Posted on 03/29/2016 6:41:40 AM PDT by w1n1
While catches of exotics are on the rise, these Toothy Fish have been mysteriously absent. Could they return?
The last couple of years have seen unprecedented action for California saltwater anglers due to a strong El Niño. Highly desirable pelagics like yellowtail and tuna, along with true exotics like wahoo and blue marlin, have been dominating the headlines and anglers' attention. Over the past 50 years, barracuda catches have fluctuated up and down considerably, as has the species' popularity.
In non-El Niño years, the barracuda would start to show up in San Diego waters in early April. They continued to move northward along the coast and then spread to the offshore islands. May and June would often see huge areas of barracuda, from the Huntington Flats to Santa Monica Bay, and even to the Channel Islands.
Tackle California barracuda do not get especially large. The state record is just over 15 pounds, although there are moderately credible reports of fish in the 17-pound range being caught in the late 1940s. These days, anything over 10 pounds is a whopper, and typical legal school-size fish range about 4 to 6 pounds, with 8-pounders often taking the jackpot. As such, the main line can be only 15- to 20-pound monofilament, and private-boat anglers can easily get by with 10- to 12-pound mono. Spinning, baitcasting and conventional gear is all suitable for barracuda, although the presence of larger species mixed in with the school may dictate selecting heavier tackle. Some lures such as “surface irons” will also require specialized tackle for proper casting. Read the rest of the barracuda story here.
‘Used to see a lot of Barracuda in Miami. Never heard they were particularly good eating.
I caught a 32# muskie at my cottage last summer. Funny how I always thought barracuda were bigger than that.
Their not and they don't fight much. I would just release them and try for something better.
I caught an 18 pounder once off Islamorada near Hens and Chickens reef. Wore me out. We were trolling for mackerel and bam!. You can’t eat the big ones as they get mercury buildup. We used to go out into the back country and catch small Barracuda with feathers and then fry up the filets and make fried fish sandwiches. They are pretty tasty.
Mayor Vaughn: Martin, it’s all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, “Huh? What?” You yell shark, we’ve got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July.
I don’t think that pic is of a barracuda. No dark blotches on the sides as you would see with a ‘cuda that size. Wahoo, maybe?
pop had one in sea foam blue/green until a deer came through the windshield
I see the weights listed and get the feeling that fish are getting smaller.
Overfishing?
Seems like everything was bigger back in my dad’s day.
He’d go out on the Bay with his dad near the Golden Gate, and once even spotted a jumper just as he hit the water, which was pretty exciting.
Didn’t know barracuda were found on the West coast.
If that’s a Calif barracuda in the pic they are much different than Atlantic types.
Used to see many in the S. Fla area. Fun to catch.
Some people ate the small ones inshore but avoided them when caught on the reefs. Their meat could be tainted with poisons from their eating some reef fish.
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