# Barracuda?



## Addict'd (May 17, 2009)

I used to eat cuda when I lived in S FL as long as they were under 36" or so and they were pretty dang good. I've never heard of anyone eating them up here though, is there a reason? Are they more likely to carry cig here or are most just cautious? Thanks


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Actually ciguatera is more prevalent in warmer waters further south.

I think the reason not many people eat them is because there are TONS better fish to eat.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

JD, have you ever eaten one? There are tons of good eating fish here no doubt, but many of the "good" ones aren't as good as a cuda to me. A 3' or under cuda is way better eating IMO than snapper, AJs and such. Very good quality, firm filets. When I'm in the Keys, I make sure I target smaller cudas at least one morning to stock up some filets.


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## Gaff (Jan 20, 2012)

I wonder if joe patti's sells cuda?


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## FishGolfDrink (Apr 19, 2011)

Gaff said:


> I wonder if joe patti's sells cuda?


Probably, labeled as trigger fish or scamp... there's some shit in there where the label is not even close to how the fillet is supposed to look.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

FishGolfDrink said:


> Probably, labeled as trigger fish or scamp... there's some shit in there where the label is not even close to how the fillet is supposed to look.


They did a study in Mobile a few years ago and found that 9 out of 12 restaurants that claimed to carry grouper were actually selling a japanese catfish as grouper.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

Pollack is consistantly sold as Grouper and other local fishes at many restaurants up and down the Emerald Coast! I worked at a few....


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

I went to the crab trap in Destin the other day and all the fish prices...yellowfin, triggerfish,ajs,grouper,mahi were all the same price with a dollar or two. Seems odd to me unless they were only giving you a small piece of yellowfin. As good as trigger is it doesn't compare to yellowfin.


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## amnbowser (Oct 2, 2009)

*Cuda*

They are terrible don't eat them :thumbup:


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

I had a friend of mine that stayed sick for over a year after eating a barracuda from our waters.


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Ive only caught one. Capt and my buddy said what are you gonna do with that. Eat it wtf else would i do with it? I fileted it cut out the blood line.fried up great! Tasted good too! No sickness here


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## shootnstarz (May 4, 2011)

I couldn't get past the smell to even touch one of those stinking, swimming bear traps. You won't get that smell off you for a week.

Rick


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## Addict'd (May 17, 2009)

Thanks for the input guys, I'm thinking they're probably safe here too as long as they are under 30" or so. Next time i'm out shooting I'll take one and let you guys know if I get hit with cig....


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

Cigutera (sp) is caused by these cudas eating the fish that feed on coral. Get the cuda away from the coral reef and he can't poison you with cig. We used to donate the cudas we'd spear on tournment trips to the fish fry in the Alabama Open. We heaped our plates with fried cuda chunks. Not bad at all, and none of us got sick. The beer may have helped.


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## amnbowser (Oct 2, 2009)

People are so missinformed. Think about what burnt is telling you cause it's true. Barracuda get it from coral without the coral they don't have cigutari. Now what gets me is barracuda get the bad rap. But think about it they get it from the coral because the bait fish eat them. What else eats the bait fish lets see grouper snapper amber jack king etc... All of these fish can get cigutari not just barracuda. The fact is cigutari producing coral don't grow here so if you were to get cigutari poisoning from barracuda here it means rhe fish would have had to migrate here from along ways. Look you can get west nile now from being outside but does that keep you from being outside. Chances are probably higher to get west Nile then getting cigutari but with this being said yOur just as likely to get it from eating king as you are eating barracuda.


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## Addict'd (May 17, 2009)

I belive it actually originates from tiny dinoflagellates that produce the toxin, which builds in toxicity as it travels through the food chain. You're right, all predatory fish have the potentially to build it up in their system. I imagine that the cuda here do migrate to some extent as with many of the other species. I used to eat them in the Keys where there is coral and never experienced a problem....not really hearing of many cases from this area so I'm definately going to go get some. I am going to take a smaller one though and not push my luck


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

FishGolfDrink said:


> Probably, labeled as trigger fish or scamp... there's some shit in there where the label is not even close to how the fillet is supposed to look.


*Yes there is. Last two times I was there they had some fillets labeled Redfish that were definitley not Redfish but much better. The fillets were huge and very pink. Worked for me cause they were priced at $6 lb and were fantastic.*


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## Sushi maker (Jun 3, 2010)

I catch them often we clean em up and put a small pc on an ant hill if the ants eat em so do we otherwise we trash em. only had one of those in 15 yrs, learned it from some locals in the Caymens


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