# ANY ADVISE ON SHOOTING BARRACUDA?



## mrplmbr (Mar 31, 2010)

I ALWAYS WANTED A BARRACUDA ON MY WALL BUT CANT SEEM TO CATCH ONE ON A FISHING POLE. I HAVE DECIDED TO SHOOT ONE WHEN I GO DIVING THE 1ST OF MAY. STILL NOT SURE ABOUT THIS IDEA, THE CUDA WHERE WE DIVE ARE USUALLY BIG 40-50LBS. ANY ADVISE ON WHAT TO DO OR EXPECT.


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

I don't think that is a great idea did you ever see what those teeth can do to a fish a friend of mine shot a smaller one around 10 lbs and it circled back around and bit his shock cord in half took his spear by by


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Go to your local tackle store And purchase an orange

Tube

Lure. If you are on a spot where you know 

Cuda are present work the tube lure

Very fast across the surface. Mark


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## dkdiver (Oct 15, 2007)

If you feel you really want to do this, just like everyone else has said, watch the business end. They do no roll over easily (ask Clay-doh, who was saved by Brandy and FishinFL). :doh I do not recommend using a detachable tip, you will need the leverage of a solid shaft to keep the fish under control, make that away from you.



Just a little input, I am sure there is more to follow.


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## Biller48 (Oct 1, 2008)

Shot a pile of them in GTMO, use to give them to the Jamacans and Phillipinos. I have never had a problem with a majority of them, but did shoot one about 55-60 lbs. that almost ate my lunch. I got lucky and shot him real close, he kept trying to get my fish, so I put the shaft through the top of his head, luckily it went about halfway through, so i could use the shaft to wrestle him to the bottom and brain him, after the shot he still had alot of fight in him. If you decide to do it just get a solid shot as close range and stand by for a fight, just my 2 cents. Or if you have to tag team him. Good luck.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

You can order mounts online without killing one. Much safer and probably less expensive.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

> *mrplmbr (3/31/2010)*I ALWAYS WANTED A BARRACUDA ON MY WALL BUT CANT SEEM TO CATCH ONE ON A FISHING POLE. I HAVE DECIDED TO SHOOT ONE WHEN I GO DIVING THE 1ST OF MAY. STILL NOT SURE ABOUT THIS IDEA, THE CUDA WHERE WE DIVE ARE USUALLY BIG 40-50LBS. *ANY ADVISE* ON WHAT TO DO OR EXPECT.


Yes they call it a bang stick.


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

I can't say I wouldn't do it again........but, 



Last one I speared went crazy and started circling me really fast, biting like crazy... I was sure scared he was gonna chomp on me.....I remember screaming into my regulator hahalsdhfhboadfboiboahboboiujlululmb and thinking "this might not have been a good idea...." lol and he was less than 3' long.


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## Getsome (Sep 28, 2007)

Get any flashy jig, tie on a wire leader, wait till the weather is hot, go off shore and you should see them hanging out in the shade of your boat, at this point drop jig down and get ready. I lost 3 jigs as fast as I could tie them on like this one day. I didn't have wire so they just ripped them off.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

That is one I shot about 4 foot long. For comparison, that is a Riffe W model tuna gun that is exactly 6 foot long. I shot him right in the head, and he rolled over and I thought...perfect! Then his eyes opened, he righted himself, looked at me with an evil smile, and it was pure hell from there. The shaft in that gun is also 6 foot long, and 3/8" thick, heavy as hell. When he charged me, Brandy sunk another shaft in him to help control him and pull from 2 different directions to keep him under control. 

It did absolutely nothing. In the video you will see him with both shafts in him shoot straight to the surface and sky out of the water. He charged me and everyone else in the water several times with jaws snapping. Finally he got close enough to Reese (FishinFL on here) and he busted him one with a .44 mag powerhead and after about 2 minutes of the scariest moments of my life underwater, he was fianlly dead.

Here is the link to the helmet-cam video shooting it. It was my first video ever with a cheap camera so the quality sucks and there is a bunch of worthless footage, but skip ahead to 4:20 (that was not planned...haa haa..) thats were the cuda part starts. Most of the footage was unusable, because when he would charge me, I was huffin way to many bubbles and blocked the view, plus swimming backward as fast as I could.






That was almost 3 years ago, and I learned my lesson on big cuddas, almost. Until a couple months ago, at the surface by the boat, and decided to punish one. I know have a riding rig set-up on my gun. I shot straight down into the top of his head, and instantly my shaft and rigging was gone straight to the bottom.Over$100 worth between shaft, tip, swivel bungee, mono line, hardware, and rope.

Next time I shoot one, it will be ONLY with a powerhead.2 big ones shot, 2 bad expereinces.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Clay, That is why I said bang stick right off the bat. You are dealing with an injured souped up wildcat with a serious mouth full of teeth, and a bad disposition.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

You are absolutely right. They don't try to just run when injured, they are like a bee you swat at and miss...they figure they are gonna take you with them. It is an eerie feeling when you are underwater and can here the jaws snapping. And it is amazing how wide a barracuda can open it's mouth when charging at you...looks like a snakes mouth when they dislocate there jaw.



Yup...bang stick for me. I still have that ones head in the freezer, the guy on here that does skull mounts with the beetles is gonna do it up for me, and I am gonna take an old spearshaft and mount it with the spear stuck thru his head


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

And you know the way they just zip right thru a fish you have on the line at the boat it would not end up well if he got ahold of any part of your body either. That mount will look great!!!


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## mrplmbr (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks for the info. Maybe a powerhead will be the way to go. Awesome video.


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

I have shot two. I shot a big one with a .22 power head just to check it out....stoned. I was on a saftey stop the next time and my buddy on the boat had a King on. I was watching the king and a cuda came out of no where after him...I instictively shot him on the move and he was stoned as well. I think I may have shot another that went crazy and was swimmingright next to my dive buddy while on my line...cant really recall the whole thing though. Maybe he will remember. In short I say blast one...they are just big pussies...I would shoot a 60lb cuda alot quicker than a 60lb AJ. The big AJs are the ones that wreck your world. The nice thing about them is they just sit there while you line up a perfect shot...stupid fish!


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

If you liked that old video mrp,you'll like this one better. Better camera and better editing and better fish shots.

Got footage ready to go from my new HD camera, got to get it edited.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1270188597503


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

My advice- 

Don't do it at all.


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## jigslinger (Sep 30, 2007)

Nice video Clay.


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## tmw234 (Nov 5, 2009)

Best way- don't do it at all. It's just not worth it.


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## flappininthebreeze (Jul 13, 2009)

What he said. Don't. They stink up the boat and make a hell of a mess, for nothing.:usaflag


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## FISHINGRL (Jan 12, 2010)

I thought you were talkin bout shootin one with a gun. About 5 years ago I was out about 15 miles out of Destin, anckored up, tryin to catch shapper. Suddenely a cuda, ate the whole body of my fish, a king mack. All I pulled in was the head. Very angry, I rigged up a snatch rig, casting it for about 30 minutes. He came close enough to hook him and get in my hand, only his scales. As I jerked the rig over his back, he jumps up and shakes it off. A very smart fish. Even more angry, I pulled out my 38 s&w. I needed target practice anyway. Took about 4 shots but I ran him off for sure. He took off andI didnt see him again and didnt eat anymore of my fish. Yeaaah!!!! gone waz the cuda.. A 38 or 44 will do........


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## amnbowser (Oct 2, 2009)

I am usally quite on here but I have to chime in on this topic.They run up when shot hold on I would much rather shoot a cuda then a big aj for gear sakes. I have shot a ton of them I like to eat the smaller ones all white meat very good. I shy away from the big ones although I am told they are good shark bait. I dive with someone who has been diving out of panama city for years he said he has never seen a cigatari problem with the cudas this far north in the gulf. Here is a stringer full so you don't think I am fillin you full of crap.


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## mrplmbr (Mar 31, 2010)

Hey Clay, That video makes me want to hit the water. Really cool stuff!


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## MGuns (Dec 31, 2007)

.357 bangstick!!!


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2008

Media Inquiries: Stephanie Kwisnek, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Advises Seafood Processors About Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary: agency updates guidance to seafood processors after recent illnesses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a letter to seafood processors, advising them of recent illnesses linked to consuming fish carrying the ciguatera toxin, which has led to cases of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) in consumers. The toxic fish were harvested in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which is located in federal waters south of the Texas-Louisiana coastline.

FDA had considered CFP from fish in this geographical area extremely rare until recently, when several outbreaks were confirmed in Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, Mo. The illnesses were linked to fish caught near the marine sanctuary. FDA now considers CFP to be a food safety hazard that is reasonably likely to occur in grouper, snapper, and hogfish captured within 10 miles of the marine sanctuary and amberjack, barracuda and other wide-ranging species captured within 50 miles of the sanctuary.


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## amnbowser (Oct 2, 2009)

within 10 miles of the marine sanctuary and amberjack, barracuda and other wide-ranging species captured within 50 miles of the sanctuary. 

I don't eat the big ones. I only eat the smaller ones cig comes from a corral and it does not grow in the upper gulf I have been told. From what I understand it is a coral then bait fish consume them then the cuda or predator fish eat them which is how they get it.


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

CFP can occur in almost all of the fish that we fish for. Snapper and Grouper can get it just as easily as Cuda.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Don't think we need to worry about it yet....but with the new species and enviro changes we're seeing locally, it is something to keep an eye on. With all of our "management" of the marine species, I'm sure that we'll do something to screwup (or we already have).


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## Domtasc (Sep 18, 2009)

> *BIGRIGZ (3/31/2010)*I can't say I wouldn't do it again........but,
> 
> 
> 
> Last one I speared went crazy and started circling me really fast, biting like crazy... I was sure scared he was gonna chomp on me.....I remember screaming into my regulator hahalsdhfhboadfboiboahboboiujlululmb and thinking "this might not have been a good idea...." lol and he was less than 3' long.




HAHAHAHA that's Hilarious. Great story. I'd like to shoot one myself


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## jan1974 (Apr 17, 2008)

Get them on freediving.............cudas are a peaceful creatures........They just don't like scuba divers:letsdrink


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