Work Trip – Cebu Philippines Fly Fishing Advice

[thad]

Hello everyone,
I am heading to Cebu an Island in the Philippines for a couple of weeks for work and would like to fish on my days off. Anyone been there or done any fishing?
I can’t find much as far as fly fishing goes. The area looks really good on Google Earth.

Thanks in advanced.
Thad

Thad Spates
Sharpsburg, Georgia

[Mike Cline]

Brian,
Although I never fished on Cebu, I did fish extensively on Luzon back in the early 1980s when I was stationed at Clark AB. My recollections are that freshwater fishing is pretty limited due to polluted rivers and lakes (few). There’s a lot of Tilapia available in ponds. The best fishing was in near shore waters off beaches and small islands that were easily reached by small Banka boats.

Typical banka boat found along most Philippine beaches.

We would just walk down to the beach near where we wanted to fish and find a banka boat owner and pay him about $10 (in pesos) for a full days use of the boat. The inshore waters off Luzon varied from 15-100’ over sand and coral and the deep faces of inshore islands were loaded with fish. Any medium to large saltwater fly—clousers, etc. fished with a sinking line would connect with reef fish. There was a lot of snapper and grouper in the 12-18” class plus all sorts of other exotic reef fish.
From looking at the satellites of Cebu, there are two nice looking bays on the north end of the island near Bogo City. That’s the kind of remote spots we searched out on Luzon to fish. Where ever you find remote villages along the coast, you will find banka boats willing to take you out fishing for a small price.

Most of these fisherman use hand lines and bait over the reefs. They anchor instead of drifting because they don’t want to lose hooks and weights on the reef. We found that drifting was far more productive. You will lose some flies but covering water proved the better way to bag some good fish. We learned that if we brought along a good supply of line and quality saltwater hooks to give as a gift to the banka boat guys and promised them most of the fish caught they were far more amenable to drifting.

So, if I was going back today, I’d bring along a good 6 or 7 wgt fast action rod with a 24-30’ 150-250 grain sink tip, OX leader and lots of clousers, deceivers and such. I’d also be prepared to use a heavy #30-50 lbs tippet if you are getting a lot of bite offs from toothy fish.

Hope that helps. Will be interested in how you make out.

Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu

[thad]

Brian,
Thanks a lot for the advice! I will surely give a report.

Thanks
Thad

Thad Spates
Sharpsburg, Georgia

[bags]

Thad,

I am going to the phillipines in March. Near Cebu (an island called Bantyan). My first time (wife’s family from there). Bringing kids but hoping to get out. Have access to good sized banka boat.

Any advice?

Scott
Saint John
New Brunsswick

[Author]

Posts