A large sunfish, potentially breaking a world record, was recently spotted by two paddle-boarders off the coast of California. The paddle-boarders, Rich German and Matt Wheaton, were amazed when they came across the enormous creature near Laguna Beach.
Describing the sunfish, Mr. German said, “It was hard to miss! It was nine to 10 feet long, much larger than myself. Sunfish are quite unique in appearance; they almost look like a shark that has been bitten in half. I’ve seen many sunfish over the years, but this one was definitely the biggest.”
According to the Guinness World Records, the largest bony fish by weight was a sunfish caught in 1996 near Kamogawa, Japan. That particular specimen weighed 2,300kg and measured 8ft 11in long. Although the two paddle-boarders didn’t measure the fish they encountered, they believe it was larger.
“We didn’t catch it or have a measuring tape, but the largest recorded sunfish is 8ft 11in,” said Rich, 52. “Matt’s board is 14ft long, and if you look at the pictures, you can see for yourself how big it looks. I would estimate it was at least nine to 10 feet long. My buddy and I were astonished when we saw it.”
Julianne Steers from the Beach Ecology Coalition mentioned that the only way to determine if it was a record-breaking specimen would be to weigh and officially measure it outside of the water. However, she acknowledged that it appeared much larger than the sunfish typically seen in the area.
Rich German, the founder of Project O, a non-profit organization focused on ocean conservation, has been on the water almost every day for over a decade. This encounter serves as a reminder that even for someone with his experience, the ocean still holds surprises.
“I’ve been paddling here in Laguna Beach almost every day for the past 12 years, and I’ve encountered over 2,000 dolphins and whales,” said Mr. German. “This encounter was further proof that you never know what you will see out on the ocean!”
