may i introduce,,,, Barry!


Ken Gargett

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recent trip to cuba which was mostly spent fishing at las salinas with a couple of friends (aiming to post more about the trip/mates/havana/cigars/catching up with punch joe etc when i get a chance). reasonable number of bones, though Rob (freefallguy) was the bone king.

on the last day, my guide (lazaro - same bloke i have fished with most times i have been to cuba) was punting us back in (long way to go).

the day before, he had me bring a 12 weight to have a crack if we saw any permit, jack or barracuda. we didn't that day and i didn't bother with it on the last day. just had the 8 weight for bones. we were heading across a big expanse of water that was a little deeper than most of the region - about three feet rather than the foot that most of it is - when lazaro got excited (as an aside, later on that day after barry, we are punting in - we can see rob about 1500 metres away. there were no other humans for miles. suddenly i look over as i see something bobbing. it is rob's cigar butt. the chances of coming across it in that massive expanse must have been infinitesimal).

lazaro quickly attached a big fly - which he tied to the bonefish fly (something i thought very strange) with a very short wire trace (no chance without it). the fly is basically one i use for GTs or tarpon (not very successfully) but lazaro had chopped off all the trailing feathers, which i also found weird.

saw barry (which is what the barracuda was immediately dubbed) just drifting off to one side, about 25 feet away.

my first cast was a bit ordinary (big surprise) but barry came over and followed the fly right in to near the punt. the second was not much better but i've never seen anything move like this fish. it was about five foot from where the fly was landing but it hit the fly as it landed. it was instantaneous. and we were on. i set the hook as hard as i could. barry took off. i had the drag on quite solidly but it was as though it was non-existent. barry saw the horizon and was determined to disappear over it.

then i saw the fly line had looped around the reel several times (always some drama). i clawed at that like a dying man nailed in a coffin trying to escape. i knew if, when the line hit full stretch and returned onto the reel, it was still looped then there was no chance. barry would just bust off. i reckon the last loop was clawed off the very moment the line hit full stretch. barry took about 100 metres. lazaro told me that barracuda usually make one big run and are then pretty much stuffed. barry had not read the script. he made a heap more runs, none any bigger but some decent ones. but eventually he was getting stuffed. as was i. lazaro got off the punt to take some photos of me and also to help grab it when barry arrived. meanwhile, barry was not giving up. actually went under the punt at one stage which was a bit tricky. and was still fighting hard. then he sees lazaro in the water and sets off for him. they are nasty evil fish and i reckon barry had decided to take out his issues on lazaro.

lazaro got very nervous and is yelling at me to turn the fish. the fangs on these things have to be seen close up to be believed, but they would make short work of flesh. the water is waste deep and barry is headed straight for lazaro's wedding tackle. i finally managed to turn him, not easy, about a foot before he grabbed the crown jewels. lazaro had been backing away as fast as he could. only time i've ever seen him panic.

barry had a few more very short runs and then we had him. a squillion photos and then we released him to race off and away.

when we fighting him, lazaro thought he'd go about 18lbs plus. when he had hold of him, he reckoned 25 lbs. i have no idea thought they are extremely heavy fish. i guess they are nothing but one long tunnel of muscle.

so much fun on a little 8 weight.

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