catalog Sphyraenidae · predator

mexican barracuda

Sphyraena ensis

Sea

The eastern tropical Pacific barracuda, silvery with V-shaped bars on its flank. Common on the shelf; caught by trolling and casting with midwater baits and live fish, with care around the teeth.

Also called: barracuda-mexicana, Mexican barracuda

forecast for mexican barracuda where found

Scientific illustration of Mexican barracuda

common size: 35–60 cm
maximum: 127 cm
common weight: 0.2–0.9 kg
record/max.: 9.5 kg
depth: 10–60 m
ideal water: 22–29 °C

overview

who is the mexican barracuda

Eastern Pacific barracuda, from southern California (USA) and the Gulf of California to Chile, rare at Malpelo. Lives in coastal waters and on the shelf, near the surface and in midwater, generally at 10 to 60 m according to FishBase (STRI gives 0 to 25 m). It is common on the shelf and important as a food fish and in commercial fishing. FishBase gives up to 127 cm and 9.5 kg; STRI mentions about 70 cm, and most fish caught are well below that. For sport anglers, it takes trolling lures, midwater artificials and live fish, and has cutting teeth: handle with care.

fun facts

In Panama it is even called corvina picuda, a name that belongs to another species (Cynoscion phoxocephalus).
In the Incopesca size table (Costa Rica), the barracuda has a minimum size of 430 mm.

how to recognize it

identification

Very elongated, cylindrical body at the front, long pointed head, large mouth with a projecting lower jaw and many long, cutting teeth. Silvery, with a series of V-shaped bars (chevrons) over the upper two-thirds of the flank and a gray, forked tail. Two well-separated dorsal fins, small pectorals, pelvics that start under the tip of the pectoral and before the first dorsal, and 108 to 116 lateral line scales. Other eastern Pacific barracudas (S. argentea, S. lucasana, S. qenie) look similar: check the bars, the position of the pelvics and the scales.

how mexican barracuda fishing looks

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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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific, from southern California (USA) and the Gulf of California to Chile, through all of Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; rare at Malpelo. FishBase cites Mexico to Ecuador; STRI extends the range to Chile.

Habitat: Coastal waters and the continental shelf, near the surface and in midwater.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Apr–Oct

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fished all year in tropical areas; no documented season. Bait schools near points, rocks and bay mouths help more than the month.

best time of day

Daytime. Attacks by day, by sight, especially in clear water and good light. Attacks should concentrate at dawn and dusk, near bait schools (estimate).

weather, water and behavior

what affects the mexican barracuda
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Very cold water pushes the fish off the shallows and away from bait schools.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect.

moon

Little effect.

rain

Little effect in open sea; runoff muddies the shore and spooks the fish.

water level

Not applicable at sea.

noise

Less sensitive than other rockfish, but noise over the bait school gets in the way.

wind

Strong wind and choppy sea hinder baiting and casting.

tide

Current that gathers bait at points and river mouths attracts the barracuda.

depth

Surface at 25 m most of the time; deeper on the shelf.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Trolling Mid-water casting Surface casting Natural bait with float

rod: 6'6" to 7'6", fast action, 15 to 30 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 4000 to 5000
line: braided line 20 to 40 lb
leader: thin steel cable 30 to 50 lb, 30 to 40 cm, or 50 to 80 lb fluorocarbon, 1 m
hook: single hook 2/0 to 4/0 on live bait; treble hooks on artificial lures

lures

jerkbait and midwater minnow, 12 to 18 cm
metal spoon
metal jig, 30 to 60 g
popper

natural baits

live sardine or mullet
live anchovy
whole squid

accessories

long-nose pliers
boga
luvas
extra steel cable

tip from an angler

Reel in fast, with short pauses: the barracuda chases the lure at high speed. Use steel leader or heavy fluorocarbon, because the teeth cut thin leader.

what the law says

rules for the mexican 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.
Conservation: Old global assessment (2008); it is a fish of commercial importance in the region.

Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day

5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fishconfirm with the agency

In federal waters of Mexico, recreational sport fishing allows each angler to keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The Mexican barracuda (picuda) is not among the species reserved for sport fishing (marlins, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon (sábalo), roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the standard) and has no quota of its own. The standard limits "picudos", sharks and giant croaker to 1 fish per day (item 4.9.1 b), but does not define "picudos"; "picuda" is a popular name for barracuda in several countries, and the standard's term should refer to billfish (marlins and similar), which are the ones it reserves for sport fishing. When in doubt, ask Conapesca. Fish over the quota must go back alive, and fish caught in sport fishing may not be sold. From shore you need no permit; from a boat, you do (permits under the Federal Duties Law, Ley Federal de Derechos, item 4.3).

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), published in the DOF on Nov 25, 2013, items 0.3, 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5 and 4.11 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Costa Rica: minimum size 43 cm

430 mm (43 cm) total lengthconfirm with the agency

The Incopesca Board set the legal first-catch size for the barracuda (Sphyraena ensis, "Barracuda" in the table) at 430 mm, equal to the first sexual maturity size given by the institute. The measure applies to all fishing activity and prohibits selling, holding, transporting or processing fish product below it. We did not confirm whether it was updated after 2017: check with Incopesca before keeping small fish.

Source: Acuerdo AJDIP/102-2017 of the Incopesca Board of Directors (session 010-2017, Feb 24, 2017), table of legal sizes at first catch

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.

Its teeth cut: hold it with long-nose pliers or a boga, away from the mouth, and keep your fingers out of reach. Release it quickly; in Costa Rica, release those under 43 cm.

in the kitchen

White, firm flesh; good grilled, in fried steaks or in ceviche. FishBase treats it as an important food fish.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00603, b = 2.91; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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 ensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight relationship, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked Oct 13, 2026. FishBase gives up to 127 cm fork length and 9.5 kg; STRI cites about 70 cm. We kept FishBase's values.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sphyraena ensisNames by country and language.
scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Sphyraena ensisDescription, colors (V-shaped bars, gray tail), size (about 70 cm), depth (0 to 25 m) and distribution (southern California and the Gulf of California to Chile, rare at Malpelo). Page checked Oct 13, 2026.
scientific Sommer, C. (1995). Sphyraenidae. Barracudas, picudas. In: Fischer, W. et al. (eds.). Guía FAO para la identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacífico centro-oriental. Vol. 3, p. 1618-1621. Roma: FAO.Main FishBase reference for the species (common on the shelf; important food fish).
official Incopesca (Costa Rica): Acordo AJDIP/102-2017 da Junta Diretiva, tamanhos legais de primeira captura (24/02/2017)Table of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and sharks of the Pacific, with first maturity size and legal first-catch size in millimeters. Article 4: prohibits selling, holding, transporting and processing product that does not meet the sizes. We did not confirm any later update.
official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México (publicada em 25/11/2013)Species reserved for sport fishing (item 0.3), permits (4.3 and 4.14), rod and hooks (4.6), bait (4.7), daily quotas at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed areas and seasons (4.10) and the ban on selling the fish (4.11). Text checked Oct 13, 2026. The text carries the signature date of Oct 14, 2013; the DOF publication date (Nov 25, 2013) is the one the catalog already uses.

don't confuse

similar species

Sphyraenidae

Great barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

An ambush predator of reefs and islands, with explosive strikes and fearsome teeth. Great fun on casting and trolling.

Sea

time of yearbest: Nov–Mar

Sphyraenidae

Pacific barracuda

Sphyraena argentea

Pacific barracuda of the coast of North America and the Mexican Pacific, reaching 145 cm. It has large, sharp teeth and is taken in commercial and sport fishing.

Sea