With winds blowing a steady 15 knots out of the south west and a standing 3 to 4 foot sea it was a little snotty for mid-May but was shaping up to be a good day offshore. By 8:15 a.m. we already had 4 gaffer size Dolphin in the box and the cobalt blue ocean promised more as it teamed with flying fish. I was at the helm when I heard the center rigger pop and as I spun around Andy said, “Tim your up, I got the wheel.” I snatched the doubled over 50-pound outfit out of the leaning post and set the hook. This was out way back line with a daisy chain of blue and white sea witches followed by a larger blue and white Lehi Bait. Having just crossed the 180-foot ledge at the South West Banks visions of a monster Wahoo danced in my head. The fish made a strong initial run and then turned for the boat. I reeled frantically as Andy gassed the boat in attempt to take up the slack. The line drew tight and I breathed a sigh of relief, as we had avoided a dropped hook. As I studied the water behind the boat my heart began to sink, the fish was silver a good sign for a hoo; however, it was up on it side skipping across the white caps. My visions of a monster Wahoo quickly drew to a close as the nasty, stinking, pesky, Barracuda came to the boat. I was dismayed, sure I have caught my fair share of Barracuda offshore, and as a matter of fact some of my friends have even given me the insulting name Cuda King, but it was mid-May, the water temperature was still in the lower 70s, what was it going to be like when the water really heated up.
I will be the first to say Barracuda are a real nuisance when trolling offshore; however, in the middle of the summer, when action is slow at the near shore reefs Cuda can offer hours of entertainment and have saved the day for me several times. Even though Cuda rank at the bottom of most folks table fare list, if you mix lightning speed with aerial acrobatics and light tackle you have what most sport fisherman are really looking for.
Barracuda are abundant in the coastal and offshore w