Fishing in the Florida canals is a fun mostly free pastime. A canal is tidal influenced so fish move in and out with the tide. If you want large groups of Gamefish you will HAVE to use a chum. Chumming attracts shrimp and baitfish to your dock- thereby attracting Gamefish like Mangrove Snapper, Ladyfish, Juvenile Tarpon, Snook and 'Cuda. AKA Barracuda.
The great barracuda is an apex predator. Barracudas tend to be solitary but are also found in aggregations over promi- nent reef structures, particularly near arti- ficial structures and shallow bank reefs. In the Florida Keys, adult great barracuda occupy nearly all habitats from residential canals and shallow seagrass flats near shore, to Florida Bay, and the off- shore open water of the Florida Straits and Gulf of Mexico. Studies have shown adult barracuda are especially abundant in the Florida Keys.
Barracuda tend to take lures, bait and flies. They can be as aggressive as a tiger, or picky as a permit. Live bait is always a hit with barracuda and blue runners seem to be a favorite. If using a lure, long, thin and fast seems to be the recipe for successfully catching the Great Barracuda...
Small barracuda can be eaten but larger fish may be poisonous due to . Remember, barracudas play an important role in the marine environment so please practice catch and release.