Do Barracuda Bite Back??

[FredT]

I never have, but the lower jaw ends up about 2" from where the tail was, in MUCH less than a second. I also pick on 'cudas less than 5' long to "practice" on during deco hangs.


You have to approach from below and behind making no sound or pressure waves the lateral line can pick up in a directional manner and stay out of their field of view.

 

[Speargirl]

I had an old Cuban guy 5 years ago tell me that you can tell if they are good by there teeth. Once you catch the fish if his teeth turn pink he is no good. He also said only eat the small ones. I dont know if this is true as I have never kept one when fishing and I would not waist my time spearing one.
Myself I would never take the chance with serving anything that might make me or anyone else sick. Why take the chance I say.
By the way I saw the biggest cuda a week ago that I have ever seen right off shore, in waters only 10' he had to have been 8' no kidding he was huge also OD green not much sliver left to this old guy and his black spots where really dark and big . I had to move in closer to see if it really was a cuda or something else. Nope it was a cuda a BIG ugly cuda. He hung around us as we checking out our lobster holes and making sure they were still safe at home.

Ciguatera and the Fish that cause Ciguatera Poisoning

Ciguatera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toxicity, Ciguatera: eMedicine Emergency Medicine
FDA/CFSAN Bad Bug Book Ciguatera

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Aren't lobster hotels illegal to place underwater or to even dive on?

 

[Diablero]

If youre able to bite them, they can sure bite back.

Ive shot 1000+ back in the day when I made my living spearfishing in Margarita Venezuela, and only one charge at me when I was after her. But you could see she was pissed and had been saying "leave me alone" by the movements and jaw moves she did before the attack.
As she charged at me I shot and miss, but she turn at the last moment and swam away. Besides this one, I didnt had a single incident while they were alive and trying to run away. But when I had the at the boat or in the freezer I had many nasty cuts while they were plain dead.
They are quite easy to shoot and they will get tired fast and give up. But they are powerfull enough to take you on a sky ride for a couple of meters.

My biggest Cuda was a 50lbs or 23 kgs, we always sold this to restaurants and they filet the fish and served it as many other things, sometimes they said it was Cuda sometimes not. Not heard a single case of Ciguatera back then.

 

[vnxdragon]

Barracuda are delicious. I fish in Southern California and we would catch them now and then. They are quite tasty fried. My friend's parents skin 'em and leave 'em out to dry. Almost like fish jerky I suppose. I've never heard of anyone being attacked, if anything they are more afraid of us.

 

[Baracuda Smile]

How many different species of barracuda are there? Does the different species of barracuda have different behaviors? Is there anything to myth that older more mature fish have a higher chance of sancrania than younger fish?