Common Names:  Banded Groper, Yellow Lipped Rock Cod, Bighead Grouper

Local Name:  Lapu-Lapu (Tagalog); Pugapo (Bisaya – Cebu); Manalhog (Bisaya – Negros)

Max Size:  50 cm? (14 kgs)

Biodiversity: Saltwater

Depth: 40 – 250 meters

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:  None

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Crabs, small fish, lures, small jigs

IUCN Red List Status:  (LC) Least Concern

Common Name:  Grouper, Rockcod,

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog),  Pugapo (Cebuano)

Max Size:  76 cm (3 kgs) 

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated,

Depth:  2 – 65 m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:    12 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Squid, fish or cut bait;  jigs

IUCN Red List Status:   Not Evaluated (NE)

Common Name:  Grouper, Rockcod, Blotchy Grouper, Tiger Grouper, Flower Cod

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog),  Pugapo (Cebuano)

Max Size:  120 cm  (11 kg)

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated,

Depth:  1– 60 m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:    12 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Squid, fish or cut bait;  jigs

IUCN Red List Status:   Near Threatened (NT)

Grouper are some of the more elusive gamefish found around the country in the ocean. This species is no exception.  The Brown Marbled Grouper is distinguished from its numerous cousins by it unique blotched and marbled brown pattern.  This species, like most grouper species here, is a highly valued fish.  They are prized for their white flakey flesh and are marketed both live and fresh around the country.

These grouper can be caught a variety of ways on both artificial and natural baits and lures.  Groupers like this tend to be quite difficult to land because of their tendency to dive for cover once hooked. I sturdy leader line is necessary to land one of these fish. Grouper are also known as to be more active at night.

Grouper are one of the fish here in the Philippines that have been chosen for farm raising.  This particular species has been successfully raised in saltwater ponds .  There is some difficulty however in raising grouper in ponds because of their carnivorous nature and high meat diet.  This particular species is listed as near threatened, however it is our opinion that in fact they are not and that the fish’s cautious nature and feeding habits make them seem rarer than they actually are.

10kg Coral Trout Caught In Cebu

Common Name:  Red Grouper, Coral Trout, Leopard Coral Grouper

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog), Suno, Pogapo (Cebuano)

Max Size:  120 cm  (23.6 kg)

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated, Oceanodromous

Depth:  3 – 100+ m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:    32 cm

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Squid, fish or cut bait;  jigs

IUCN Red List Status:   Near Threatened (NT)

Honey Comb Grouper Caught at the Marcello Fernan Bridge

Common Name:  Grouper

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog), Lapu Lapu, Pogapo (Cebuano)

Max Size:  32 cm

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated,

Depth:  0 – 50 m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:  8 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Squid, fish or cut bait;  jigs, soft plastics, crankbaits

IUCN Red List Status:  Least Concern (LC)

This  is a small species of grouper found throughout the islands.  It Is easily distinguished by its small size and honeycomb like spots covering its body.  These fish, though small are prized as food fish.

Omet’s Honey Comb Grouper

Coral Hind caught in Cebu

Common Name:  Grouper, Hind 

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog), Lapu-Lapu Lawihan, Pogapo,  (Cebuano)

Max Size:  50cm

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated, Non-Migratory

Depth: 2 – 150 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

IUCN Red List Status:  Least Concern

This species is one of the many Grouper or Lapu-lapu species found around the islands.  This species however is not one of the true grouper species.  It is a member of the Hind family which closely resemble the grouper species.  The Hinds tend to be a bit smaller in size than the groupers and are often plentiful in areas around reefs.  This particular species (along with its red grouper relatives) is a highly sought after and highly valued species.  They bring a high price in the market and are said to be better tasting than their darker relatives.  The Hind species however are seen as a little inferior to grouper species as a food fish.  Apparently these fish are most valuable when they are around 1kg.

The fish pictured above was caught here in Cebu off Olango Island during one of our fishing charters.  It was caught at around 100m depth on peeled shrimp.

Good sized Lapu Lapu caught off Olango Is.

Common Name:  Grouper, Hind 

Local Name:  Lapu Lapu (Tagalog), Lapu Lapu, Pogapo (Cebuano)

Max Size:  40cm

Biodiversity: Marine, Reef Associated

Depth: 1 – 50 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

These are one of the many species of Lapu Lapu (or grouper like species) that can be caught here in Philippine waters.  This species is easy to confuse with its close relative the Bluespotted Grouper because of its dark color and blue spots.  This species has smaller spots and is usually smaller. These relatively small fish are found around shallow reef and are usually caught on bait like squid,  shrimp or even on jigs.  This is an excellent food fish if you are lucky enough to catch one large enough to eat.  They have a creamy white meat that tastes great steamed.  Some popular dishes are Sweat and Sour, and Black Bean Sauce.

If you happen to catch small fish of this species please release them and give them a chance to grow to a larger size.  We recommend that you don’t keep them if they are smaller than 10inches.

The fish in the picture above was caught on shrimp while bottom fishing in around 40m of water off of Mactan Island, Cebu.

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.