Toman

Common Name: Snakehead, Toman,

Local Name: Toman (Tagalog), Toman (Cebuano)

Max Size:  130 cm ( 20 kgs )

Biodiversity: Freshwater,  Introduced

Depth:  1 – ?? m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:  15 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Fish, Frog lures, Spinnerbaits, and more

IUCN Red List Status:  Least Concern (LC)

This is the largest species of Snakehead which has been imported via the aquarium trade to the Philippines from the Thai Peninsula. The Giant Snakehead or Toman is know to grow up to 1 meter in length and almost 20 kilos in weight.  These fish have been released into various lakes, ponds and waterways here in the Philippines as a gamefish and are thriving.  They are fished for with spinnerbaits, frogs, crank baits and more.  The main destinations for these fish are Lakeshore, a small lake in Mexico, Pampanga and also the Aulo Dam near Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija.  These fish can also be found in various other ponds and bodies of water around the country.

Here is another photo of Sonny with a nice 1kg Toman caught in a pond in Laguna:

Sonny’s Giant Snakehead