Giant squid invade Calif. waters, entice anglers

[February 02, 2010]  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Giant squid weighing up to 60 pounds have invaded the California waters off Newport Beach and are being caught by sport fishermen by the hundreds.

The squid showed up last week and anglers started booking twilight fishing trips over the weekend to catch them.

The animals weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, but a few fishermen have reeled in 60-pound creatures.

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 and 6 feet long and follow food sources. The squid have also recently been spotted off San Diego, Oregon and Washington.

Robert Woodbury with Newport Landing Sportfishing says anglers in Orange County have caught about 400 of the big squid since Friday night.

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Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com/

[Associated Press]

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