Category Archives: Bream (Bakoko)
Silver Grunt ( Pomadasys argenteus )
Common Name: Bream, Grunter, Grunt, Javelin
Local Name: Bakoko, Aguot (Tagalog), Ago-ot, Likti (Cebuano)
Max Size: 70 cm
Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Freshwater
Depth: 1 – 115 m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: None
Recommended Bait: Shrimp, worms and crustaceans;
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
This is one of a couple fish that is known around the islands as Bakoko or Ago-ot. It is distiguished from the larger Bakoko ( Acanthropagrus pacificus ) by its more elongated snout and small black spots on its sides. These fish are encountered most often by anglers fishing is estuaries or large rivers that flow into the sea. Bakoko are known to be shrimp eaters and bait fishermen use small shrimp either live or dead to catch them.
Photo courtesy of Mikko C.
Pacific Sea Bream ( Acanthopagrus pacificus )
Gary’s Bakoko from Pampanga
Common Name: Sea Bream, Porgie, Grunt
Local Name: Bakoko, Agoot, Bakokong Moro (Tagalog); Bunggok, (Cebuano)
Max Size: 50 cm
Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Pelagic-Neritic
Depth: 1 – ?? m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: 8 inches
Recommended Bait/Lures: Shrimp, small fish and crustaceans
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (NE)
There are quite a few species of fish that are called by the name Bakoko here in the Philippines of which the Pacific Sea Bream is one. This particular species is primarily found in estuaries and even in rivers in brackish water. They are not a particularly large fish however they are a heavy set fish and make a good food fish.
Anglers target these fish mainly with shrimp either live or dead. This fish is most commonly caught around central Luzon though it is present all throughout the waters of the Philippines.
A good haul from Pampanga
A good sized Bream caught night fishing in Bacolod
These fish are called Baccucu in Bacolod City.
Large-Eye Bream ( Gymnocranius elongatus )
Deep Sea Fishing Cebu
Common Name: Bream, Seabream, Swallowtail Bream, Emperor, Large-Eye Emperor
Local Name: (Tagalog); Katambak Sa Laud (Cebuano)
Max Size: 35cm
Biodiversity: Marine, Demersal (bottom dwelling)
Depth: 50 – 100+ meters
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: None
Recommended Bait/Lures: Shrimp, crabs, other small crustaceans
IUCN Red List Status Status: Not Listed
These are generally a deeper water species that can be found along sandy or rocky bottoms. They can be found in small schools or solitary. They feed on the bottom mainly on invertebrates. These fish have a delicious white flesh similar to other emperor species and snappers which makes them excellent table fare. The fish pictured above was caught in around 100m of water while deep sea fishing in Cebu.
Good Sized Large-Eye Emperor
750g Bigeye Emperor
Deep-Bodied Mojarra ( Gerres erythrourus )
Latab caught on Mactan Island
Common Name: Silvery Biddy, Mojarra, Bream
Local Name: Malakapas (Tagalog), Latab (Cebuano)
Max Size: 30 cm
Biodiversity: Marine, Brackish, Reef-Associated, Oceanodromous, Endemic
Depth: 1 – 40m
Fishing Season: All Year Long
Minimum Size Limit: None
This is a relatively small species of fish that can be caught and hook and line as well as used as a good bait for fishing for larger game fish. These fish often school around the shoreline and reefs. You need relatively small hooks to catch this fish as they do have small mouths. The fish in the picture above was caught on a small shrimp.
Fishing The Philippines 