SANTA CRUZ >> El Niño conditions are known to bring warm water and exotic marine species to the Monterey Bay.

This season’s El Niño is no exception, with sheepshead, moonfish, bonito, barracuda, bluefin tuna and even flying fish noted in our offshore waters. But, what about a flying catfish?

Todd Gelman has lived on Alice Street in Live Oak for nearly 25 years. Strange things do happen on Alice Street, but finding a 6-inch catfish in his rain barrel was the last thing Gelman expected on Sunday morning.

“It’s kind of a volunteer rain barrel, just a clean garbage can I’m using to water my plants. I got up that morning and found this fish in there.” The barrel is located in Gelman’s backyard, which reduces the possibility of a prankster planting the fish.

Gelman theorized a waterspout may have transported the fish during Saturday night’s giant rainstorm, and deposited it with a lucky bulls-eye into his rain barrel.

A bit of research suggest that is unlikely, however. Waterspouts are mostly composed of vapor and usually have very little strength. Historical records abound with reports of raining frogs and fish, but scientists suggest they result from terrestrial tornados passing over a body of water.

Gelman reported a few neighbors found similar sized catfish on the beach near Moran Lake last weekend, so a more likely explanation is the fish was picked up by a bird and dropped while over his back yard.

They had probably been dead for at least 24 hours, Gelman said. Either way, it’s a legitimate flying fish story, and a perfect Santa Cruz X-Files candidate.

Allen Bushnell also operates Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service. Please send your reports, pictures or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com.