GREAT BARRACUDA – Sphyraena barracuda

Article by: Mark Mayo

Family Sphyraenidae, BARRACUDAS

Description: gray, with a greenish cast above, whitish below; many irregular, small black blotches on lower side; 18 to 22 diagonal dark bars on upper side (not always evident); caudal fin dark with white tips; 75 to 87 lateral line scales; no fleshy tip on jaw. Young (not shown): dark stripe on side; stripe breaks into dark squarish blotches as fish grows.

Size: to 2 m (6 ft.) and 48 kg (106 lbs.); reports of larger fish unverified.

Where Found: young live in inshore seagrass beds; adults range from inshore channel  to open ocean.

Remarks: most attacks on people have occurred when they were wading or swimming in turbid water while wearing bright objects, attempting to spear a barracuda, or carrying speared fish; flesh of smaller fish apparently not poisonous, but larger fish sometimes very toxic due to ciguatera; no safe, reliable way of recognizing toxic fish.

Mark Mayo

I research and report on fishing, fishing gear/equipment, survival topics, and marketing for outdoors related businesses. I assist here on CB Fishing as the editor. Articles may contain AI researched content. All content is published for education and entertainment purposes only, NOT LIFE, HEALTH, SURVIVAL, FINANCIAL, BUSINESS, LEGAL OR ANY OTHER ADVICE. Learn more about Mark Mayo