A fish out of tropical waters

Unofficially record-high ocean temperatures this summer aren’t appealing only to those who want to dip their toes in a toasty ocean. They’re drawing those who want to dip in a hook, line and sinker, too.

The warm water has resulted in an unusual abundance of tropical-water fish in Orange County waters, and local fishers have reported catching more mahi-mahi— also known as dorado or dolphin fish — yellowtail, swordfish, striped marlin and even one rare opah fish.

“For fishermen this is just a bonanza,” said Greg Hickman, president of the Balboa Angling Club.

Anytime there’s warm water coming up from the south, the migratory fish follow, Hickman said. Fish like striped marlin and swordfish aren’t uncommon in local waters and, because of warmer temperatures, more of the fish are being spotted more often, Hickman said. Fishermen are also seeing more yellowtail closer to shore.

“It’s going to be a fun year if this water holds,” Hickman said.

Costa Mesa resident Elliott Thacker, 20, reaped the benefits of warm-water fishing recently when he caught an opah 10 miles off the coast of Newport Beach.

“I was really stoked, I knew exactly what it was because I’ve seen it in pictures,” Thacker said.

The fish is typically found in more tropical waters, like Hawaii, Thacker said.

“The opah is a very unusual fish up here, we don’t see it very often,” Hickman said.

Nearly all summer long, water temperatures have hovered in the mid- to upper-70s.

While they were fishing about five miles offshore, Thacker said he and fishing buddy Cory Adler recorded 77 degrees.

Local fishing charter companies said that the warm-water fishing is also good for business.

“We’re busy,” said Steffanie Hellerstein, a manager at Newport Landing. “It’s making our lives fun around here.”

Newport Landing, like other local companies, runs fishing charters several times a day and customers are hooking tropical fish only a few miles offshore, Hellerstein said.

“They love it,” Hellerstein said.

Hickman said some of these tropical fish, like marlin and swordfish, are good fighters and “fun game fish” — but they’re also really tasty to eat.

More than a week later, Thacker’s family was still feasting on opah leftovers. The reddish-white meat is similar in taste to mahi-mahi, Thacker said.

“We still haven’t even finished it — there’s a lot of meat,” Thacker said.