We might have bonefish on the brain, but at Andros South a day of bonefishing also means an opportunity for a shot at some big feisty barracuda in the process. ‘Cuda are a blast to target on the fly, but contrary to popular belief they can also be quite challenging. Here are a few tips to fool more ‘cuda in between bonefish.
- Don’t Land the Fly Too Close. Barracuda are known for their hyper-aggressive nature, but landing a foreign object only inches from one’s nose is probably going to make it spook. Unlike bonefish, ‘cuda are ambush predators who prefer to wait for their prey to roll through their general vicinity before striking. Key into that response by presenting the fly up to 20 feet away from the ‘cuda and let him find it! Trust us, if he’s in the mood, it won’t take long.
- Strip Faster. How do we know you’re not already stripping the proper speed? It doesn’t matter. When it comes to ‘cuda, there’s no such thing as stripping ‘too fast..’ The faster the better!
- Take a Bow. Many first time flats anglers are pleasantly surprised by a barracuda’s tendency to explode out of the water immediately after being hooked – much like a stung tarpon. They also have very hard mouths, full of even harder teeth, making it difficult to maintain a solid hook hold throughout the fight. Therefore, in typical ‘tarpon fashion,’ on each jump try ‘bowing’ towards the fish by extending your rod towards the fish. Doing so will help to create a moment of slack in the line, reducing the amount of leverage on the hook during the jump and subsequent head shakes, hopefully keeping the hook in place.
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