Barracuda Fishing Clearwater, Tampa, St. Pete, FL

Barracuda Sport FishingThe Barracuda is a true prize, but only if it can be enticed to bite your line.  The Barracuda is one of the most elusive and solitary fish in the Gulf of Mexico.  It prefers to swim alone, and is often seen floating disinterestedly near groups of prey fish until it suddenly strikes.  With a Barracuda on the end of your line, the fight will be impressive.  This fish darts quickly and jumps often, putting on a show for fishing charters.

Description: The Barracuda is a true predator.  Its long, narrow body allows it to strike quickly when prey is within reach, and its mouth is full of razor-sharp teeth.  Its body is silver with a hint of green on its back.  Approximately 20 bars of color stretch over the upper back on both sides of the fish.  Its black spots appear as though an ink pen dripped down the back half of its body. 

Size: The average Barracuda weighs between 20 lbs and 30 lbs, but it is not uncommon for this fish to weigh close to 50 lbs.  On rare occasions, it can weigh up to 100 lbs.  While the meat of a Barracuda is of fine quality, it is regarded with suspicion when drawn from the waters around southern Florida, as it can often carry ciguatera poisoning.

Location: This fish prefers very warm water, and will not be seen in temperatures below 68°F.  In summer months, the greatest concentration of Barracuda will be offshore as it spawns.  During this time, the loner fish will make contact with other Barracudas before slipping off into the ocean alone. 

Though Barracuda can be hard to lure, our fishing charter captains have years of experience with bait selection and ocean topography to ensure you the best chances of snagging one. 

Contact Monster Charters today to be hooked up with one of our seasoned charter captains.