18 replies to this topic

[clayton86]

what are good technique for cuda's i keep hearing there are a lot of them here in Kuwait and me and another fellow fishing buff in my platoon have a bet going we threw 25 bucks each in a jar and end of deployment biggest fish takes it. there's been a lot of smack talk but i have a secret weapon that's this site. i have some lures mostly stick type baits I'm going to buy some more stuff once i get a feel for what i need and the water depth here. any help or tips would be helpful.

[Marty]

Don't lip-grip 'em!!

[tomustang]

but i have a secret weapon that's this site.

More like sirsnookalot

[clayton86]

yeah iv been waiting for his input he'll know for sure

[SirSnookalot]

yeah iv been waiting for his input he'll know for sure

I don't know how big they run where you are at, in Florida torpedos are quite common 35-50". They are one tuff hombre, imo anything but a junkfish. They fight real hard, can make long runs, acrobatic, maybe the most elusive fish I have ever fished for. By that I mean using artis as opposed to live or cut bait, which is much easier. I have had times where I've casted for several weeks and not even seen one, then they will follow your lure and at the last moment just veer away, or may take a swipe at it and miss the hook, when they do strike it's a torpedo at 30mph that will grab the rod from you if you aren't holding on. The hook up ratio is low. I mainly use 14# mono on 25'lb class spinning rod, 4000 reel.

Now this is how you catch them, and be patient, you will not catch 50 in an outing......lol. The smaller ones will hit jigs, spoons, topwater, most any kind of lure, don't use plastics. The bigger ones are the elusive fish to catch, and without a doubt nothing beats a barracuda tube.
. .
I would not use anything smaller than 3/0 treble and on my tubes I use 12/0 limerick hook. A limerick hook has a bend in it and that's what makes it spin, although a non spinnning tube is effective too. I just made up a 1oz diamond jig with 7# surgical tube trailer, I have high hopes for this set up. It's about tide and water conditions. Cudas like flat, calm, clear warm water and the last 30 minutes of incoming tide is best, not that can't be caught other times but it's way harder. At the end of the tide they start coming around like a wolfpack, where there is one, there are more. You can always free line a bait fish, which is the easiest way. I can't emphasis this more, calm clear water......I don't fish them unless I have these conditions.

I'd be remiss if didn't mention ciguatera, reef disease. Yes, it's a fact but the fish does not manufacture, it comes from the reef and works it's way up the chain of fish. The smaller cuda are less prone to have it, but I've yet to see anyone turn down a 40" cuda for the dinner table. You could just as easy get the disease from a snapper. Once you get past the smell and clean the slime off this fish you won't find too many fish that taste better, flakey white meat without a gamey taste. Why it isn't considered a game fish is a mystery to anyone that fishes for them. Elusive, hard fighting, great tasting.......it's as sporty a fish as there is.

[clayton86]

thanks snook!

i talked to one of the Lt.s thats ripping out with us and he said the best way he found was to get a rig with like 6 jigs on it drop it down the side of the pier catch the smaller baby ones that come in for the warmer water then put em on a hook and zing em out there for bait and hold on. he said they catch alot of Queens fish and the biggest cuda he caught was about 30" but hes seen bigger cruising around. he said once the hot 100+ weather days get here he said the fishing picks up and is non stop action. he said they ate the queens fish but never the cuda but the kuwaites would take em in a heart beat. he mentioned something bout not eating the big ones though he didnt know why but he was warned not to.

im exited as hell to get out there my poles and reels arnt anything special dont know the line either its cheap i know that much i may buy some new stuff from the haji shop everythings in arabic and the reels and rods are all in chinese so its a guess what im buying but theres one that looks like a abu cardnal im gonna haggle with him and get the price down and buy it i think. they have hooks and stuff but also all chinese labels so i have no clue what im buying i may just have the wife mail my pike box and catfish box out i have some heavy circle hooks in my cat gear.

[SirSnookalot]

The rig with 6 things like jigs is probably a sabiki rig. Nothing catches live bait like a sabiki, the hooks are tipped with dried shrimp and if there is bait around it works in an instant. I don't know what a queen fish is, I googled it and they look awesome, I'm only familiar with queen trigger fish which are totally different. The 20-30" cuda are prime eating size. I'm sure you catch some on live bait, if so I'd use about 30# wire, you will get a cut offs with a mono leader and a circle hook which have short shanks.

[clayton86]

yeah i planned on using a leader no mater what. and the rig was that sabiki rig u mention. i was on BPS looking at cuda tubes and some of that fake cut bait i think i may order some soon idk if u can get bait here other then catching my own. the thing im concerned about is the one pier is about 10' above the water the other one is like 20-30ft above the water where they dock all there ships. im hoping to get out soon and try my hand at it were not allowed to take pics either but im gonna be sneaky bout it and probably order the sunglasses with a video camera in it the local guards wont know what it is just a pair of glasses. how do u retrieve the cuda tube just reel it in or jerk, drag, hop?

[SirSnookalot]

Just a steady retrieve moderate to fast, you can't reel faster than can swim. The tubes from BPS are probably Striker tubes that do not spin, that's ok they work just as good, a moderate retrieve with a twtich every now and then, really not that important. The tube will be pretty much on top of the water, cudas will come out of nowhere to hit them., it's a pretty awesome strike.

[clayton86]

sweet i cant wait i see a credit card getting maxed out in my near future haha ill just ship the stuff home and give my wife an excuse to go on a fishing vacation to the keys with my buddy who goes a couple times a year haha.

[Bassn Blvd]

SirSnook is right on point. I can't think of anything to add, other than backing up what he said. IMO, the cuda tube is by far the best artificial cuda bait. They are very easy to make and are extremely effective.
Sabiki rigs are great for cathing bait but you can save money by just using little gold hooks. Tie 6 small gold hooks to your line and a 1/2 sinker on the bottom- it the same thime thing as the sabiki rig but without the little feather and cost.
By the way, the rig will remind you of the drop shot rig, hahaha.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Can't beat an old cuda tube. There really isn't much more to add to Snook and Bassn's posts.


Either learn how to handle them through the gills, or invest in a Boga. You don't want to get bit by one. It's nasty, I know.

[LgMouthGambler]

all the old jewelery that your wife doesnt want anymore, just wrap them around a hook and toss it in the ocean. LOL

[SirSnookalot]

all the old jewelery that your wife doesnt want anymore, just wrap them around a hook and toss it in the ocean. LOL

That's no joke, people do get bit by barracuda when wading in at the beach, especially those ankle bracelets. There was an incident in Ft Lauderdale where a cuda jumped into a boat and attacked a woman, thought her jewelry was the enticement.
Catching one of these bad boys is one of the best rushes I can get fishing. I fish with a number of guys all about my age, from Long Island and New Jersey, all former striper fisheman, the only thing these guys fish for now is cuda, they target nothing else. I was hooked from my first big cuda on a tube.

[clayton86]

hows it compare to like northern pike? thats what im used to