Light-Tackle Barracuda & Cero Mackerel in Bonaire

By Captain Yuri van Kampen — Fishtales, Bonaire · June 17, 2026

Some of the best fishing in Bonaire happens close in, right along the reef edge, where the water drops away into blue. That’s barracuda and cero mackerel country. Both are fast, both have teeth like a bandsaw, and both hammer a moving lure. You don’t need heavy offshore gear for them. With the right light-tackle setup you’ll feel every run, and that’s where the fun is. Here’s the honest, been-there breakdown of the barracuda fishing gear we actually use in Bonaire.

The fish in Bonaire

Great barracuda hold all along the leeward reef and around structure, while cero mackerel cruise the drop-offs in fast-moving packs. You can find both year-round here. There’s no closed season in Bonaire, just peaks tied to bait and water clarity, so any month of the year is worth a shot. They feed on the reef edge, which is exactly where light tackle shines. Want the full rundown on the species? Read our barracuda page.

The rod & reel

Keep it simple: a medium spinning outfit. A 4000 to 5000 size reel on a medium rod is the sweet spot. It’s light enough to cast lures all day, has the drag to turn a fish off the reef, and holds plenty of line for a screaming run. Anything heavier kills the sport; anything lighter and a good ‘cuda will spool you or break you off on coral. Spinning gear also lets you cast accurately to fish you spot near structure, which matters when these two are following bait.

Line & leader

Run 20 to 30 lb braid straight off the reel. Braid has no stretch, so you feel the strike instantly and set the hook hard. The non-negotiable part is the bite trace. Both barracuda and cero have shearing teeth that slice through mono and fluoro in one snap.

• Always finish with a short wire bite trace ahead of the lure.
• Keep it short, just enough to cover the leader and clip, so it doesn’t kill the lure’s action.
• A wire trace is the difference between landing the fish and watching your lure swim away in its jaw.

Skip the wire and you will lose fish and tackle. It’s that simple.

Lures & bait

Flashy lures do the damage. These are reaction-strike fish, so anything that flashes and moves fast draws them in. Our go-to box:

• Yo-Zuri and Halco minnows in bright, reflective finishes.
• Spoons for distance casting and that wounded-baitfish wobble.
• Tube lures retrieved at speed, a classic barracuda trigger.

You can pick up Yo-Zuri, Halco, spoons and tube lures, plus the wire trace material, from TackleDirect before you head out.

How to fish it

The retrieve is everything. Cast along the reef edge, parallel to the drop-off where the fish are holding, and retrieve fast. Speed triggers the reaction strike; a slow lure usually gets followed and refused. Keep the lure moving, vary the pace with the odd twitch, and be ready for a hit the instant it lands. When a barracuda commits, it’s violent, so hold on and let the drag do its job against that first run. Keep your fingers clear when unhooking, every time.

Ready to fish the reef edge?

Light-tackle barracuda and cero is some of the most action-packed fishing on the island, and it’s a great way to spend a half day on the water. If you’d rather we sort the gear and put you on the fish, book a fishing trip with us and we’ll handle the rest. See you on the reef.

Captain’s note, small barracuda are fine eating, but big ‘cudas carry a ciguatera risk, so we release the large ones, a great fight you can still let swim off strong.