Nonong
05-24-2009, 09:52 PM
Greetings from the Philippines!
Very few know about the fish rich waters of the Rapu-Rapu Island Channel. This is located off the Sorsogon mainland facing the Pacific Ocean. The water depth mid to the island from Prieto Diaz is a cobalt blue 2,000 meters! The area is pristine with no high pressure sportfishing. I have trolled all day out there using a banca outrigger boat. Absolutely no sportfishing boats!
Blue Marlin exist in a triangle i have dubbed as the San Bernardino Strait opening; Catanduanes Island and Rapu-Rapu Island-Prieto Diaz channel and opening triangle. Big YFT roam in the channel and off the Pacific side of the island. I have spotted solitary 200 to 400 pounders leaping in the channel.
I personally believe that granders exist in the triangle. But.... there are only bigger fishing bancas to charter. No weighing stations and the possibility of an old man of the sea boat lashing of a big marlin scenario. My boatmen tell of marlin as big as mature coconut logs are wide. One talked about 200 lbs. handline being snapped by a fish he never saw surface. Talk about dorado, smoker mackerel, GT and huge sharks. Bottom fishing and jigging is good. Try popper trolling the reefs for grouper and snapper.
The Bicol Region is visited by many foreigners. Americans have also marvelled at the Mayon Volcano. This has been the recent site of repeat U.S./Filipino forces Balikatan Exercises. Humanitarian and medical missions are held here too.
World class accomodations are available at Cagragay Island. Discovery Bay resort and Misibis Land. Please see: http://www.misibis.com
Sorsogon has a good jump-off area in Bacon Beach resort areas. A good old roughing it style dive resort patronized by americans is the Sirangan Beach Resort. Please see: http://www.sirangan.com/
Very few know about the fish rich waters of the Rapu-Rapu Island Channel. This is located off the Sorsogon mainland facing the Pacific Ocean. The water depth mid to the island from Prieto Diaz is a cobalt blue 2,000 meters! The area is pristine with no high pressure sportfishing. I have trolled all day out there using a banca outrigger boat. Absolutely no sportfishing boats!
Blue Marlin exist in a triangle i have dubbed as the San Bernardino Strait opening; Catanduanes Island and Rapu-Rapu Island-Prieto Diaz channel and opening triangle. Big YFT roam in the channel and off the Pacific side of the island. I have spotted solitary 200 to 400 pounders leaping in the channel.
I personally believe that granders exist in the triangle. But.... there are only bigger fishing bancas to charter. No weighing stations and the possibility of an old man of the sea boat lashing of a big marlin scenario. My boatmen tell of marlin as big as mature coconut logs are wide. One talked about 200 lbs. handline being snapped by a fish he never saw surface. Talk about dorado, smoker mackerel, GT and huge sharks. Bottom fishing and jigging is good. Try popper trolling the reefs for grouper and snapper.
The Bicol Region is visited by many foreigners. Americans have also marvelled at the Mayon Volcano. This has been the recent site of repeat U.S./Filipino forces Balikatan Exercises. Humanitarian and medical missions are held here too.
World class accomodations are available at Cagragay Island. Discovery Bay resort and Misibis Land. Please see: http://www.misibis.com
Sorsogon has a good jump-off area in Bacon Beach resort areas. A good old roughing it style dive resort patronized by americans is the Sirangan Beach Resort. Please see: http://www.sirangan.com/