What's 3 Feet Long with Lots of Sharp Teeth?

The waters surrounding Palos Verdes were alive Tuesday afternoon.

After windy, rough weather slowed fishing down on Monday, the bite roared back on Tuesday. Giant, voracious schools of barracuda were biting just a few miles from the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

“Oh thank goodness," ecstatic private boater Jeff Jones said. "Barracuda will get the guys all excited. People love to catch something three feet long with lots of teeth.”

Barracuda are thought to migrate from Baja California into local waters every spring. The arrival of the barracuda signals an oceanic renaissance. Cold water is replaced by warmer water, and hard fighting gamefish move into Southern California waters as the sea is reborn.

The Redondo Special reported 90 barracuda for 13 anglers on their Tuesday morning run.

“This is like the old days,” Capt. Eric Hobday said. “Big barracuda, and lots of them.”

Barracuda are sleek, hard-fighting aggressive hunters with a mouth full of sharp fanglike teeth. They launch relentless attacks on bait fish with sudden bursts of speed, snapping prey into pieces with their powerful jaws.

Not only did freedivers continue to spear more white sea bass today, but anglers are finally starting to catch some too. David Choate, of Torrance, saw private boaters catch a yellowtail and a white sea bass recently near Rocky Point.

“Both fish were easily over 25 pounds,” Choate said.

The sportfisher Tradition called in with more than 150 barracuda and was still catching more fish Tuesday afternoon.

“There is a lot of fish here,” skipper Steven Konrady said. “I can see fish jumping out of the water and chasing bait for miles.”

Catching barracuda

Most two-year-old California barracuda are sexually mature. The females might produce 50,000 eggs. Older females can produce 200,000-400,000 eggs. Large barracuda in the 10-pound range are likely female. Females have charcoal black edges on the pelvic and anal fins, whereas the male fins are edged in yellow or olive.

One of the best ways to take barracuda is by fishing with lures or in the vernacular, fishing “the iron.” Single hook lures seem to swim better and get more bites. More important however, it is much easier to release a short barracuda (barracuda must be 28 inches in length to be legal) with a single hooked lure. Barracuda are fragile creatures and should be treated with gentility. Short fish should be returned to the water as quickly as possible.

One great technique for catching barracuda on the iron is to make a long cast and allow the lure to sink to a 10-count. A small light jig will swim best when retrieved at a medium pace. To set the hook, never rear back on the rod. Even though your primal instinct will tell you to rear back on the rod, you must resist. Doing so results in far less hook-ups. You set the hook by continuing to turn the handle of your reel. Do that until the fish pulls line against your drag and then you have it hooked.

Cooking barracuda

They are also good eating if treated with the reverence and respect that any creature you pluck from the sea deserves. Keep you catch cool and moist and have it cleaned as soon as possible.

Fresh barracuda steaks on the barbeque are delicious. A marinade of your favorite white wine, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano and fresh lime juice adds to the culinary experience. Please remember to never overcook your catch.

Where to fish next?

Palos Verdes anglers can not only get in on some great barracuda fishing but they can learn from the pros this Friday. The Tradition is running a special Friday the 13 three-quarter-day seminar/fishing trip out of Redondo Sportfishing. Five experts will be on had to help you learn more about fishing barracuda with hands on demonstrations.

Ed White, of Torrance, will be on hand for novice anglers so if you are a beginner or you want to perfect your sportfishing game, this is the trip for you.

Capt. Larry Moore has decades of fishing experience and will be onboard with the rest of his great staff. Even if you are a seasoned angler, Moore and his staff will have a lot of great tips for you. Free raffle prizes are also part of this great day. The seminar/trip departs at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m. and is only $55. Call 818-855-9501, or e mail capt_larry@hotmail.com to get on this trip.

Calm seas and sunny, warm days are in the forecast this week, which should make good fishing a shoe-in for Palos Verdes anglers.