Damn Good Barracuda Fishing Charters

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Top Cities for Barracuda Fishing

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Barracuda Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Nearshore Fishing in Palmetto

4-8 Hour Nearshore Trip

NEW Managed by Matt
26 ft 1 - 6 People From $625
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Nearshore Fishing in Destin

Destin Bottom Fishing And Trolling!

100% (15) Guided by Alex
25 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,000
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore, Jetty in Miami

Miami Sport Fishing 🎣

100% (6) Guided by Alek
29 ft 1 - 12 People From $750
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Fort Lauderdale

Full Day Trip - 37’ SeaVee

100% (2) Guided by Preston
37 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,650
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Boat Cruise in Fajardo

4 Hr - Private Fishing Trip

NEW Guided by Shesla
37 ft 1 - 12 People From $850
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing in Fort Myers

Fort Myers Inshore Angling

89% (9) Guided by Charlie
20 ft 1 - 5 People From $550
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Everything to Know About Booking a barracuda fishing charter

What are the best barracuda fishing charters?

The best barracuda fishing charters are:

What is a Barracuda?

The barracuda is one of the more recognizable fish out there and one of those fish that immediately brings a sparkle to a kid’s eye. They are known as one of the gnarliest most fearsome looking predator fish out there and their general attitude and demeanor only serve to reinforce these opinions.

A barracuda is a predatory, saltwater fish with ray fins, a pointed snout, and huge fangs usually sticking out of their underbite. While their long, tubular body can sometimes be confused with a mackerel or wahoo, a barracuda has much larger teeth, a different tail, ray fins (fins that are webbed held together by bony spikes), and if you look closely much larger scales. Barracuda are also known to exude a unique slime from their bodies that supposedly helps them glide through the water, but in reality just mucks up your boat.

There are a number of species of barracuda but the two main types of barracuda you will find in the US depend on where you’re fishing. The Pacific barracuda is the smaller of the two and as the name suggests will be caught frequently in Southern California or Baja. The great barracuda is the larger, meaner cousin of the two and is found on the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, and is a big ambush hunter. These Atlantic barracuda can actually be dangerous sometimes, as they will mistake any movement or shiny objects for prey and lunge at them teeth-first at 35 mph.

How big do Barracuda get?

Different barracuda species can vary greatly in size, but they have the potential to become quite large. The great barracuda can range up to 65 inches long and up to 100 pounds in extreme cases. Pacific barracuda meanwhile grow to a more reasonable 3 feet and 10 pounds. Males and females are generally around the same size and not easily distinguishable. Great barracuda can live up to 14 years in the wild, and because of their size and speed do not have many predators.

What's the biggest Barracuda ever caught?

The largest barracuda caught on record is a massive 102 pound and 4 ounce fish caught in Barra du Kwanza in Angola by Thomas Gibson. The fish was a Guinean barracuda. The current all-tackle record great barracuda is 87 pounds 3 oz, and the pacific barracuda record is 9 lb 8 oz.

Where is the best place to catch Barracuda?


Barracudas are primarily a pure saltwater fish, although they have been known to swim in brackish waters from time to time (including the great barracuda especially as juvenile fish). It is a warm-water and tropical fish found in oceans worldwide, although depending on the location you may catch one or another of a number of barracuda species.

Barracuda typically reside near the surface of the water near reefs or sea grasses, although they can be found in the open ocean as well. If you are working some other fish and there are barracuda nearby, they will often become the scourge of your day and trying to steal your catch.

Great barracuda can be found anywhere from Massachusetts to Brazil and everywhere in between. Pacific barracuda are most common off Southern California and Baja California. 


When should I catch Barracuda?

Spring and summer are best for catching pacific barracuda, although they can be caught year-round as the season is always open. There is a 28 inch minimum in the US and a bag limit of 10. Great barracuda can be fished year-round as well and their season is generally best from September to October. South Florida will have the biggest fish around, and there is no size limit although there are bag limits depending on where you are.

How do I catch Barracuda?

Great barracuda are generally solitary hunters while pacific barracuda are known to school. This means that obviously your strategy will vary quite a bit, but generally you just need to keep in mind their sharp teeth and willingness to feed throughout the water column and to jump on feeding opportunities quickly.

Pacific barracuda can be found in massive schools an acre large chasing bait as a group. Once you get on them, it’s hard not to get a bite. You can fish surface jigs or throw anchovies or sardines; generally you wouldn’t throw anything plastic because it will get torn up form their teeth. When they are feeding, they won’t be picky.

Great barracuda require a slightly heavier tackle just based on the size difference of the fish, but they don’t really take much specialized tackle other than a wire leader - similar to pacific barracuda they will eat most things presented to them. They will usually come explore anything that comes in their territory so they will often find you. The best thing is generally a shiny lure retrieved somewhat erratically. Great barracuda prefer a faster retrieve than pacific.

Are Barracuda good to eat? What are the best Barracuda recipes?

Barracuda are not known as a species that is great to eat and they are caught for sport rather than dinner in many parts of the world. If you do plan to eat them, its advised to eat smaller fish and to eat them fairly fresh, as barracuda are known to sometimes have ciguatera.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    Capt Justin knows what he's doing. If you're in the Keys and looking to catch fish and have a great experience, call him!

    Dale S. | November 27, 2025

    Trip: Key West Fishing Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing time! Captain was friendly and very helpful. The captain recommended that we take our catch to Mac’s Place bar just steps from the marina and have it prepared. The staff and preparation were both amazing!! We will return to do it all again! Thanks Antonio!!

    Todd R. | November 5, 2025

    Trip: Key West Inshore, Nearshore, Jetty

  • ★★★★★
    This Charter was a BLAST! I booked this 8 hour charter for my husband’s birthday. His biggest dream since a little kid was to go out deep-sea fishing for big game fish specifically a king mackerel! Well they sure make my husband’s dream come true!!! We both caught our limit on what your allowed to take home (and more which we had to throw back) of that’s right…yep you guessed it….HE CAUGHT KING MACKEREL!!!! From our first step on the boat the captain and his deckhand made us feel so comfortable, like you’re just hanging out fishing with a couple of friends! They answered all my questions which trust me was a lot! They are both so friendly, down to earth, very hardworking and just a lot of fun! From start to finish the captain always made sure we were in the best spot to catch fish and the deckhand made sure we didn’t have to take care of anything except for having a great time. We had a blast with him the entire 8 hours! He took care of everything. He made sure all the poles stayed in the water and was right there bringing the fish on board when we got them to the boat and he even cleaned, cut and bagged them all up when we got to the dock. He didn’t sit down not one time! We would recommend these 2 guys to anybody who is looking for a deep-sea charter trip!!! They are the best and I promise you won’t be disappointed!!! If you want to catch big game fish and have the experience of a lifetime then these 2 are the charter to call! Thanks for making my husbands birthday unforgettable and the best birthday ever,! We will be repeat customers!

    Krystal H. | October 24, 2025

    Trip: 9 Hour Trip - Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time! Captain smith dodged storms and put us on the fish.

    Brandt B. | September 29, 2025

    Trip: Gulfport Combo Classic

  • ★★★★★
    It was a blast. Dan captained and Cross was the mate. They were really were amazing. And thanks so much for the help!

    Olin H. | August 30, 2025

    Trip: 9 Hour Trip - Offshore

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