Great Barracuda

     Syphraena barracuda or Great Barracuda is a piscivorous fish, meaning that it eats other fish. Barracuda are long skinny fish with blue scales near the top of their sides, and black spots on their belly. Barracuda are known to be a dangerous fish when provoked, their razor sharp teeth have caused many divers and swimmers injuries. The average weight of a Barracuda is 5 to 20 pounds. The all tackle world record for Barracuda is 85 pounds. 
     Cast fishing is the best method to use when fishing for Barracuda. Once you are at your desired location you should create a disturbance in the water, attracting curious Barracuda to your location. Tube lures are known " to be the bane of Barracuda." These tube lures are said to make Barracuda strike faster than anything else. Tube lures are made to look like needle fish "snaking" through the water. You should work your lure just under the surface of the water in order to land the most Barracuda. 
     Barracuda are found in almost all seas with warm water. Most Barracuda are found at water temperatures of about 75 degrees, but it is not rare to find them in cooler water. Most Barracuda are found offshore, more than 3 miles out. The higher the water temperature, the closer the Barracuda will come to the shore. During hot summers Barracuda can sometimes be caught off the beach or even in the sound. 
     Ciguatera is a fish poisoning that affects mainly barracuda. To avoid eating a contaminated Barracuda here are some tips

• Do not eat fish weighing more than 5 or 6 pounds
• Do not eat anything but the good meat
• Listen to local knowledge about the fish 

Here is a recipe courtesy of "essortment.com"


Ingredients 
1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled
1/2 lb. cooked barracuda, skinned, deboned and chopped
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. parsley
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup breadcrumbs
salad to serve
buttered rolls to serve

Directions 

Preheat grill to hot and put oven rack in top middle of oven. Meanwhile, heat butter. Add onion and garlic. Fry gently until starting to go golden. Add parsley and cook until dark green, about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Using a food processor, puree potatoes, half the barracuda meat, Asiago cheese, onion mixture (including butter) , salt, black pepper and 1 egg in a bowl. Fold in remaining barracuda meat for texture.

Divide mixture into 24 portions. Dust hand with flour and make each portion into a ball. Dust each portion with flour and brush with remaining egg. Dip each one in breadcrumbs and put on a non-stick pan. Grill for 5 minutes each side until golden. Serve hot with a salad and buttered rolls to serve as a great accompaniment to meat and poultry for a tasty dinner.

Works Cited

"Barracuda Fishing Tips from the Experts." Inshore Fishing and Boating in SE Florida. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.inshore.com/tips-cuda.html>.

"Barracuda Recipe: Barracuda Asiago." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.essortment.com/all/barracudaasiag_rwsu.htm>.

"Ciguatera Is a Fish Poisoning That Affects Mainly Barracuda Caught in the Florid." The Florida Keys... Follow along with a Local for Many True Keys Adventures. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.n-the-florida-keys.com/ciguatera.html>.

"Great Barracuda ( Sphyraena Barracuda ) - Great Barracuda Information - Great Barracuda Facts - WildAnimalsOnline.com." Wild Animals Online - An Online Encyclopedia of Wild Animals - Facts, Photos, Pictures, Information. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.wildanimalsonline.com/fish/greatbarracuda.php>.

"Great Barracuda Fishing | GoFISHn." Fishing Reports, Fishing Maps, Pictures, Fishing Tips, and More on GoFISHn. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.gofishn.com/content/great-barracuda#Size>.

"How to Fish for Barracuda | EHow.com." EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.ehow.com/how_2078009_fish-barracuda.html>.