Family: Barracudas&milkfish

The milkfish, the only representative of its family, is a very old herbivore species, whose ancestors date from the Cretaceous. Morphologically, it looks like a mix between a giant roach and a tarpon. It is found in lagoons but also in open water upstream of the reefs. It is easily recognized by its round body, its silver color and its large forked tail. Its eye is overed by a transparent dome. It eats mainly planction and jellyfish.

It can be found all year round, usually in schools.

In Indonesia, its encounter is frequent.

As with the rainbows runner, the school can be spotted during mackerel drifts, or when surfacing at the end of the drift – often the best opportunity to shoot. When the schools explodes, the noise is impressive. The milkfish is a wary fish that can be approached rarely. Even in this case, it usually has to be shot from high distance which requires a long-range and accurate speargun. The milkfish is an exceptional fighter. A 10 kg milkfih can drag you an a long distance.

In spite of an acceptable flesh and a respectable size, the milkfish has many bones which makes its consumption little appreciated. This is not a catch to recommend.

The giant herring, cousin of the famous tarpon and bonefish, likes the sandy bottoms near the reefs. It is easily recognized by its very elongated and narrow body, its forked tail, its yellowish head and its very split jaw.

It can be found all year round, in pairs and sometimes in large schools.

In Indonesia its encounter is infrequent but regular.

The giant herring is a rather skittish fish except when it is reassured by the presence of the school. Even in this case, it usually has to be shot from high distance which requires a long-range and accurate speargun. After the shot, it creates no particular difficulty.

Like the milkfish, and despite an acceptable taste, the giant herring has many bones which makes its consumption unpleasant. This is not a recommended catch.

The greater barracuda is a circumtropical semi-pelagic fish enjoying warm waters. It can be found anywhere, on the reef, in the blue and even more frequently, on wrecks or FADs. Larger specimens are generally more pelagic than juveniles.

The greater barracuda can be seen all year-round, any time, including mid-day. Of all the varieties it is the most plump, recognizable especially by its huge mouth and the black spots on the silver dress.

The greater barracuda is generally hunted by directly diving on it or midwater agachon. It is sometimes necessary to insist with several dives / drifts to make it change its mind and approach.

In Indonesia they are very fished and are generally more wary than elsewhere.

A general advice for barracudas: Always shoot them from ¾ behind and ideally jump on the boat to land a big specimen or a poorly shot one. It is a very fast fish with a formidable dentition capable of inflicting wounds even more serious that you will be in an isolated place, and even if they weigh only 6-7kg. At more than 15kg one must be very handled very carefully.

The barracuda can be hunted either with a floatline or with a reel, even for the big ones, because it is less vigorous than the tengiri or the wahoo. The slip tip is a plus because of the speed of the rush but in this case be careful of fish coming back for you.

A positive point is that due to the absence of ciguatera in Indonesia, one can shoot and consume the barracuda without hindsight. A catch therefore valid but potentially dangerous.

The pickhandle barracuda is a coastal predator that likes warm waters. It can be found anywhere, on or in the vicinity of the reef. It is less pelagic than the greater barracuda.

It can be encountered all year round, at any hour, including mid-day. Of all the varieties of Indonesia it is the thinnest, recognizable by its yellow caudal and a dozen forked vertical bars, while s. quenie and s.barracuda have about twenty.

It is often in schools of many individuals, motionless and staggered, like mikados, near the reef.

Occasionally one can also find it motionless and camouflaging on the bottom, intensely marbled to go unnoticed.

This barracuda is generally hunted by directly diving onto it or through mid-water agachon.

Because of its generally modest size it is easier to land and less dangerous than the greater barracuda.

A positive point is that because of the absence of ciguatera in Indonesia, one can consume it without back thoughts. A valid catch.

The bigeye barracuda is a very gregarious coastal predator. It is one of four species of small barracudas that can be occasionally encountered in Indonesian waters:

S. forsteri, occasional on the reefs, reaches a size sufficient to interest the spearo, especially if one manages to shoot several individuals in one shot which is possible considering how tight to each other are the schooling fish. It is very recognizable once captured by its rear dorsal fin, orange with a white tip.

S. obtusata / flavicauda, ​​striped / yellow-tailed barracuda are very difficult to differentiate from each other; They are the smallest, have yellow tail and sometimes the back too, and display many horizontal brown or golden stripes all along the body. They are too small to be worried.

S. helleri, heller’s barracuda, theoretically the largest of the four although I have not seen any larger than 600 / 700g each. It differs from the two former by the absence of yellow color and the presence of blue bands on the back, and from S. forsteri by its rear dorsal fin of uniform color.

Despite its modest size rarely exceeding a kilo, the big-eye barracuda is a playful catch because the target is difficult and it can liven up a slightly sluggish spearfishing day.

This barracuda is generally captured by bomb diving or stalking in mid-water.

Because of its generally modest size and despite pretty sharp teeth, it presents little danger.

Its meat is perfectly acceptable.

The blackfin barracuda is a coastal predator that likes warm waters. It can be found anywhere, on or in the vicinity of the reef. It is much less pelagic than the great barracuda.

It can be seen all year round, but most frequently during the hot months December to April, at any hour, including mid-day. It is recognized by its regular chevrons and its dark fins with a black margin, the caudal being indented. Its size is intermediate between the pickhandle and greater barracuda, but rarely exceeds 10kg. It is distinguished from the great barracuda by its bigger eye and the absence of spots/blotches on its flanks.

It is often a schooling fish.

This barracuda is generally hunted by directly diving onto it or through mid-water agachon.

Because of its average size, its defense does not require a float but one must still pay attention to large individuals whose dentition is dangerous.

A positive point is that because of the absence of cigüatera in Indonesia, one can consume it without backs thoughts. A valid catch.