Fishing Tournament Experience

Along with my wife and two other friends, we joined the 1st Cebu Pond Fishing tournament at Porter's Marina last August 5, 2012. 

It was our first time so we were very excited and woke up very early. The tourney date coincided with the Ironman tournament but it was good for us since we live in the northern part of Mandaue City and our route wasn't affected at all. My friend had to get out from Mactan the night before because of some vehicle route closure. The saying that, "if there's a will, there's a way" is very true to this friend of mine and for other tourney participants who suffered the heavy traffic before reaching Porter's.

Porter Marina Fun Fishing Tournament

Want to join a fishing tournament in Cebu? Try this: The 1st Pond Fishing Tournament at Porter Marina Fun Fishing & Grill House on August 5, 2012 from 9am to 12nn.

Registration fee is pegged at P200 pesos per participant. But if you purchase at least P500 at TCE Tackle between July 15-31, 2012, registration fee is waived.

Categories are as follows:
1) Biggest bangus
2) Biggest grouper
3) Biggest snapper
4) Biggest seabass
5) Most number of bangus
6) Overall champion

You'll pay for your catch, but excluding the winning fish. I guess I now have to ready my gears and my wallet for this event.

For further inquiries, please call TCE Tackles at (032) 328-3843 or 0917-3219341.

Tilapia Fishing in Cebu

I was already in my 20s when I first tasted tilapia. I had no other choice as it was the only viand served at my aunt’s table when I happened to visit her home in Quezon City during one of my out-of-town trips.

“You don’t eat tilapia in Cebu, do you?” she asked me.

I had to agree. Prior to that, I never knew how that fish tasted. We’re so used to fishes produced by the sea. In those days, I could not even recall seeing tilapia being sold in Mandaue and Carbon markets.

But I know how a tilapia looks like because when we were kids, we’re catching them using our bare hands at some dirt pond a few meters away from our house. Eating them was unthinkable then.

But today, even supermarkets are selling tilapia. There are also a few fish-for-pay ponds in Cebu that have tilapia stocks. They also offer to cook the fish at the way you like it. I like it deep-fried though. Here are some places where you can experience tilapia fishing in Cebu.

Wetland Park located at N. Bacalso Avenue (that road leading to Inayawan, Pardo) is one of the firsts in Cebu. Their Facebook page is here. We used to go there five years ago and we just used ordinary bamboo rods. I didn’t have a decent fishing rod then but we usually caught palm-sized fishes. We had our catch cooked for us at an affordable price.

Co Jordan also has tilapia, as one worker there claimed. I never caught one in my many trips there. I only used dough as bait but tilapia’s fave is earthworm. They have tilapia sold at 160 per kilo but I learned that they sourced them from some other ponds.  

AC Tilapia Fishing near Mantayupan falls in Barili is also one place that you should go. They have ready rods and accommodating assistants to make your fishing experience unforgettable. Don’t forget to take a dip at the cool waters of the magnificent Mantayupan Falls when you go there. They are just a walking distance away from each other.

Victoria Hard Rock Resort in San Remigio, Cebu has a fish pond for fun fishing. The place is very nice and serene and I want to go back there someday. But it is quite far as you need to drive at least 3 hours just to get there. You have to go north to Tabuelan via Lugo (via Bogo is farther). Victoria is the first baranggay right after the Tabuelan-San Remigio boundary.

Last month, I had the opportunity to fish tilapia at my boss’ private pond. Here’s what we got.

Average tilapia weight is one kilo. Not bad really. I can’t wait to go back there soon.

Fishing at Co Jordan in Cebu

Co Jordan is one of the more popular pond fishing spots in Cebu today.  It is located in Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu.  To get there by public transport, ride a jeepney that will get you to SM Consolacion and embark just before the bridge a few meters from the front of the mall.  Take a tricycle and you’ll arrive there in a few minutes.  Here's the map >>> Co Jordan Fishing

If fishing is your trip, they have tilapia and bangus in which even noobs can catch within a minute, provided it is feeding time (between 4- 6pm) and you are on the right spot.  You don’t need to have your own expensive rods as they have bamboos already set up.  Rental for the rod is cheap at P10 and you have to buy the dough bait at P10 pesos each.  The net where you place your catch are free for use. You can also ask from them fish food pellets so that fishing will be much easier for you.

Some people have also caught other fish species but they are not the usual specie found in the dining table. So, it's better you release them alive if you do not know them.  Please don’t massacre them.  I even caught a giant crab which weighed 3/4 kilo.  The poor creature got entangled in my line so it was purely accidental. I released it alive upon learning that it costs P500/kilo. Bangus and tilapia caught are sold at 160 per kilo if uncooked.  If you want them cooked, it becomes 200 per kilo

They do not encourage catch and release.  You'll see them frown if you won't buy your catch.  You can also choose your own spot even if you not renting a cottage.  You can stay on the unoccupied huts or go farther away if you feel like it.

I have seen Co Jordan in its early days, when the access road was not yet completed and there were no other huts sprouting in the place. However, it has evolved more into a restaurant and family videoke place today, and fishing has just become an added attraction.  Cottages can be rented from 200 to 500 pesos for 3 hours.  They charge an additional amount if you exceed the time limit.  If you rent the biggest cottage, you have a videoke all for yourself.  Of course, you need 5-peso coins to play the songs you want.

The food is good and the prices are affordable.  They don't just sell bangus and tilapia but they also have pork, shrimp, talaba and even tangigue and quite a good range of food choices. 

Co Jordan is the most convenient place whenever wifey and I itch for a short fishing trip.  We usually go there on Sundays from 4 - 6pm and choose the spots far from the annoying sounds of the videoke. 

Addicted To Fishing

How do you know you are addicted to fishing?

Last October 1, 2008 we went fishing at Kalawisan Fishing Village in Lapulapu City. We aimed at catching the biggest haul of our lives. I was already prepared to shell out a few hundred pesos in case we catch lapulapu and giant bangus. A couple of friends joined me and my wife. This would be our second outing together because in our first outing the week before, they caught nothing, while my wife caught just one fish.

They were already ready with newly-purchased hooks, strings, swivels and floaters. I too was excited to use my brand-new fishing rod. My wife was just contented with the bamboo rod.

We set out early. Our friends arrived at 7am while we caught up with them past 8am. In our excitement, we forgot to put on sunblocks. As it was a breezy day with clear-blue sky, my wife and I didn’t mind the sun.

We ordered rice in advance for lunch hoping that we’d just cook our morning catch. Midday came but our buckets were still empty. We still haven’t caught a single fish. Hunger sets in so we ordered a kilo of crabs for lunch. “May we catch more fish for dinner, Lord” was a line I included in our prayer for lunch.

It was already 4pm when I felt my red-hot and burning skin. We caught a couple of small fishes but we returned them to the pond. Our friends caught a large milkfish, but in their excitement, they lost it, including their hook and floater. I, too, lost a possible big catch. The fish got the bait and my hook.

It was dark when I first caught a fish. The fish is locally known as “Kitong”. My friend also caught a bigger one minutes after. So for 12 hours of fishing, we caught two fishes with a total weight of 450 grams. We brought it home and fried it for dinner.

That night, my wife and I separately dreamt of fishing. The fish that got away wouldn’t leave my mind. She dreamt of catching a large fish. In the morning, I woke up in pain brought about by the sunburn. If not for work, I would have headed back to Kalawisan Fishing Village. So we just decided to go fishing again the succeeding weekend. In that month alone, we fished at least 6 times.

That, my friends, is what I call fishing addiction part 1.

Night Fishing in Cebu

Summer is definitely here and you can really feel the heat, literally. To those who wants to fish but wants to avoid the sun and all the effects it brings to your skin, night fishing is an alternative for you.

So, where do you go for night fishing in Cebu?

Cebu is an island surrounded with water so night fishing can be practically done anywhere, except for some restricted areas. An uncle of mine who is an experienced fisherman prefers night fishing when he wants to catch squid and larger fish species. “It’s cool at night and you won’t get drained immediately” he said.

If you have traveled by boat, have you ever noticed at night that there are lots of lights at the sea that you think they are fireflies? They are fishermen in their bancas. They fish at night because that’s time they get plenty of fish. Many fish species look for food at night, just like you and me when we want to have dinner or midnight snacks. The fish also follow the night lights so that they can see their food. That is the reason why fishermen carry with them bright lights at night – to guide the fish to their food, which unfortunately, is the bait that will lead them to our tables.

For those who are just into fun fishing, you can hire a boat in Mactan and fish at the Mactan channel. Or you can just go to the Porter Marina, pay P100 entrance and fish till you drop at 3AM. Fish for pay ponds like Co Jordan in Tayud, Consolacion, is open till 9pm, so you can still do night fishing. For dPond in Yati, Liloan, they have cottages with a room that you can rent overnight. It’s located at the center of the pond so that you can fish while you sleep.

Me and wifey usually go to the ponds starting 4pm till 8pm. The last time we went fishing at midday, my skin got burned.

(pic above was taken last Holy Thursday at Co Jordan in Consolacion, Cebu)

How To Tie, Set up A Fishing Hook

Honestly, one of my dilemmas in fishing is how to tie and set up the fishing hook. It looked so easy to others, especially for my cousins and uncles who lived by the sea, and whose livelihood are based on the sea produce.

But for a city boy like me whose more into books and office works, simply tying a fish hook is such a mess. So I thank God for videos, like these three below.

Tying Fishing Knot - Clinch Knot



How To Tie A Uni Knot Fishing Knot



If you still have some space in your brain to try another knot, here's an alternative:

How To Tie A Perfection Loop Fishing Knot



Learning how to tie a fishing knot is important especially if you catch larger species and they bite off your line and swallow your hook. In many instances, your line will break and you have to do some tying again.

So it's very basic that you know how to tie a fishing hook.

Fishing in Cebu

Fishing is my new hobby. I got addicted to it sometime in 2008 and it seems I'm not over with it yet. As a matter of fact, this hobby is contagious. I had convinced some of my friends, colleagues and family members to go fishing. It's fun really. But you need lots of patience when you are into this kind of game.

Where to fish in Cebu?

Cebu is an island in the Pacific surrounded by bodies of water. You can fish almost anywhere. But seriously, not really anywhere.

You can't fish at the Pier because entry is restricted. You can't fish at any beach because there are swimmers. In some parts, fishing is not allowed because of some environmental laws. But you can fish under the new Marcelo Fernan (Mandaue-Mactan) Bridge, at some fish-and-pay ponds, private ports, and rivers.

This site aims to direct you to some of the best fishing sites in Cebu where you can bring along your families, friends, girl or boy friends, spouses, kids, and even pets. From time to time, I will also post some helpful fishing tips I find in the net.

Happy fishing everyone!