Baracuda as table fare?

[Reedy J]

I've heard of some folks catching/spearing barracuda and then eating them. I 've also seen it server in restaurants on a couple of travel shows.
Anyone had an personal experience? Do they taste like they smell? Do you only eat the little ones?

Most of the time I do everything I can not to catch them. However, the few times that I have hooked one, it smelled like my trashcan a couple days after a productive fishing trip. Even if someone replies and says that Baracuda taste like a cross between Grouper and Hog fish, I still may not eat it because I will not be able to get past the smell while cleaning them.

BQ,
I noticed you have a GIANT Barracuda as your avatar. An info would help. http://www.ecreef.org/reeftalk/showthread.php?t=1232

Thanks,
Reedy

[Captain Rog']

Barracuda are generally considered safe to eat this far north. In the tropics they are known to carry cicutara poison. I haven't eaten one yet, can't get past the smell. If you get brave enough to try one let us know how it tastes.

[Candy]

Ask ECRA's resident Chef - Subdude. If anybody can cook em, it's him!

[subdude]

Thakns for the kind words Candy but I am a hack cook, long way to go to chefdom and I am not interested in pretty food in small protions for hundreds of dollars.

Anyway, I understand the cuda up here are safe from ciguatera due to not eating the reef fish they do down south. I still have only eaten the small ones. That could be because I never had the cahones to shoot a big one.

They smoke up mighty fine for fish dip and fry up pretty good too. They aren't as oily as a mackeral but a bit more firm like an AJ. Back a few years ago I couldn't kill anything bigger than a mingo for love nor money. I took to shooting cuda and they are pretty good, I put 'em in the AJ category, maybe a liitle less, as far as eating fare. Now that the jacks and groupers are back, I don't fuss with 'em

They damn sure stink and have little black parasites on the outside.

Your mileage may vary.

subdude

[Sea-r-cy]

Anyone wanting to cook and eat one, let me know. I'll save one for you.
We let a nice 20+ pounder loose today.
Sea-r-cy

[Reedy J]

Thanks for the info. I might give one a try on a slow day.

[captfrankie]

Some one mentioned having a big enough set. Well I have to admit that I do not have the adequate demensions to try any fish that I have been advised may be a carrier of a toxin that could cause me to miss even one day of fishing. Let me know how it works out for you guys though.

[Latitude Improvement]

I've fried up a few of the medium size (10-20lbs) ones and been pretty pleased with them.

[Sea-r-cy]

It may be like only one bullet in a revolver playing Russian roulette; every thing's fine until the loaded one comes up. Sea-r-cy