Fish guide
Great Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda. Also called Barracuda, Cuda.
Showing the fish for Southeast Florida, Fort Pierce to Miami.
Season in Southeast Florida
Florida Museum: lives on nearshore reefs, seagrass and mangroves between 30 N and 30 S, mainly active by day; Lake Worth Pier water stays above 74 F all year (NCEI). No dated shore report found; weak chart. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Southeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Florida Keys | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Southwest Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Lower Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Nearshore reefs, inlets and seagrass edges (Florida Museum).
Opportunistic ambush predator that feeds through the whole water column; very fast over short distances (Florida Museum). In winter lies on warm grass flats (Keys Weekly).
What to look for
A long silver shape lying still over a flat or reef edge.
Bait
Live small fish such as mullet, pinfish or grunts. .
Leader
A bite-proof leader: barracuda have very sharp teeth and cut large prey into pieces (Florida Museum).
Common mistakes
- Slow retrieves; Keys guides strip or crank fast (Keys Weekly)
- Shiny gear dangling in the water; barracuda may strike at a flash (Florida Museum)
Landing
Use a net or lip grip; keep hands well away from the mouth.
Handling
- Very sharp teeth
Control the fish with a lip grip or towel and unhook with long pliers; never put fingers near the mouth.
Keep or release
Linked to ciguatera poisoning in some parts of its range and not prized as food in North American waters (Florida Museum); usually released. See the regulations file.
Typical: unknown. Large: Over about 5 ft (1.5 m) is very large. Hook-and-line record 103 lb (Florida Museum).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.
Sources
- Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: great barracuda (Official source)
- NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, all-stations monthly averages (Charleston Cooper River Entrance, Fort Pulaski, Gray's Reef, Fernandina Beach, Mayport, St. Augustine, Trident Pier Port Canaveral, Lake Worth Pier, Fowey Rocks, Virginia Key, Vaca Key, Key West) (Official source)
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