Sennets are members of the Sphyraenidae family of barracuda, although they are smaller and less wide-ranging than barracuda are. Northern sennets (Sphyraena borealis) grow to a maximum of 18 inches; they occur in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Southern sennets (S. picudilla) are similar, occurring in Bermuda, Florida, and the Bahamas south to Uruguay; also known as picuda china, they have more commercial relevance than the northern sennet and are found near the surface, sometimes in large schools.
These fish are seldom far from the coast, often preferring to be near rocky bottoms. They are good table fare and not known to be poisonous (as barracuda may be). They provide good sport for light-tackle anglers and have been known to take small spoons, plugs, and flies.
