650-Pound Blue Marlin Caught off San Diego Coast Breaks State Fishing Record

 It took a crew of anglers to land a catch for the record books off the coast of San Diego this week — a 648-pound blue marlin, smashing the California state fishing record.

The sports fishing charter, piloted by 32-year-old captain Alec Stockfelt, showed up at the docks of the Southern California city earlier this week, wowing onlookers as the nearly half dozen fisherman wrestled the giant fish to a weigh station at Fisherman’s Landing.

The previous blue marlin sports fishing title holder weighed in at 395, caught in the waters off San Diego in 2021.

The previous record at that location for any fish caught was some 598 pounds, the captain said.

An adult male grizzly bear weighs about 600 pounds, for comparison.

Anglers and captains expect 2026 to be a robust year for records due to El Niño weather patterns bringing in more exotic sea life.

Marlin belong to a rare group, less than 1% of fish species, that exhibit regional endothermy. They maintain a “heater organ” near the eyes and brain. This organ keeps neural tissue warm even when the fish dives into cold, deep waters to hunt.

In addition, this warm-blooded adaptation gives them a massive neurological advantage. Their visual processing and reaction times remain sharp at depth. Therefore, they can detect and pursue prey far more effectively than their cold-blooded targets.

The Pacific blue marlin world record, caught off Kona, Hawaii in 1982, stands at 1,376 pounds.