Last year the drought was so bad in the areas I usually look for kings (L.A. & Riverside) that I was forced to try an area that received more moisture, San Diego. I've found striped kings in riverside but never in S.D. My goal was to find my first S.D. striped king. I lucked out by finding it on my first trip to the area.

The box he was found under.

As found.

In hand for size comparison.

Striped kings are common in S.D. but because it was my first time hunting the area, I felt like I had found a Newport phase! I returned to the spot later and found a nice looking banded juvenile. There are some nice looking kings down that way.