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Sea fish

European barracuda

Sphyraena sphyraena

Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.

Other names: Iskarmoz

Open fishing grounds on the map Bait and tackle
European barracuda
Lars Behnke (Wikimedia Commons) · source
Habitat
Coastal open water
Method
Spinning · Trolling
Family
Sphyraenidae

Choose your region

The information changes with the region you choose.

Where is European barracuda caught?

Explore the regions or go straight to the map.

Tyrrhenian Sea fishing spots

278
Tyrrhenian Sea
Map preview

Explore the coast on the map

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A listed spot is not a guarantee of a catch.

Tyrrhenian Sea

Season and suitable conditions

Check the season information for the region you chose.

Peak months: May, Jun, Sep, Oct

Season information is no guarantee of a catch.

Best spots in October

By month

Average monthly score of the spots in Turkey (0–100).

  1. 61 Jan
  2. 60 Feb
  3. 59 Mar
  4. 61 Apr
  5. 65 May
  6. 32 Jun
  7. 31 Jul
  8. 62 Aug
  9. 63 Sep
  10. 71 Oct
  11. 67 Nov
  12. 74 Dec

The best spot in each Turkish province, by this month’s score.

  1. Damlataş plajı Alanya, Antalya 94/100 Very good
  2. Akbük Halk Plajı Didim, Aydın 94/100 Very good
  3. Pamucak Sahili Selçuk, İzmir 94/100 Very good
  4. Akdeniz Sitesi Sahili Bodrum, Muğla 94/100 Very good
  5. Ayvalık Belediyesi Plaj İşletmesi Ayvalık, Balıkesir 90/100 Very good

A 0–100 score from season, water temperature, habitat and local records; a general trend, not a guarantee.

Best times of day

When in the day it bites best, month by month.

  • Active at dawn and dusk
  • Good at night

In October

  1. Dawn 85

    1 h before sunrise → 1.5 h after

  2. Midday 35

    1 h before midday → 1 h after

  3. Dusk Best 100

    2 h before sunset → 1.5 h after

  4. Night 75

    1 h after sunset → 3 h before sunrise

Moon phase

Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.

  1. New moon 70
  2. First quarter 60
  3. Full moon 50
  4. Last quarter 60

Best phase: New moon

Windows across 12 months

Best times of day J F M A M J J A S O N D
Dawn 70 70 75 75 75 85 85 85 85 85 85 70
Midday 45 45 35 35 35 35 35 35 45
Dusk 80 80 85 85 85 95 95 95 100 100 100 80
Night 55 55 60 60 60 75 75 75 75 75 75 55

Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.

3 sources · confidence medium

Habitat

Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.

Depth

0–100 m

mostly 0–50 m

Water temperature

11.7–29.7 °C

ideal 18.3–25.5 °C

Salinity

Full-strength seawater

16.3–39.3 ‰

Shore types

  • Sandy beach
  • Cove / inner bay
  • Rocky shore
  • Breakwater / jetty
  • Pier / quay
  • Headland
  • Channel / strait link
  • Inside harbours
  • Cliff / steep shore
  • Harbour mouth
  • Strait shore
  • Reclaimed shore

Bottom

Lives in open water

Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.

Confidence: shore type medium, temperature medium

Bait and tackle suggestions

Recorded baits and fishing techniques.

Bait by month

Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.

In October

Natural baits

Lures

By water clarity

Pelagic sight hunter — Chases baitfish shoals by sight. Lures shine in clear water; in murky water its hunting range shrinks.

Clear Visibility: over 8 m
Lure First natural bait: Mullet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live baitfish or a whole fresh fish; thin fluorocarbon leader, no float or a light one. First lure: Stickbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Hard minnow/stickbait, slim metal jig; fast, erratic retrieve. Colour: Clear, White
Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
Lure First natural bait: Mullet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live or fresh whole fish; normal size. First lure: Stickbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spoon, metal jig, popper/topwater; medium-fast retrieve. Colour: White, Clear, Pink
Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Mullet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Cut oily fish (sardine/mackerel) with chum; under a float or at mid-depth. First lure: Metal jig · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spinner, paddle-tail shad, metal jig one size up; vibration first. Colour: White, Fluorescent, Pink
Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Mullet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Oily fish fillet, bloody chunks; chum for a scent trail; fish slower. First lure: Sinking minnow · Suitable Usually in this water: If you must, a rattling vibe/lipless; near the bottom, slow. Colour: White, Pink, Fluorescent
Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Sardine · Suitable Usually in this water: A large, bloody chunk of oily fish; refresh the bait often. Catches usually drop. First lure: Sinking minnow · Not recommended Colour: White, Pink, Fluorescent

Night colour: Glow (UV)

12-month bait calendar
January
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Sinking minnow
February
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Sinking minnow
March
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow
April
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow
May
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow
June
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow
July
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Sinking minnow, Hard minnow, Metal jig, Stickbait
August
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Sinking minnow, Hard minnow, Metal jig, Stickbait
September
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow, Metal jig
October
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow, Metal jig
November
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Stickbait, Sinking minnow, Metal jig
December
Natural baits: Mullet, Garfish, Horse mackerel, Sardine Lures: Hard minnow, Sinking minnow

This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural high, lures high. Colour and presentation guide

Fishing technique

Tackle recipe

Spin

Spinning

Cast-and-retrieve fishing with plugs, spoons and soft plastics

  • Level: Beginner–Advanced
  • Effort: Moderate
Rod
2.40–3.00 m; 5–40 g
Reel
2500–4000
Main line
PE 0.8–1.5
Leader/trace
0.28–0.45 mm fluorocarbon
Hook/lure
Single/treble on the lure; check regulations and safety
Bait/lure
Pencil bait
Connector
Swivel/clip; pick a suitable breaking strain

Watch out: Lure casting path and rocky ground

Keep with you: Pliers, hook remover, glasses and first aid

Regulations: Communiqué 2024/21 Article 16 hook and line limits and place bans are checked

  • Rod

  • Reel

  • Line and leader

A setup to start from. Rod length, line diameter and drag are changed to suit the size of fish you are after and the current and bottom structure of the ground.

Tackle recipe

Saltwater Fly

Shore fly fishing

Surface and shallow-water fishing with artificial flies/streamers

  • Level: Advanced
  • Effort: Low
Rod
#6–#10 class; around 2.70 m
Reel
Saltwater fly reel
Main line
Floating/intermediate fly line
Leader/trace
0.25–0.45 mm tapered leader
Hook/lure
#8–2/0 fly
Bait/lure
Streamer
Connector
Swivel/clip; pick a suitable breaking strain

Watch out: Back-cast clearance and wind

Keep with you: Pliers, hook remover, glasses and first aid

Regulations: Communiqué 2024/21 Article 16 hook and line limits and place bans are checked

A setup to start from. Rod length, line diameter and drag are changed to suit the size of fish you are after and the current and bottom structure of the ground.

See tackle suggestions

Fishing rules

The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.

Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.

Species profile

European barracuda
Scientific name
Sphyraena sphyraena
Family
Sphyraenidae
Order
Carangaria incertae sedis
Water type
Saltwater
Seas
Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean
Other names
Iskarmoz, Baraküda

Frequently asked questions

Which seas is European barracuda found in?

In our records European barracuda appears in these seas: Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean, North Aegean & Thrace — Greece, Central & South Aegean — Greece, Ionian Sea — Greece, Crete & Libyan Sea — Greece, Güzelyurt Bay — Northern Cyprus, Kyrenia north coast — Northern Cyprus, Famagusta–İskele — Northern Cyprus, Karpas Peninsula — Northern Cyprus, Akamas–Paphos west coast — Southern Cyprus, Paphos–Limassol south coast — Southern Cyprus, Larnaca southeast coast — Southern Cyprus, Ayia Napa–Protaras — Southern Cyprus, Ligurian Sea — Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea — Italy, Adriatic — Italy, Ionian Sea — Italy, Strait of Sicily — Italy, Sardinian Sea — Italy, Atlantic Ocean — Spain, Mediterranean — Spain, Cantabrian Sea — Spain, Balearic Sea — Spain, Alboran Sea — Spain, Gulf of Cádiz — Spain, Strait of Gibraltar — Spain.

In which months is European barracuda at its peak?

Peak periods by sea: Sea of Marmara all year; Aegean Sea all year; Mediterranean all year; North Aegean & Thrace — Greece April, May, August, September, October, November; Central & South Aegean — Greece April, May, August, September, October, November; Ionian Sea — Greece April, May, August, September, October, November; Crete & Libyan Sea — Greece April–November; Tyrrhenian Sea — Italy May, June, September, October; Mediterranean — Spain May, June, September, October; Famagusta–İskele — Northern Cyprus June–September; Güzelyurt Bay — Northern Cyprus June–September; Kyrenia north coast — Northern Cyprus June–September; Karpas Peninsula — Northern Cyprus June–September; Paphos–Limassol south coast — Southern Cyprus June–September; Ayia Napa–Protaras — Southern Cyprus June–September; Akamas–Paphos west coast — Southern Cyprus June–September; Larnaca southeast coast — Southern Cyprus June–September; Ligurian Sea — Italy May, June, September, October; Sardinian Sea — Italy May, June, September, October; Adriatic — Italy May, June, September, October; Strait of Sicily — Italy May, June, September, October; Ionian Sea — Italy May, June, September, October; Alboran Sea — Spain May, June, September, October; Strait of Gibraltar — Spain May, June, September, October; Gulf of Cádiz — Spain May, June, September, October; Cantabrian Sea — Spain April, May, August, September; Atlantic Ocean — Spain April, May, August, September; Balearic Sea — Spain May, June, September, October.

Which bait is European barracuda caught with?

Baits and lures on record: European sardine, Atlantic horse mackerel, European anchovy, shrimp, minnow, spoon, mamun, sülünez, European squid.

Similar species

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Open fishing grounds on the map
Open fishing grounds on the map · 2,046 fishing grounds

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