When Barracudas Attack

Barracuda By Adobe Stock/Malbert.

You never know what you’re going to catch when you head out into the magical waters of the Georgia coast… and apparently you never know how you’re going to catch it either.

You’ve heard of fish jumping in the boat, right? Now a big, tasty red snapper would be welcomed, but there are some fish in the ocean you don’t want to suddenly see airborne and headed your way.

One of the boats with Miss Judy Charters was fishing for Spanish mackerel a few miles offshore when suddenly a big barracuda launched itself out of the water. The tooth-filled fish began its leap 30 feet directly behind the boat, and it sailed all the way into the boat’s cabin. Unfortunately, the 30-lb. fish hit a man in the hand, cutting a finger and possibly breaking a bone.

Capt. Deidra with Miss Judy Charters said she had never seen anything like this, nor had any of the other Miss Judy captains. However, Deidra said that she heard the story of a barracuda jumping into a boat once in South Carolina. Luckily, no one was injured by that wayward fish.

It also happened off St. Augustine, Fla. in 2003 when a fisherman there was bitten by a barracuda that jumped into his boat. Other fishermen in the boat had to pry the fish off. The man was treated and released at a hospital with a barracuda bite to his stomach.

Despite a barracuda’s menacing appearance, they don’t attack people on purpose. Apparently, they just like to fly—and a few unlucky ones aren’t good at judging their landing zones.