Posted on 02/01/2010 8:21:58 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Shoals of giant squid are invading the Californian coast, providing rich pickings for fishermen.
Giant squid weighing up to 60 pounds (27 kilograms) have swum into waters off Newport Beach and are being caught by sport fishermen by the hundreds.
The squid were noticed last week and fishermen started booking twilight fishing trips to catch them the huge creatures.
Robert Woodbury, from Newport Landing Sportfishing, told the LA Times that the anglers come in two main types: those hungry for the relatively pricey delicacy, and the sports angler eager to tangle with a feistier sea creature.
"Most of the fish we catch are better to eat, but they don't give you much of a fight."
He said the squid were "trying to crawl around and blow ink all over everybody."
Mr Woodbury said that 400 of the creatures had been caught since Friday night.
The animals weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, but a few fishermen have reeled in 60-pound squid.
The Humboldt squid is also called the jumbo squid or jumbo flying squid and squirts ink to protect itself.
They can grow up to 100 pounds in weight and six feet long and follow food sources.
The squid have also recently been spotted off San Diego, Oregon and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States.
Orange County sports fishing businesses were celebrating the arrival of the squid during what is normally a fairly quiet time of the year.
But the giant squid is not unknown off the coast of America.
In September a record-breaking 19ft-long squid, weighing 103 pounds, was caught off the Gulf of Mexico.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Aw, heck. I thought it was about Architeuthis.
I, for one, welcome our new squid overlords. Id like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to
toil in their underground sugar caves.
CALAMARI COWABUNGA!
The bigger the squid the larger the slice.
Mmmm....big calamari.
Yum. Calimari steaks tonight.
Hillery Clinton says, “Don’t drop that rod
but hand me one of those large condoms and
kiss me goodby.
Think how much more you can get when you order a pound!!
yitbos
Oh no! Call Gamera, he’ll save us!
They couldn't possibly waste more ink than the Washington Post does on any given day.
Mmmmmm...giant kalamari.
Calamari pie for EVERYONE!!!
Yep! Must be those badly launched Korean missiles. And now we’ll have to deal with mutated giant squid! Get the flamethrowers ready.
That would explain all the houses that look like this.
Good thing he was a wearing a black sweatshirt. [re: pic]
‘giant’ squid are so overrated. It’s as if they never saw 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Tell her to go back to Massapequa!
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