›

Anyone else run into these locally?

ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
edited October 6 in Big Bend General Fishing & The Outdoors #1
In the southernmost parts of the big bend, CR/Sassa more precisely. I'd been seeing a few inshore but yesterday was the first time I caught two of the little cudas. The warmer water is slowly bringing some interesting changes to the area.

· Share on TwitterShare on Facebook

Replies

  • ANUMBER1ANUMBER1 Posts: 10,527 AG
    #2
    Caught them back in the 1970s.
    Smoe whoppers at the artificial reef at times 
    I am glad to only be a bird hunter with bird dogs...being a shooter or dog handler or whatever other niche exists to separate appears to generate far too much about which to worry.
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • Salty Dawg44Salty Dawg44 Homosassa, FLPosts: 1,057 Officer
    #3
    I've gotten grown ones trolling around a few wrecks. Fun on light tackle.


    MY WORST FEAR......THAT WHEN I DIE MY WIFE WILL SELL ALL MY BOATS & FISHING GEAR FOR WHAT I TOLD HER I PAID FOR IT.......

    I may not always agree with what you say,
    but I will always respect your right to be wrong!
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • SaltygatorvetSaltygatorvet TallahasseePosts: 3,997 Captain
    #4
    We thought we saw one in a creekmouth in the st marks wildlife refuge last week ( extreme northern big bens). Almost positive that’s what it was
    You should have been here yesterday
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
    #5
    And offshore they stretch quite a ways up both coasts, particularly east, but inshore cudas have been kinda like those Ponce Inlet bonefish.
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • Doc StressorDoc Stressor Homosassa, FLPosts: 2,510 Captain
    #6
    Most of the small ones you get inshore are sennets rather than juvenile greater barracuda.  They have a larger eye, a yellowish tinge, and a tighter banding pattern like the one you are holding.

    Sennets have always been around.  There are lots of big greater barracuda on the wrecks around here during the summer.  I've never seen a small greater barracuda in the northern Gulf.  They are all mature fish. 
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
    edited October 6 #7
    Salty Dawg44 said:
    Fun on light tackle.
    Agree wholeheartedly! Cut my teeth (pun intended) on 15-25 lbers inshore Biscayne Bay growing up and they taught me to fish 2 and 4lb mono back in the day.

    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • Salty Dawg44Salty Dawg44 Homosassa, FLPosts: 1,057 Officer
    #8
    Elapid said:
    Salty Dawg44 said:
    Fun on light tackle.
    Agree wholeheartedly! Cut my teeth (pun intended) on 15-25 lbs inshore Biscayne Bay growing up and they taught me to 

    A fun fish to get on what most would consider a trout rod with a big plug. 


    MY WORST FEAR......THAT WHEN I DIE MY WIFE WILL SELL ALL MY BOATS & FISHING GEAR FOR WHAT I TOLD HER I PAID FOR IT.......

    I may not always agree with what you say,
    but I will always respect your right to be wrong!
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
    #9
    Doc Stressor said:
    Most of the small ones you get inshore are sennets rather than juvenile greater barracuda.  They have a larger eye, a yellowish tinge, and a tighter banding pattern like the one you are holding.

    Sennets have always been around.  There are lots of big greater barracuda on the wrecks around here during the summer.  I've never seen a small greater barracuda in the northern Gulf.  They are all mature fish. 

    Thanks for the insight Doc but I have to differ with you in the absence of more detailed taxonomy. Having literally caught more than a few hundred of these, and I did catch another that day, these aren't sennets. They're cudas.

    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • PicmanPicman Posts: 251 Deckhand
    #10
    A few hundred? Well then I guess you musta caught them before”The warmer weather started slowly bringing all those interesting changes” You work for cnn or something?
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
    #11
    Picman said:
    A few hundred? Well then I guess you musta caught them before”The warmer weather started slowly bringing all those interesting changes” You work for cnn or something?
    Down in S FL and the islands... best grouper bait you can put on a hook in Bahamas


    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • capt louiecapt louie citrus countyPosts: 10,047 Moderator
    #12
    Always looked around the flats and with all the bait wondered why they haven't been here ?
    "You'll get your weather"
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • tankardtankard Posts: 7,031 Admiral
    #13

    Yes.

    And like said above, never seen a small one, just monsters.

    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • AC ManAC Man Posts: 5,279 Admiral
    #14
    There is a place we netted bait in The Keys. Cudas were thick. We would cast light tackle plugs for about a half hour before we moved offshore. Great fun. Literally hooked up on every cast.

    However once off shore throwing live bait or trolling they were a pain in the a$$
    Vacation Beach House For Rent http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/81923.html

    Slide Show http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/show/
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • Turner River TerrorTurner River Terror Posts: 6,876 Admiral
    #15
    Ran a 65 Hatteras back from the Bahamas one weekend and spent the night chumming  anchored up on the Towers between Marco and Key West.
    Caught a bunch of Half Groupers and Half Snapper all night...
    Killin and Grillin :grin
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • thebigone556thebigone556 the seaPosts: 63 Greenhorn
    #16
    There are pleny of big cuda in canals in the area during the winter, they will rip a mullet in half.
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ElapidElapid Posts: 68 Greenhorn
    #17
    thebigone556 said:
    There are pleny of big cuda in canals in the area during the winter, they will rip a mullet in half.
    Up this way? North of Bayport/Chaz? 
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • ANUMBER1ANUMBER1 Posts: 10,527 AG
    #18
    Elapid said:
    thebigone556 said:
    There are pleny of big cuda in canals in the area during the winter, they will rip a mullet in half.
    Up this way? North of Bayport/Chaz? 
    no..

    I am glad to only be a bird hunter with bird dogs...being a shooter or dog handler or whatever other niche exists to separate appears to generate far too much about which to worry.
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • pottydocpottydoc The thriving metropolis of Umatilla Posts: 3,486 Captain
    #19
    Elapid said:
    Doc Stressor said:
    Most of the small ones you get inshore are sennets rather than juvenile greater barracuda.  They have a larger eye, a yellowish tinge, and a tighter banding pattern like the one you are holding.

    Sennets have always been around.  There are lots of big greater barracuda on the wrecks around here during the summer.  I've never seen a small greater barracuda in the northern Gulf.  They are all mature fish. 

    Thanks for the insight Doc but I have to differ with you in the absence of more detailed taxonomy. Having literally caught more than a few hundred of these, and I did catch another that day, these aren't sennets. They're cudas.

    Having caught more than a few myself, I have to agree with Doc. No doubt it’s a sennet. 
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Sign In or Register to comment.