Among the reports of peculiar catches and sightings off Southern California this supercharged season is one that involves a free-jumping striped marlin photographed off Newport Beach.
Delaney Trowbridge, the photographer, stated via Instagram: "The last time I got to take a photo like this, I was 900 miles south of here in Cabo San Lucas."
Striped marlin inhabit Southern California waters, but during a season that seems to be heavily influenced by an intensifying "Super" El Niño, the billfish appear to be more active.
Trowbridge continued: "While marlin can be found offshore in Southern California, I can’t recall a year where I’ve gotten to see them locally almost every day.
RELATED: 'El Niño madness' as Cabo-like fishing arrives off San Diego
"They
are gorgeous fish and it’s easy to appreciate their beauty when they launch from the water like this."
More details about Trowbridge’s encounter can be viewed below.
It’s worth noting that blue marlin are also being encountered in the region, notably off San Diego. This is extremely rare and attributed to above-normal ocean temperatures.
On Sept. 14, a 648-pound blue marlin was caught aboard the Pegasus out of Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego. That set a regional benchmark in terms of weight for a species more commonly encountered in tropical or subtropical regions, such as Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Free-jumping marlin grabs spotlight during wildly exotic SoCal season
