Big-game anglers from Southern California travel to Cabo San Lucas and elsewhere in Mexico to target striped marlin, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and wahoo.
But this summer, one of the craziest in terms of an exotic game-fish invasion, all of these species are being caught off Southern California, notably off San Diego and Orange County.
As we reported Saturday, a 648-pound blue marlin was caught aboard a San Diego-based charter boat on Sept. 14, setting a weight benchmark for the San Diego fleet.
The marlin was dubbed "El Niño fish" in reference to an intensifying "Super" El Niño that’s being credited for the influx of tropical and subtropical species.
Blue marlin catches are extremely rare off Southern California.
So are wahoo catches,
and the top image shows one of many wahoo caught off Southern California in recent weeks.
“Malihini fought a wahoo today!” H&M Landing boasted via Instagram, in reference to the catch aboard one of its San Diego-based charter boats.
A much larger wahoo was caught recently aboard a Boundless Boat Charters expedition, also out of San Diego, on a trip that included full-limit catches of yellowfin tuna and a striped marlin.
Fisherman’s Landing Tackle described events on the Boundless charter as "more El Niño 2026 madness."
Wahoo, known as ono in Hawaii, are prized for their vicious strikes and powerful initial runs – and for their delectable flesh. In western Mexico, they’re most commonly targeted in the Los Cabos region and specifically in the Sea of Cortez.
According to the International Game Fish Assn., the all-tackle world record for wahoo stands at 184 pounds, for a fish caught off Cabo San Lucas in 2005.
The IGFA describes wahoo on its website: "It is reputed to be one of the fastest fish in the sea, attaining speeds of 50 mph and more. The first scorching run may peel off several hundred yards of line in seconds. Occasionally this fish jumps on the strike and often shakes its head violently when hooked in an effort to free itself."
It’s unlikely that a new all-tackle world record will be established off Southern California, but these are whacky times and anything is possible.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'El Niño madness' as Cabo-style fishing arrives off San Diego
