great barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
An ambush predator of reefs and islands, with explosive strikes and fearsome teeth. Great fun on casting and trolling.
Also called: barracuda, bicuda, bicuda-do-mar
- common size
- 60–140 cm
- maximum
- 200 cm
- common weight
- 3–15 kg
- record/max.
- 50.0 kg
- depth
- 1–60 m
- ideal water
- 24–29 °C
who is the great barracuda
The barracuda is the great ambush predator of tropical reefs, islands, and submerged reefs. It stays still, almost motionless, and strikes in short, very fast bursts, slicing its prey with knife-like teeth. Juveniles live in shallow water, mangroves, and reefs; adults stay at reef edges, wrecks, and even in open sea. It is curious and often follows divers and baits. In sport fishing it attacks surface plugs violently and jumps. In Brazil it is most common in the Northeast, around Abrolhos, and at the oceanic islands. Because of ciguatera risk, many anglers release large fish.
fun facts
- It follows divers out of curiosity; attacks on people are rare and linked to shiny objects.
- It can stay in the same spot for hours, waiting for prey to pass.
identification
Long, almost cylindrical body, large head and projecting lower jaw, with big, uneven teeth showing. Two widely separated dorsal fins. Gray-green back, silver flanks with oblique dark bars on the upper part and scattered black spots on the lower part near the tail. The wahoo has a long snout, blue bars, and a long, low dorsal fin. The bicuda de rio is a different, freshwater fish.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
where found
Reefs and islands from Maranhão to the Southeast, most common in the Northeast. Known spots: reefs off Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, and Alagoas, around Abrolhos and the Royal Charlotte bank-BA, Vitória-ES, and Arraial do Cabo-RJ. Many reef areas are conservation units with fishing-prohibited zones, such as Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, and Abrolhos: check first.
Habitat: Reef edges, submerged reefs, wrecks, rocky shores of islands and reefs, 1 to 60 m. Juveniles in mangroves and shallow water.
coast
states
Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
famous destinations
when to fish
best season
A resident fish, fished all year. Clean, warm water yields more.
best time of day
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Active by day, with peaks at dawn and late afternoon. With the tide rising near the reefs, it strikes well all day.
what affects the great barracuda
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Water below 22 °C makes the barracuda slow and deep.
atmospheric pressure
A cold front muddies reef water and knocks out fishing for a few days.
moon
Small effect; full- and new-moon tides move more bait.
rain
Heavy rain muddies coastal water and gets in the way.
water level
Not applicable at sea. The equivalent is the color and clarity of the water: look for blue, clean water and current lines.
noise
It is wary of noise in shallow, clear water. Approach by oar or electric motor near the reefs.
wind
Light wind helps hide the line; strong wind muddies the water and hurts casting.
tide
A rising tide brings clean water and bait to the reef edges.
depth
1 to 60 m. Large fish stay at the deeper edges and wrecks.
how to fish
- rod
- 6'6" to 7'0", 15 to 30 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 4000 to 6000 or low-profile baitcasting reel
- line
- braid 30 to 50 lb
- leader
- 40 to 60 lb wire leader, 20 to 30 cm, or heavy 80 lb fluorocarbon
- hook
- reinforced treble hooks on plugs; 4/0 to 6/0 singles on natural bait
lures
- 14 to 20 cm stickbaits and pencils
- tube lures (green or orange silicone tube) on trolling
- lipped plugs
- long streamers on fly (line 9 to 10)
natural baits
- agulhinha
- live sardine or small fish
accessories
- long-nose pliers
- boga-grip
- luvas
tip from an angler
Reel in fast and don't stop: the barracuda follows the bait and gives up when it slows. A pencil worked at high speed on the surface triggers the strike.
rules for the great barracuda
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Control it with a boga-grip and remove the hook with long pliers, away from the teeth. It handles release well.
in the kitchen
Small specimens have good white flesh. Avoid eating large ones: barracuda is one of the species most linked to ciguatera, poisoning from reef algae toxins that cooking does not destroy.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00851, b = 2.93; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase — Sphyraena barracuda (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Sphyraena barracuda (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Sphyraena barracuda (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 29/01/2013)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Sphyraenidae chapter (Russell, B. C.).
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Buckup, P. A.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Moura, R. L. (orgs.) (2003). Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 160 p.List of the marine species recorded in Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites the catalogue for the species.
