'Prehistoric Looking': Fisherman Admires Huge Ocean Sunfish Off San Diego

Fisherman Sean Bailey captured impressive close-up footage of a huge mola lurking next to his boat off San Diego, California.

Found in temperate and tropical oceans, ocean sunfish (Mola mola) – the heaviest of all bony fish – generally grow up to 11 feet long and can weight up to 2.2 tons.

The footage shows the mola just below the water’s surface, where the species “commonly bask.”

Sunfish are considered a vulnerable population and “frequently get snagged in drift gill nets and can suffocate on sea trash, like plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish,” according to National Geographic. Credit: Sean Bailey via Storyful

Video transcript

- I mean, this thing is massive.

- Uh-huh.

- Yeah. You are.

- He'll go back there.

- Look at this thing.

- Looks like he's hurt.

- Oh. He's got like a little wound on his butt.

- What can we do?

- What a-- Hey.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- You know I've seen some beautiful things in this world but nothing more beautiful than you. It's like-- Oh. This is a beautiful, beautiful scenery here. But it isn't any more beautiful than you. Right there, buddy.

- Wow. Prehistoric looking. Cool. Well, you have a nice afternoon, my friend. Be safe.

- Wow.

- [INAUDIBLE] dying.

- I know. I hope he's not dying. But I mean, you never know. I don't know their behavior, you know. He might. Look at this little thing on the top.

- Yeah.

- This little--

- Yeah. He got hurt somewhere.

- Well, you know, like there's little fins. They're just the way his fins are. It's just--

- Yeah. The big ones.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- He could get in the pool.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- I know. I hope he's not. But I guess--

- Wow.

- He's got a wound on his back. And its tail, that thing is prehistoric. Like, where are you from, my dude? You are huge. Never seen anything like this. I mean, I've seen the fish before.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- I know.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- Yeah. He's probably seen-- I wonder how old these things get? All right, my friend. You hopefully are not dying and you're chilling. So chill on and enjoy your day, [INAUDIBLE].

- Yeah.

- Yeah. He big bad boy or girl or something. But enjoy your life, buddy.