Oregon Sunfish, Mola Mola

[alm21]

We had a great day in Tillamook last weekend going 5-6 on salmon, 30+ crab and sunshine. And speaking of sunshine, we came across an Oregon Sunfish that I managed to get some footage of. You just never know what you'll see while on the water.

 

[Modest_Man]

Mola's are such a crazy fish. I've never heard them called Oregon Sunfish, they're found all over the world. They eat almost exclusively jellyfish, which is nuts considering how poor a diet jellyfish are, and they're also the heaviest known bony fish. The one in the video is pretty small still! They don't have a caudal (tail fin) at all. Their spine just ends after 12 vertebrae. I think they also produce more eggs than any other vertebrate, up to 300 million PER spawn.

That's pretty much all I remember about them. Cool find!

 

[Raincatcher]

That is a great video. :thumb: I would say you all had a very good day on the water. Thanks for sharing!

 

[mikeredding]

And might I add that they are VERY strong. We hooked one by accident while casting swim baits for tuna and it was the most epic battle I have ever engaged in. By far stronger than any fish I have ever hooked.

 

[JeannaJigs]

That is a crazy cool looking fish, looks like it belongs in tropical water and not the cold pacific. All kinds of crazy things swimming in the big blue.

 

[bass]

Awesome video. Really crazy how they just sit on the surface like that. You know you don't have any enemies when you can float around like that..

FYI, I think the common name is Ocean Sunfish (rather than Oregon Sunfish).