Author Archives: benaiahfogle
Barramundi ( Lates calcarifer )
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:
Island Trevally ( Carangoides orthogrammus )
Common Name: Yellow Spotted Trevally, Island Jack, Thicklip Trevally, False Bluefin Trevally
Local Name: Talakitok (Tagalog), Mamsa (Bisaya)
Max Size: 75 cm ( 6.6 kgs )
Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated, Endemic, Oceanodromous
Depth: 3 – 170 m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: 10 inches
Here is a Trevally or Talakitok (known in Bisaya as Mamsa) caught by Sharptooth while fishing live shrimp on the bottom. This is another example of the variety of trevally species which can be caught here in the Philippines.
White Spotted Spinefoot ( Siganus canaliculatus )
This is one species of spine foot or Rabbitfish which is well known in Cebu and throughout the country. It is locally called Danggit (pronounced dung-geet). These are a relatively small fish that can be found around the coastlines and reefs scavenging and feeding on algae.
More info to follow…
Long Nosed Emperor Fish ( Lethrinus olivaceus )
Common Name: Emperor, Long Face Emperor,
Local Name: Bakutut, Batilya, Bukawin (Tagalog), Dugso, Katambak (Cebuano)
Max Size: 100cm (14 kgs)
Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated
Depth: 1 – 185 m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: 10 inches
Recommended Bait/Lures: Shrimp, Squid, small fish or cut bait/ small jigs, soft plastics
This is a species of Emperor Fish common throughout the country. Eric caught this fine 2.5kg specimen in Puerto Galera while bottom fishing at around 100m using live shrimp as bait. These fish are reef associated fish, often seen patrolling with other fish. They are reported up to depths of 185m and can be taken on a variety of lures and bait including but not limited to; jigs, soft plastic lures, live shrimp, crank baits and more. These fish reportedly grow up to 70cm and can weigh as much as 14kgs.
Slender Needlefish ( Strongylura leiura )
Common Name: Needlefish
Local Name: (Tagalog), Balo, Bao (Cebuano)
Max Size:
Biodiversity: Marine,
Depth:
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: none
Recommended Bait/Lures:
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
Here is a picture of a small needlefish I caught recently while fishing from the Navy Pier on Corregidor Island. I believe this is a Slender Needlefish. This species is quite common all over the country. If can often be seen patrolling the shorelines and reefs. This species can grow over a meter in length. I caught this fish while fishing a pink sardine pins minnow. I had strikes from large Crescent Grunter (probably around .5 kg each) but was not able to properly hook them. There are also many Jacks patrolling the piers.
For anyone visiting Corregidor Island, it is an excellent place to fish. You can fish anywhere on the island and even rent bankas on the island to take you trolling around the island. The only downside is the garbage which collects on the side of the island that faces Manila Bay.
Black Snakehead ( Channa melasoma )
Black Snakehead
Common Name: Snakehead, Mudfish
Local Name: Dalag, Haruan (Tagalog), Haruan, Haluan(Cebuano)
Max Size: 30 cm ( 1 kgs )
Biodiversity: Freshwater, Endemic
Depth: 1 – 10m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: 10 inches
Recommended Bait/Lures: Shrimp, Minnows, Frog lures, Spinnerbaits, and more
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Here is a Black Snakehead caught in Taal Lake by Buboy. This species is quite rare here in the Philippines compared to its cousin the Striped Snakehead. It can be differentiated from its cousin by the lack of a white underbelly. The Black Snakehead can be found throughout South East Asia from Thailand over to the Philippines and Malaysia. This species is reported to grow up to 30 cm. This fish was caught on a medium running crank bait.
Below is a picture of the fish’s mouth:
Malabar Grouper ( Epinephelus malabaricus )
7kg Malabar Grouper caught in Cebu
Common Name: Grouper
Local Name: Lapu Lapu (Tagalog), Lapu Lapu, Pogapo (Cebuano)
Max Size: 234 cm (150kgs)
Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Reef Associated, Amphidromous
Depth: 1 – 150 m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: 12 inches
Recommended Bait/Lures: Shrimp, Squid, fish or cut bait; jigs, soft plastics, crankbaits
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT)
Here is a nice little Malabar Grouper, known locally as Lapu-Lapu, caught by Rubled in an estuary in Cavite. There is little if not any differentiation between many grouper species here, so the name Lapu-Lapu can refer to quite a broad variety of species. This species can be distinguished by its black and tan spots over its barred sides. This species is reported to grow up to 150kgs though fish of that size are rarely caught.
These fish can be found in estuaries, coral reefs, rocky shore lines and even in deep water. The smaller ones tend to congregate close to shore while the larger ones inhabit the deeper reefs. This one was taken on a medium running pink sardine pins minnow. They also can be taken on a variety of other lures and plastics as well. The favorite local bait for these fish is live shrimp. This is a popular species to target when lure casting around the coast.
Red Snapper ( Lutjanus sp. )
Romel’s Two Snapper
This species is very similar to the more common Mangrove Snapper which inhabits the coastline of the country. These fish are more commonly found on deep reefs, wrecks, and and other structure. Romel caught the larger fish while deepwater jigging, and the other while fishing with live shrimp on the bottom.
I am unsure of the exact species of this snapper. The most common “Red Snapper” is the species is actually found only in the Atlantic ocean.
These fish, along with others that look similar or that are bright red are known as Maya-Maya. These fish are excellent food fish and are quite expensive when purchased from the market.
Giant Trevally ( Caranx ignobilis )
Good Sized GT caught in Cebu City
Common Name: GT, Giant Trevally,
Local Name: Talakitok (Tagalog), Mamsa (Cebuano)
Max Size: 170 cm (80 kgs)
Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Freshwater, Reef Associated, Endemic,
Depth: 0 –100 meters
Fishing Season: All Year Long
This species also known as GT, is common through out the country. In Filipino this species is called Talakitok and the Bisaya speaking people call these fish Mamsa. It is the largest of the Trevally species growing to a maximum weight of around 80kgs. Juveniles can be caught a variety of places from reefs, to estuaries, sandy bottom shorelines. The larger adults are more common around deeper reefs, atolls or sea walls. This species can also be caught in Lake Taal in Batangas which was once connected to the ocean via a river.
Angler target these species in a variety of ways which include trolling, bottom fishing, jigging, popping and even bait fishing. The fish in the picture below is a nice GT caught by Biboy in Palawan while Popping.
Popping for GT in Palawan
The larger GT are quite powerful and can quite easily destroy fishing gear that is not up for the challenge. For anglers targeting this species be sure you are using the right gear for the job.
The Taal Lake GT Featured on the Philippine 50 Peso Bill
In recent years the Bankgo Sentral Ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) has featured the Giant Trevally of Lake Taal on their 50 Peso Bill. This is part of the move to highlight unique flora, fauna, and geographic features of the Philippines in efforts to conserve and increase public awareness. Hopefully the unique freshwater GT of Taal will remain a permanent feature of the lake’s ecosystem.
Pangasius Catfish ( Pangasianodon hypophthalmus )
Common Name: Pangasius, Creme Dory, Striped Catfish, Swai, Hammerhead
Local Name: Kanduli (Tagalog – incorrect); Creme Dory (Cebuano)
Max Size: 130 cm (44 kgs)
Biodiversity: Freshwater, Introduced,
Depth: 0 – ?? m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: none
Recommended Bait: Doughbait
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
CJ’s Pangasius
Here is a fine 3kg specimen of the Pangasius Catfish, also known as Creme Dory, Pangasius, Hammerhead Shark(in the aquarium trade) and Iridescent Shark. These catfish were introduced allegedly in 1982 from Thailand where they are native as a food fish and an ornamental fish. This fish was mainly found in the aquarium trade before, but more recently has been raised in ponds as a food fish. Currently there are pangasius breeders in Laguna and Pampanga breeding these fish on a large scale. These fish are known to be present in Taal Lake, Tadlac Lake, Laguna Lake, and many other ponds, lakes and rivers in around the country. They can grow to a maximum size of 130cm weighing up to 44kgs. This one pictured above was caught in a private pond. These fish frequently take dough balls, bread and other baits made from plant material.
Fishing The Philippines 