DANA POINT — Fishermen out on the San Mateo on Friday, Aug. 11 were looking for dorado and yellowtail beneath kelp patties when they decided to troll the water behind the boat to see what they might lure.
About 20 miles south of Dana Point, they noticed line ripping off their reel. Noise from the clicker let them know there was a bite.
“It’s very exciting,” said Todd Mansur, a sportfishing captain for Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching, who recounted the story told to him by Bo Daniels, who captained the private fishing charter.
What happened next was something that rarely happens in Southern California waters.
As the crew reeled in the lines and leaned over to see the fish, they caught a glimpse of a long skinny, noodle-like black and silver fish with a tiny spear.
On the line were two short-billed spearfish.
“We have caught them but they are extremely rare,” Mansur said. “To catch two at a time is like ‘go buy and win a lottery ticket rare.’ I’ve never heard of two being caught at the same time in California.”
The fish is a relative of the marlin family and is found in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Mansur said.
Hawaii is an area the fish would be commonly found. Its dorsal fin is shorter than that of other billfish species, and its bill is very short in comparison. The fish can weigh up to 40 pounds.
The short-billed spearfish is considered extremely tasty and might be similar to wahoo, Mansur said.
