A large sunfish, which could break a world record, was recently spotted by two paddlers off the coast of California. The paddlers, Rich German and Matt Wheaton, were shocked when they came across the massive creature near Laguna Beach.

Describing the sunfish, Mr German said: “It was hard to miss! It was about nine to ten feet long, much bigger than me. Sunfish are quite unique in appearance – they almost look like a shark that has been bitten in half. I’ve seen a lot of sunfish over the years, but this one was definitely the biggest.”

According to Guinness World Records, the largest bony fish by weight was a sunfish caught in 1996 near Kamogawa, Japan. That particular specimen weighed 2,300 kg and was 8 feet 11 inches long. Although the two rowers did not measure the fish they found, they believe it was larger.

“We didn’t catch it and we don’t have a measuring tape, but the largest sunfish on record is 8 feet, 11 inches,” Rich, 52, said. “It looks like it. I would estimate it was at least nine to 10 feet long. My friend and I were just in awe when we saw it.”

Julianne Steers of the Beach Ecology Coalition said the only way to determine if it was a record-breaking specimen would be to officially weigh and measure it out of the water. However, she acknowledged that it appeared much larger than the sunfish typically seen in the area.

Rich German, the founder of Project O, a nonprofit focused on ocean conservation, has been in the water nearly every day for more than a decade. This encounter serves as a reminder that even for someone with his experience, the ocean still holds surprises.

“I’ve been paddling here in Laguna Beach almost every day for the past 12 years and have encountered over 2,000 dolphins and whales,” said Mr. German. “This encounter was further proof that you never know what you’ll see in the ocean!”