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.