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fishing forecast

guachanche barracuda

Sphyraena guachancho · Sphyraenidae · predator

EstuarySea

Slender barracuda of shallow, murky coastal waters, common near river mouths and estuaries, in schools. It reaches about 70 cm and has sharp teeth, but is much smaller than the great barracuda.

Also called: goirana, gorana, goiva, corama, coroma, bicuda, barracuda, guachanche barracuda

everything about the guachanche barracuda where found
Scientific illustration of Guachanche barracuda
common size
35–55 cm
maximum
71 cm
common weight
0.3–1.1 kg
record/max.
1.8 kg
depth
0–100 m
ideal water
22–29 °C
location

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period

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the species

everything about the guachanche barracuda

overview

who is the guachanche barracuda

The goirana (Sphyraena guachancho), the 'guachanche barracuda' of English-speaking fishers, lives in shallow and generally murky coastal waters over mud bottoms, often near river mouths, and sometimes enters estuaries and brackish water. It travels in schools and eats fish from the anchovy and herring families (Engraulidae and Clupeidae), snappers (Lutjanidae) and lizardfish (Synodontidae), plus squid. In the western Atlantic it ranges from Massachusetts and the northern Gulf of Mexico, through the whole Caribbean, to Brazil; in the eastern Atlantic, from Senegal to Angola. The largest recorded size is about 71 cm and 1.8 kg. It is sold fresh and salted.

fun facts

  • Enters estuaries and brackish water, according to FishBase.
  • It occurs on both sides of the Atlantic: in the west, from Massachusetts to Brazil; in the east, from Senegal to Angola.
  • FishBase cites prey from four fish families, including the lizardfish (Synodontidae).
how to recognize it

identification

Elongated, silvery body, pointed head, protruding lower jaw and large teeth; two widely separated dorsal fins (6 spines and 9 soft rays in total) and an anal fin with 2 spines and 8 soft rays. The lateral line has 102 to 119 scales, and the flank has no dark 'V' marks or they are faint. The great barracuda (S. barracuda) is much larger and has oblique bars and black spots on the flanks. Hard to separate from the goirana-pequena (S. picudilla, with 9 rays in the anal fin) without counting scales and rays: check in a guide.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

According to FishBase, in the western Atlantic it ranges from Massachusetts and the northern Gulf of Mexico, through the whole Caribbean, to Brazil; the latitude range (43°N to 37°S) covers all four Brazilian coasts, and ICMBio has a national assessment record. It continues south to Uruguay and Argentina, in shallow, murky waters near river mouths and estuaries. In Latin America, FishBase also lists Mexico, the Caribbean coast of Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and the Caribbean islands. In the eastern Atlantic it ranges from Senegal to Angola.

Habitat: Shallow and generally murky coastal waters over mud bottoms, near river mouths; enters estuaries and brackish water. From 0 to 100 m.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastalshelf
calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of year
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

A species of subtropical waters, fished all year. We found no harvest calendar; the app's weights are estimates.

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Daytime. A sight-hunting predator that hunts in schools near the surface. Editorial estimate; we found no study of its activity rhythm.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the guachanche 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 about 18 °C drives the school away; the species lives between the tropics and the subtropical zones.

atmospheric pressure

Small effect; a cold front with rough seas shuts fishing down for a day or two.

moon

Small effect; large tides move the bait at river mouths.

rain

Tolerates murky, brackish water; heavy rain that brings a lot of fresh water drives the school away.

water level

Not applicable at sea. Near a river mouth, the equivalent is murky water and the freshwater wedge.

noise

Wary of noise in shallow water; approach slowly.

wind

Light chop hides the line; strong wind makes casting hard.

tide

The moving tide carries bait to river mouths and channels; it's the best time.

depth

Shallow, 0 to 100 m; most often near the surface and the shore.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Mid-water castingSurface castingTrollingNatural bait with float
rod
6' to 7', 8 to 15 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel
spinning reel 2500 to 4000
line
braided line 10 to 20 lb
leader
fine steel leader of 20 to 30 lb, 15 to 25 cm, or 40 lb fluorocarbon (the teeth cut ordinary line)
hook
simple hook 1/0 to 3/0 or small treble hooks

lures

  • metal spoons and jigs of 7 to 25 g
  • midwater plugs and poppers 7 to 12 cm
  • silver streamers for fly fishing

natural baits

  • small sardine or anchovy
  • squid strips
  • shrimp

accessories

  • long-nose pliers
  • luvas

tip from an angler

Look for the school in murky water and on a moving tide, near river mouths, and reel in quickly: the goirana strikes what flees.

what the law says

rules for the guachanche 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: Not on the Brazilian national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026). ICMBio published a national assessment profile in 2025; the category was not checked for this profile. We found no specific federal rule for the species.

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 fish

In recreational fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The goirana is not among the species reserved for recreational fishing (marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon, roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the rule) nor among those with their own limit (billfish, sharks, seatrout, tarpon, dorado, roosterfish and baya), and it has no quota of its own. Fish over the limit go back into the water alive, and the recreational fish may not be sold.

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), signed Oct 14, 2013, items 0.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5 and 4.11 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Colombia: AUNAP license and catch-and-release in sport fishing

Individual AUNAP license; catch-and-release guidanceconfirm with the agency

AUNAP Resolution 0549 of 2022 sets the guidelines for recreational sport fishing in Colombia. Anglers need a permit: for an individual, Colombian or foreign, it is a personal, non-transferable card. The rule makes "catch and release" the guidance and admits keeping only part of the catch for personal consumption, respecting the minimum sizes it sets. We did not confirm the daily limit or the minimum sizes by species: check with AUNAP before keeping fish.

Source: Resolución AUNAP 0549 of 2022 (fishing management guidelines for sport fishing for recreational purposes), arts. 6 and 8; Official Gazette of Mar 25, 2022

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.

Hold it with a damp cloth and remove the hook with long-nose pliers, away from the teeth. A fragile fish that loses scales: don't linger for the photo.

in the kitchen

FishBase records it as sold fresh and salted, and rates the risk to people as harmless. There is no reliable culinary information about the species.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00794, b = 2.96; 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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Sphyraena guachancho (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on 13/10/2026. FishBase's maximum-length field gives 200 cm, but the biology text in the same entry gives 71 cm as the largest recorded size, which matches the maximum weight of 1.8 kg (the length-weight relationship would give about 50 kg for 200 cm); we use 71 cm.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sphyraena guachanchoNames by country and language. Barracuda, corama, goirana and gorana appear in the Portuguese list.
  3. 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)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
  4. scientific IUCN Red List: Sphyraena guachancho (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 29/01/2013)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase profile (Red List, version 2025-2).
  5. official ICMBio/SALVE: Ficha de Sphyraena guachancho (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2025. DOI checked in Crossref on Oct 13, 2026; the assigned category was not checked for this profile.
  6. scientific Pinto, M. F.; Mourão, J. S.; Alves, R. R. N. (2015). Use of ichthyofauna by artisanal fishermen at two protected areas along the coast of Northeast Brazil. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11: 20Popular names cited by artisanal fishers in Tamandaré (PE): 'goiva', 'gorana', 'bicuda' and 'barracuda'; and from Batoque (CE): 'coroma', 'bicuda' and 'barracuda'. The table lists the same names for this species and for the great barracuda. Tables 1 and 2 checked on 13/10/2026.
  7. 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.Reference identification guide for the species' families in the western Atlantic. Index checked Oct 13, 2026.
  8. official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do MéxicoText signed Oct 14, 2013. Species reservation for sport fishing (item 0.3), daily quotas at sea (4.9.1), catch and release of the surplus (4.9.5) and a ban on selling the fish (4.11). Text checked Oct 13, 2026; the DOF publication date does not appear in the text consulted. The daily limit was confirmed only for Mexico; for other countries we did not confirm species-specific rules.
  9. official AUNAP (Colômbia): Resolução 0549 de 2022, lineamientos de ordenación pesquera para la pesca deportiva con fines recreativosWe checked, in a partial transcription of the text, what the rule says about the personal license (art. 6) and about "catch and release" as the premise, with retention for personal consumption only within minimum sizes (art. 8). We could not read the articles on the daily quota and minimum sizes, so those figures are left out.
don't confuse

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time of yearbest: Nov–Mar
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Small, slender barracuda, up to 61 cm, that forms schools near the surface in coastal waters and over reefs. It strikes small, bright baits and has sharp teeth: use fine steel leader.

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time of yearbest: Apr–Oct