Common Name:   Sea Bass, Barramundi, Asian Sea Bass

Local Name:  Apahap (Tagalog); Apahap, Seabass,  (Cebuano)

Max Size:  200 cm ( 60 kgs )

Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Freshwater,

Depth:  1 – 40 m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:  12 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, small fish and crustaceans; Soft plastics, crankbaits, spoons, etc.

IUCN Red List Status:  Not Evaluated (NE)

Here is another highly sought after species that can be found here in the Philippines.  Known locally as Apahap, these Barramundi or Asian Seabass as they are also known are excellent gamefish.  They can be found inhabiting coastal water, estuaries, lagoons and rivers.  They feed on a variety of marine line including, but not limited to; shrimp, crustaceans, mollusks and small fish.  They can be taken on live bait as well as on a variety of lures.  This fish here that Cris caught was taken on a redhead crank bait.

In some areas of the country these fish are raised in ponds for sport fishing and consumption.  They can grow quite large and can reach lengths of up to 1.8m.  Here is a larger one (6.7kgs) also caught by Cris in Bacolod: