutinize carefully before biting
Barracuda have very sharp teeth and strong jaws
Barracuda are efficient killers
Barracuda are curious, often swimming close to waders or swimmers
Barracuda attack humans but very rarely, attracted by flashy objects.
Barracuda are vicious strikers
Barracuda are a cautious fish
Barracuda on the flats are generally less then 20 lbs.
Barracuda are voracious feeders and may grow to 100 lbs and over 6 feet. 3-4 feet is average
Barracuda prefer warm water in the range of 75 -79 degrees.
Barracuda fishing is best in winter when the large cudas move to the sun warmed flats
Barracuda seek warmer water when winter cold fronts drop the temperature below 70 degrees
Barracuda food value: Associated with ciguatera poisoning. Best not to eat.

Finding Barracuda
Mangrove channels, open weed flats, coral reef, current rips, outer reefs, bonefish flats, mangrove islands, deep pockets in mangroves, edges of flats, wrecks, pilings, ect.
The high and flooding tides are the best time to fish for barracuda. They move back to deep cuts and holes at low tide.
Barracuda change habitat as they grow.

Barracuda Food
Needlefish, mullet, yellowtail, herring, scads, mojarra, grunt, puffer and other assorted reef fish. Small blue runners, pinfish and sardine. Barracuda are cannabalistic. They sometimes hunt in groups.

Barracuda Flies
Needlefish imitations are the best flies to use for barracuda. They are tied 9' long on 2/0 to 3/0 long shank hooks. The best colors are blue or green over white using synthetic materials such as fishhail.
Other productive colors are chartruese, pink, yellow and orange.
Long red and orange flies tied on 2/0-3/0 hooks are good choice. Bright green and yelow flies are a good choice for bright days in clear water.
Synthetic materials hold up better than natural materials to the barracuda's sharp teeth.
Tube Flies 12" long. red. Two hooks 5/0 connected tandem with wire.
Top water poppers sometimes work well.

Barracuda Tackle

Flyrod
Reel
Line
Backing
Leaders
12 - 15 lb
Shock tippet
Barracuda can bite through mono leader of any size. Therefore, wire leader is an absolute necessary. Use light single strand wire fastened to the hook with a haywire twist.

Baracuda Methods
Large barracuda are generally too cautious to take flies.
Sight fish the flats when condition permit. Blind casting to edges and across sandy breaks in the grassy flats can be productive also.
Cast to structure eg. docks, pilings, seawalls, ect.
Cast long and retrieve very fast. Can't retrieve too fast for barracuda. If a cuda moves toward your fly, strip it faster. Make it appear to be an bait fish spotting the predator and fleeing for its life.
Barracuda will follow slowly retrieved flies but will rarely strike.
Barracuda when hooked in deep water, fight by diving and fighting it out under water. When they are hooked in the shallows, they make spectacular runs and jumps.
Barracuda have very good sight and hearing and can be spooked easily. Therefore, its best to entice the cuda to the fly rather than to cast right to them. Present the fly 20-30 feet away in clear water and retrieve across their line of sight.
They are attracted to the noise of the fly presentation unless its too close and will come from long distance to strike.
Presentation
The rule for Barracuda:
Retrieve the fly as fast as possible. Slow retrieve = No strike.
Long casts work much better than short cast.
If a cuda shows intrest or follows the fly, strip faster.
Release
Keep away from the barracuda mouth!!!!Be sure that the cuda is played out well, restrain solidly and either cut the leader or use long nose pliers to remove the hook.
Other methods
Bottom fish with cut bait on the reef or tidal current. Use yellowtail or other reef fish hooked through the dorsal fin. Set a cork 6 feet from the bait and drift out 100 feet or more on the current. Chum with grunt. Bail or lure trolled in the wake of the boat often draws the curious cuda. Troll mullet strip. For small cuda, use 1/4 oz white or yellow bucktail jig light spinning tackle. Cast long and retrieve fast. Wire leader essential. Tube lures, Zara Spook, Stick Baits. Spoon are ok for deep water but do not work well in shallow water. (walk the dog) with rod tip pointed at lure, retrieve quickly while moving the rod tip side to side about 12".

Use your "back button" or Return to Information Table