La Jolla 8/11 Mola Mola - Ocean Sunfish - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

pchen911 · 08-11-2011, 01:45 PM

Just thought I'd share this. My first catch of the day.

Never seen an Ocean Sunfish at La Jolla before, let alone snag one!

lowprofile · 08-11-2011, 01:50 PM

Good ... job...

probably the bigges i've seen on socal. i snagged one on sealbeach pier a few years back, about 18".

mtnbykr2 · 08-11-2011, 02:07 PM

do they fight or just lay there?

jorluivil · 08-11-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnbykr2

.......................or just lay there?

You talking about my ex?

I used to see a lot of these when I used to fish the 150spot. Are they edible?

mtnbykr2 · 08-11-2011, 02:39 PM

no that would have been "my ex" just before she took me to the cleaners...lol
I was just wonderin if they fought that thing looks pretty big

tunaseeker · 08-11-2011, 02:40 PM

Thats a big one! Last year I saw a bunch of small ones. Very courious little guys would come right up to the yak. Are they good eatin?

pchen911 · 08-11-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

You talking about my ex?

LOL....

No there was no fight. It does try to swim, but it moves so slow there was absolutely no fight to speak of.

Not sure if they are good eating, but I wasn't gonna find out. I heard it's bad luck to bring them onboard. So I just snapped a few pics, took out the hook, and sent him on his way.

The Kid · 08-11-2011, 05:35 PM

I heard they were really good to eat. Someone needs to find out and speak up lol. That sunfish looked like it was a finicky biter.

pchen911 · 08-11-2011, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Kid

Someone needs to find out and speak up lol.

I will, if I run across him again during the Moyer Memorial Tournament.

It will be a shoo-in for winning the "others" division.

Iceman · 08-11-2011, 06:27 PM

I hear their snot is delicious in a bisque!

lterrero · 08-11-2011, 06:38 PM

what about these babies?

WahooUSMA · 08-11-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

You talking about my ex?

I used to see a lot of these when I used to fish the 150spot. Are they edible?

LMFAO X-10

fishsouthcounty · 08-11-2011, 09:04 PM

i think the Opah's are the ones to take home, the mola's are best to be left uneaten.

Lets_Fish · 08-11-2011, 09:27 PM

According to Wikipedia:

The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

Sunfish live on a diet that consists mainly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor, they consume large amounts in order to develop and maintain their great bulk. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate.[1] Sunfish fry resemble miniature pufferfish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish.

Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, orcas and sharks will consume them. Among humans, sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan, the Korean peninsula and Taiwan. In the EU, regulations ban the sale of fish[2] and fishery products[3] derived of the Molidae family. Sunfish are frequently, though accidentally, caught in gillnets, and are also vulnerable to harm or death from encounters with floating trash, such as plastic bags.

A member of the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes pufferfish, porcupinefish and filefish, the sunfish shares many traits common to members of this order. It was originally classified as Tetraodon mola under the pufferfish genus, but it has since been given its own genus, Mola, with two species under it. The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the type species of the genus.

There is more on the link below.

Here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

The Kid · 08-11-2011, 09:49 PM

READ THIS: http://www.mexfish.com/enad/enad2005...nad051205a.htm

Who knows but someone needs to find out.

f'nsabiki · 08-11-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lterrero

what about these babies?

I hooked one of those that size zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz back and forth battle- probably close to 70 lbs..... oh well you guys know the rest of the story

mtnbykr2 · 08-12-2011, 06:25 AM

very interesting....I think I will pass on eatin might be a bit on the spicy side from livin on jellyfish

Deamon · 08-12-2011, 06:57 AM

I've had too many close encounter with mola's to fillet one. I couldn't imagine bagging up that gooshy white stuff with it's big round eye staring back at me. We did have a 200#er nail a marlin jig as it sank out when we pulled up to a paddie. Didn't see it so we thought it was a bigeye or grande shark. On the big tackle, we thought we were the sheetz fighting the beast. A great straight down, tuna circle fight turned out to be a freaking mola...

Aaron&Julie · 08-12-2011, 06:58 AM

If you hook a good sized one (hundreds of pounds), he could spool you. Supposedly, they have a portion of flesh in their body that is kind of gooey, but if saved and dropped in boiling water is said to resemble lobster. But, the article I read a few years back (on bloodydecks?), kind of indicated you are wasting most of the fish to get this small good eating portion.
I think it should be unnecessary to kill such a magnificent fish, when there are so many good ones to be had. I view them like dolphins, whales and sea turtles as being some of our "eye candy" out there.
Aaron

seascrambler · 08-12-2011, 08:49 AM

I agree, in my experience they are better than dolphin but not as good as sea turtle. Best left alone....

08-11-2011, 01:45 PM	#1
pchen911 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 218	La Jolla 8/11 Mola Mola - Ocean Sunfish Just thought I'd share this. My first catch of the day. Never seen an Ocean Sunfish at La Jolla before, let alone snag one!

08-11-2011, 06:27 PM	#10
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	I hear their snot is delicious in a bisque! __________________

08-11-2011, 06:38 PM	#11
lterrero Leo Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: La Jolla, CA Posts: 482	what about these babies? Attached Images

08-12-2011, 06:58 AM	#19
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	If you hook a good sized one (hundreds of pounds), he could spool you. Supposedly, they have a portion of flesh in their body that is kind of gooey, but if saved and dropped in boiling water is said to resemble lobster. But, the article I read a few years back (on bloodydecks?), kind of indicated you are wasting most of the fish to get this small good eating portion. I think it should be unnecessary to kill such a magnificent fish, when there are so many good ones to be had. I view them like dolphins, whales and sea turtles as being some of our "eye candy" out there. Aaron __________________ "Never say die"

08-11-2011, 01:50 PM	#2
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,477	Good ... job... probably the bigges i've seen on socal. i snagged one on sealbeach pier a few years back, about 18".

08-11-2011, 02:07 PM	#3
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	do they fight or just lay there?

08-11-2011, 02:39 PM	#5
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	no that would have been "my ex" just before she took me to the cleaners...lol I was just wonderin if they fought that thing looks pretty big

08-11-2011, 02:40 PM	#6
tunaseeker TB Metal Art Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 651	Thats a big one! Last year I saw a bunch of small ones. Very courious little guys would come right up to the yak. Are they good eatin?

08-11-2011, 05:35 PM	#8
The Kid Loves Surface Irons Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 455	I heard they were really good to eat. Someone needs to find out and speak up lol. That sunfish looked like it was a finicky biter.

08-11-2011, 09:04 PM	#13
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	i think the Opah's are the ones to take home, the mola's are best to be left uneaten.

08-11-2011, 09:27 PM	#14
Lets_Fish Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wildomar, CA. Posts: 294	According to Wikipedia: The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended. Sunfish live on a diet that consists mainly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor, they consume large amounts in order to develop and maintain their great bulk. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate.[1] Sunfish fry resemble miniature pufferfish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish. Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, orcas and sharks will consume them. Among humans, sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan, the Korean peninsula and Taiwan. In the EU, regulations ban the sale of fish[2] and fishery products[3] derived of the Molidae family. Sunfish are frequently, though accidentally, caught in gillnets, and are also vulnerable to harm or death from encounters with floating trash, such as plastic bags. A member of the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes pufferfish, porcupinefish and filefish, the sunfish shares many traits common to members of this order. It was originally classified as Tetraodon mola under the pufferfish genus, but it has since been given its own genus, Mola, with two species under it. The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the type species of the genus. There is more on the link below. Here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

08-11-2011, 09:49 PM	#15
The Kid Loves Surface Irons Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 455	READ THIS: http://www.mexfish.com/enad/enad2005...nad051205a.htm Who knows but someone needs to find out.

08-12-2011, 06:25 AM	#17
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	very interesting....I think I will pass on eatin might be a bit on the spicy side from livin on jellyfish

08-12-2011, 06:57 AM	#18
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	I've had too many close encounter with mola's to fillet one. I couldn't imagine bagging up that gooshy white stuff with it's big round eye staring back at me. We did have a 200#er nail a marlin jig as it sank out when we pulled up to a paddie. Didn't see it so we thought it was a bigeye or grande shark. On the big tackle, we thought we were the sheetz fighting the beast. A great straight down, tuna circle fight turned out to be a freaking mola...

08-12-2011, 08:49 AM	#20
seascrambler Junior Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: valencia Posts: 14	I agree, in my experience they are better than dolphin but not as good as sea turtle. Best left alone....