Striped Marlin Still Showing at The Slide Off Catalina – El Niño 2026 Update 🎣🔥

There’s been a solid showing of striped marlin around Catalina Island this year, and it’s one of the clear benefits of El Niño 2026. Warm-water years like this push subtropical billfish farther north than usual into Southern California. The elevated sea-surface temperatures create a thermal corridor that marlin follow, while the associated shifts in currents and upwelling help concentrate baitfish. Those bait schools draw the marlin right into local waters that are normally a bit cooler for them. Classic strong El Niño seasons have historically delivered some of the best local striped marlin fishing on record for exactly this reason.

Private boater Jason Walker has been out sharing solid intel with Friedman Adventures. He was just working the east end of Catalina at a well-known spot called The Slide. The Slide sits off the southeastern end of the island between Jewfish Point and Seal Rocks. It’s an underwater ridge that creates upwellings and current eddies — exactly the kind of structure that holds bait and attracts pelagics.

Here’s Walker’s latest report in his own words:

“Off the slide. Lots of boat traffic there now. The Marlin bite has definitely slowed down. But we did see a spot of three of them feeding on the surface together. I wish I would have caught that on video.”

He noted their best success came when they worked bait balls showing on the sonar. That’s where the fish were concentrated.

And it’s not just the private boats. Yesterday the sportfishing vessel Toronado (out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach) hooked three striped marlin on the way back from San Clemente Island and put one on the deck. So both private boaters and the open-party/sport boats are getting a legitimate shot at these fish this year. Pretty incredible when you think about how rare local marlin opportunities used to be.

Let’s be straight with everyone: El Niño has moved a bunch of these fish into SoCal waters, but the bite has cooled off from its earlier peak and there’s heavy boat pressure on the popular areas right now. Opportunities are still there if you stay on the sonar marks, work the bait balls, and keep moving. Surface feeders and fish associated with bait are the ones producing.

Check http://friedmanadventures.com for the latest Captain’s audios, landing and boat counts, bait availability, Friedman Adventures AI, kids corner, and lots more.

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