El Niño 2026 Strikes Early: Striped Marlin on the Gail Force + Dorado on the Sport King at Catalina Island!
In a thrilling sign that El Niño 2026 is already delivering warm-water action to Southern California, the sportfishing vessel Gail Force (operating out of LA Waterfront Sportfishing in San Pedro / LA Harbor) brought in a beautiful striped marlin today on a full-day trip to Catalina Island. This is big news — marlin are more commonly caught by private yachts in these waters, so landing one on a sportfishing boat this early in the season is a real statement.
Adding to the excitement, the Sport King (same fleet) reported a dorado caught right on the anchor at Catalina earlier today. These warm-water species flushing up the Baja Peninsula into our local waters are exactly what we expect when El Niño conditions kick in and push tropical bait and gamefish northward.
Right now, Tropical Storm Elida is active in the Eastern Pacific (located several hundred miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California as of July 16). It’s moving generally westward to west-northwestward and is not forecast to threaten land, but its energy, swells, and the broader tropical pattern are helping drive even more warm water and bait northward. This should keep the surprises coming in the days ahead.
You never know what tomorrow will bring out there — but one thing is for sure: it will definitely be a surprise. Things are happening fast and furious right now with all kinds of exotics on the move. Stay ready!
Book the Gail Force or check availability on the Sport King and the rest of the LA Waterfront fleet:
📞 (310) 844-3814
For the absolute latest sportfishing reports, boat updates, conditions, and everything happening on the water from the Friedman Adventures team and our network of captains, head over to http://friedmanadventures.com — your go-to source for real-time Southern California and Baja fishing info.
Tight lines and tight lines only! 🎣🔥
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