Barracouta

(Leionura Atun)

Common Names

The Barracouta is often referred to as Couta, Pickhandle, Axehandle and Hammer-Handle. In some areas of South Africa they call it "Snoek". A lot of people think that the old Barracouta is Barracuda this is far from the truth; they have very little in common except for the teeth and the body shape.

Description

The Barracouta description is: it is a nice slim fish with needle sharp teeth, it is usally dark steely-blue colour or a dark green along the top of the back. It's body is a nice and shiny silver colour, and on the top dorsal fin, it has a run of black on it.

Size

They grow between 50cm and 140cm, they do not weight much. It is known that a Barracouta caught the size of 150cm rarely weighs more than 4-5 kilos. A Barracouta that measures under a metre can usually weighs around 0.8-1.5 kilos.

Habitat

The Barracouta is a cold water fish and it can be found around Victoria, parts of South Australia, southern Western Australia and also Tasmania. It is quite often caught in New Zealand and South Africa. Schools of Barracouta migrate north during winter and spring, sometimes reaching the north coast of New South Wales. They also love nice clean water.

Feeding

The Barracouta is a schooling fish and hunts hard and voraciously. They love to hunt small bait fish,and also larger fish like Garfish; they also hunt Squid. Lots of people think they are a surface feeding fish, but they use the whole of the water from top to bottom. I have often taken them from off the sea bed.

Fishing Techniques

Well all you need is a nice strong chrome lure. I don't like using timber ones myself because their teeth make short work out of them. Or you can use strips of fish flesh on gang hooks or nice small live garfish - they love them. There is one problem when you use live fish, the Barracouta have a habit of grabbing the fish sideways in their mouth and running with it. I have lost a few because of it. They say you should always use a wire trace but I don't like using them myself.

Fishing Tackle

Recommended hook size: 2/0-7/0 Make sure they are strong hooks. Rod and Reel: I use a Shimano Biomaster 4010 and a BWS 1101 Uglystick. Fishing line: 3-15 kilos I always use Maxima fishing line. Lures: Nice shiny spoons or even brass colour ones, trolling feathers, minnows, jigs and also plastic squids lures. Best bait: Pilchards, fish strips,and garfish on gang hooks. But you can not go past live Garfish they love them; also they will take squid and prawns.

Eating

Well I don't think much of them myself. I mainly catch them for snapper bait. But if you want to eat them the best way is to smoke them; they cook up firm and white, and after cooking them their bones are easily removed. However, the Barracouta can be infested with worms, but when you cook them it kills them. Never eat them raw or you might be paying a vist to your doctor.