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The family and genus of fish called Barracuda or Sphyrenidae includes, on the order of 27 species. The fish has a cylindrical, elongated body. In general forms it is similar to the common pike. A distinctive feature of the species is a powerful lower jaw, the front edge of which protrudes strongly relative to the upper one. The anterior dorsal fin has five spiny rays. The jaws are covered with large canine-shaped teeth. The middle line is very well defined. The size of barracudas can exceed in length – 2 m and weight – 50 kg. Barracudas are active predators, very voracious. The object of hunting for barracudas can be both small fish and various mollusks and crustaceans. Fish are quite aggressive, there are known cases of injuries in fishermen and divers from “communication” with these predators. Lifestyle is quite diverse and changeable. Large individuals, most often, keep to themselves, waiting for prey in ambush. Barracudas can form large flocks to hunt together. So they attack shoals of fish, driving prey into a dense flock. They attack at high speed, snatching victims or tearing out pieces of flesh with powerful jaws. Barracudas are widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical zones of the oceans. Young individuals, more often, can be found in the coastal zone, sometimes barracudas are found in the estuarine zone of rivers. Many note that barracudas avoid muddy water. There are some restrictions when eating barracuda meat. In general, dishes made from young barracuda are very tasty, but cases of poisoning by the meat of large barracuda are known, especially from the waters of Central America.
Fishing methods
Barracudas are caught in a variety of ways. These are the main methods of fishing from sea craft: drifting, trolling, sea spinning. Barracudas are illegible in hunting objects, often pounce on a fairly large prey. In most cases, barracuda fishing methods involve artificial lures, but some fishermen use pieces of fish or colmar to catch them. Barracudas are aggressive predators, they sharply attack the bait, and therefore such fishing is characterized by a large number of emotions and stubborn resistance of the fish. It is worth getting ready for long fights and fights, in which it is difficult to predict the result.
Catching barracuda trolling
Barracudas, because of their size and temperament, are considered a worthy adversary. To catch them, you will need the most serious fishing tackle. The most suitable method for finding fish is trolling. Sea trolling is a method of fishing with the help of a moving motor vehicle, such as a boat or boat. For fishing in the ocean and sea open spaces, specialized vessels equipped with numerous devices are used. The main ones are rod holders, in addition, boats are equipped with chairs for playing fish, a table for making baits, powerful echo sounders and more. Rods are also used specialized, made of fiberglass and other polymers with special fittings. Coils are used multiplier, maximum capacity. The device of trolling reels is subject to the main idea of such gear – strength. A mono-line, up to 4 mm thick or more, is measured, with such fishing, in kilometers. There are quite a lot of auxiliary devices that are used depending on the fishing conditions: for deepening the equipment, for placing baits in the fishing area, for attaching bait, and so on, including numerous items of equipment. Trolling, especially when hunting for sea giants, is a group type of fishing. As a rule, several rods are used. In the case of a bite, for a successful capture, the coherence of the team is important. Before the trip, it is advisable to find out the rules of fishing in the region. In most cases, fishing is carried out by professional guides who are fully responsible for the event. It is worth noting that the search for a trophy at sea or in the ocean may be associated with many hours of waiting for a bite, sometimes unsuccessful.
Catching barracuda on spinning
Fishing, also, most often, occurs from boats of various classes. Many anglers use spinning tackle to catch barracudas. For tackle, in spinning fishing for sea fish, as in the case of trolling, the main requirement is reliability. Reels should be with an impressive supply of fishing line or cord. In addition to a trouble-free braking system, the coil must be protected from salt water. Spinning fishing from a vessel may differ in the principles of bait supply. In many types of sea fishing equipment, very fast wiring is required, which means a high gear ratio of the winding mechanism. According to the principle of operation, coils can be both multiplier and inertial-free. Accordingly, the rods are selected depending on the reel system. When fishing with spinning marine fish, fishing technique is very important. To select the correct wiring, you should consult experienced local anglers or guides.
Catching barracuda by drifting
Fishing for sea fish by drifting involves the use of specially equipped boats or boats with rod holders. It should be borne in mind that the size of the trophies can be very significant, which requires special training from the organizers of fishing. Fishing is carried out with the help of marine rods with snaps for natural baits. The “drift” itself is carried out due to sea currents or wind. In most cases, fishing is carried out with the luring of predators by various baits of the animal composition. On the rig, some anglers use large bobber bite alarms. The slow movement of the vessel increases the fishing space and creates an imitation of the movement of the bait, although many anglers note that barracudas grab “dead” fish as well.
Baits
For catching barracudas, traditional sea baits are used, corresponding to the type of fishing. Trolling, most often, is caught on various spinners, wobblers and silicone imitations. Natural baits are also used, for this, experienced guides make baits using special equipment. They also catch barracuda with live bait. When fishing for spinning, various marine wobblers, spinners and other artificial imitations of aquatic life are often used.
Places of fishing and habitat
Barracudas are heat-loving fish. The main habitat is the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. As a rule, they stay close to the surface. Four species are found in the Mediterranean Sea, of which two got there through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. Fish sometimes enter the Black Sea, but mostly they are seen off the Turkish coast. In the ocean, barracuda is a typical trophy for fishermen, both on an industrial scale and in amateur fishing. In the Sea of Japan, it is also not an unusual catch.
Spawning
Information about the breeding of barracudas is a bit confusing and contradictory. Sexual maturity of fish occurs at 2-3 years of age. The spawning season is difficult to determine; according to some sources, barracudas spawn all year. Most likely, the timing of spawning depends on the region and population. Spawning takes place in the pelargic zone. After fertilization, eggs float freely in the upper water column and are devoured by other fish, so the number of surviving individuals from the litter is relatively small.