For some reason, barracuda have developed the reputation of being an inferior species when compared to the bonefish and tarpon of the world. At Andros South, we couldn’t disagree more. Our barracuda are big, toothy, acrobatic, lightning fast, and extremely aggressive towards flies, including poppers! Fly Fishing for ‘cuda is the most underrated game in town, and we think its pretty cool.
We always recommend our guests bring along an extra rod rigged specifically for ‘cuda when poling for bonefish as you never know when a ‘cuda might appear on the flats. ‘But what if a bonefish shows up while I’m casting to a barracuda?’ Don’t worry, odds are with a five foot ‘cuda in the neighborhood, eating your fly is the last thing on a bonefish’s mind!
Pride’s overrated anyhow.. Take a shot at a ‘cuda and have some fun. That’s what it’s all about!
More on Fly Fishing for Barracuda
Hey Andrew…. Of the flats species which are considered to be appropriate for meeting their demise at the hands of anglers, which ones make decent table fare? Once, on a bonefishing trip to Belize, my friend and I, along with our guide, spent a day targeting anything that swims. At the beginning of the day, we asked our guide if he would be wanting to keep any fish. He replied that he would happily keep any barracuda. That response surprised me considerably.
Hey Jim,
Our guides at Andros South would most likely give you the same answer! Barracuda is considered to be one of the tastiest fish out there, and we rarely see guides return any ‘cuda under three feet! Although this does surprise many anglers. Plus, barracuda are also considered a voracious predator to our bonefish population, so there is an added incentive there as well. Some caution has to be taken with our barracuda however as barracuda caught on the reef are likely to be contaminated with ciguatera, a toxin picked up by eating certain reef fishes. However, it is believed that ‘cuda found in the ‘creeks’ are much less likely to contain the toxin.
Thanks for the comment and have fun out there!
Hey Kyle
Logan & I were just at Andros last week-
He landed his first cuda on the fly rod with Josie and caught 6 cuda one day with Torrie on a spinning rod- awesome fun!!
send your email and I’ll send a picture if you’d like
take care
Larry