On 29 December, "Picuda" put to sea for her fifth war patrol in the Formosa Straits and the East China Sea off the east coast of China from Shanghai to Kam Kit. On 7 January 1945, "Picuda" received a contact report from "Barb" and closed a convoy in the straits of Formosa to inflict severe damage with four torpedo hits on 10,045-ton tanker "Munakata Maru". On the afternoon of 8 January, she again received a convoy contact report from "Barb" and slipped between two escorts of the starboard screen about four hours before midnight to pick out two large passenger-freighters. Three bow tubes fired at each target resulted in one hit on each. She swung and fired stern shots at a tanker, then discovered an escort dead ahead, range, and was forced to clear the area. The 2854-ton coastal tanker "Hikoshima Maru", hit by both "Picuda" and "Barb", was disabled and ran aground. The freighter "Meiho Maru" had a similar experience, and severe damage was inflicted on 6600-ton freighter "Hisagawa Maru" as well as 6516-ton coastal tanker "Manju Maru". "Picuda" having flashed a contact report as she cleared the area, set course for lifeguard station in support of the Third Fleet airstrikes on Formosa. In the early morning darkness of 29 January, "Picuda" made out at least three large ships in the rain and commenced tracking. The rain slacked as she approached dead ahead of a troop transport, overlapped by a freighter. One hit on the transport and two hits on the freighter were observed by "Picuda"'s officer of the deck. The transport, almost dead in the water, commenced shrill whistle blasts and the mist dropped down to reveal the freighter enveloped in a huge cloud of steam and smoke. An enemy float plane forced "Picuda" to abandon the attack. The victim sunk in this attack was the 5497-ton passenger-cargo ship "Clyde Maru". "Picuda" reached Tanapag Harbor, Saipan 5–6 February and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 15 February.