Barracudas...What to do

[LastOneOut]

They do like shiny things, and a mistake by a big one could remove digits. My experience with the small ones is down in Baja where schools of dozens of the smaller ones you are describing come and go during the day of spearing most of the time. They are not piranhas and I treat them like a school of mackerel. I have never heard of them attacking anyone.

 

[felipe felop]

a good tip if your wearing a watch in the water is to turn it round so the face of it is on the inside of your wrist and not on your gun hand as thats the one that will invariably be facing down/inwards towards yourself,barracudas seem to look right through you its unnerving but as siam spearo says its the watch not the person attached to it crapping their pants

 

[josedesucre]

Hi Ihab,

Despite all that one thing is advisable in them all, whenever possible always make a head shot or as near to it as you can.
There are a lot of stories of cuda atacking speros, (i have been charged twice by the same barracuda once), but one thing is comon in most of them...the fish was speared and fougth back.
Its while retriving the fish after being speared that accidents happen.
Mid body shots allow barracuda to move their heads just the enought to bite a less cautious spero, while a well placed shot near the head allows you to grab the spear from both sides without no problems.""

I can confirm this advice. One of my friends was bitten in the leg by a big barracuda when he was retrieving it after a bad placed shot. He got 90 stitches, lost a lot of blood, but fortunately survived. So if you decide to shoot them, hit them in the head or as close as possible, and take control of the fish as soon as you can to diminish the risk of it attacking you. Good luck.

 

[blueface]

When I shoot a barracuda I pull him in and grab the shaft. Keeping the mouth away from you, turn the fish belly up and put the fish between your legs like you're riding it. Work your hands up the gills and grab on. Be careful not to stab yourself while dispatching it. They seem to stop kicking when I turn them belly up.

 

[settingsteel]

Like many have already said, I too have never had a run in with a Cuban King.
On the other hand (i've shot a few for friends that think its one of the tastiest fish in the sea, I tried it for the second time and it does taste pretty good) and everyone I've shot has fought like the devil (even going airborne) for a good 5+minutes, all shots being head shots, which btw is where you should aim for...generally once you shoot a 'Cuda they all seem to wisen'up and keep a distance...anyone ever experience the " 'Cuda group yawn" that can be a bit nerve racking:head

 

[settingsteel]

When I shoot a barracuda I pull him in and grab the shaft. Keeping the mouth away from you, turn the fish belly up and put the fish between your legs like you're riding it. Work your hands up the gills and grab on. Be careful not to stab yourself while dispatching it. They seem to stop kicking when I turn them belly up.

that all sounds good dude, 'cept the part b/t your legsroflor:blackeye

 

[blueface]

that all sounds good dude, 'cept the part b/t your legsroflor:blackeye

Not the teeth on your private parts. When I get time I will draw you a diagram.

 

[Mr. X]

...in a previous life I did a lot of diving in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic with Great Barracuda, and I never gave them a second thought. I even dropped my young kids in near Key West in a big school of them.

roflChumming Bill?!

 

[mishu1984]

my first encounter with baracudas was a school of about 300. was pretty nice shooting them as they are somewhat in the dumb end of the spectrum when it comes to fish. however, this quickly turned into a hairy situation as i was wearing a mirrored mask, so I WAS THE FLASHER, lol.
following that experience i was not very comfortable with cudas but i solved that problem. i went to the same wreck of cudas and shot as many as i could. as soon as i would shoot one i would pull it in quickly. the bigger fish would follow, and then i would charge them and they would swim off. i also wore a regular mask this time around. the only trick is to mind your hand and you get it in its gill, and then quickly dispatch the cuda with your knife. i find them tasty breaded in a beer batter and then fried. however, the smell like ass and are slimmy.

 

[blueface]

Here's one my friend shot. We will only shoot one or two if there small. In this case someone wanted one so Ron took the opportunity.

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