FISHERMAN’S DREAM: Scott Seagull, left, and, Corey Shore run free at Doheny State Beach trying to see who can catch the most grunion during a run in early June last year. Thousands of grunion come ashore to lay and fertilize eggs during the highest of tides after a new and full moon. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: slices.grun.0613 – 06/03 – Photo by Rose Palmisano / The Orange County Register – Grunion greeters came out in large numbers to observe the mating ritual of the small critters at Doheny State Beach.
By LAYLAN CONNELLY | [email protected] | Orange County Register
They flop and slip and make sweet love on the sand under the full moon’s light.
Grunion — unique little fish found only in Southern California and down south in Baja — are little marine critters that mate on the sand when the waves wash them to shore. When the grunion are running, people in the know show up in the dark of night to wait and watch, some ready with buckets to collect the critters to eat, when catching them is allowed.
“It’s a cool California thing,” said Jim Serpa, who for 20 years ran a grunion night at Doheny State Beach while he was supervising rangers, before retiring a few years ago.
The grunion season officially kicked off early March, and the next run is expected Saturday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 20.
So grab your flashlights, beach chairs and, if you don’t mind staying up late, get ready to watch them run.