Spearfishing in the Philippines

[maxdive]

I recently moved to the Philippines (Manila) from Sydney. I'm very keen to get back into my spear fishing yet can't find anyone to dive with and don't know what areas would be suitable.

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. I'm looking for any clubs, contacts, or good places to go, I'd really appreciate help from anyone out there!
Thanks!

[Diver06]

Hi I emailed a guy that lives in Puerte Galera and he said you can hunt there but not on tanks.. His brother also has a boat and its easy to get there from manila just a few hours ride to sabang and I would love to hunt there the water is clear.

[pcreis]

HI

I live im Macao, and i´m planning to go to Puerto Galera, where I already dive in 1996, but now to spearfishing.
Could You send me the contacts of those friends, to plan a spearfishing dive around August 2007?
Thanks

PREIS

[pcreis]

Sorry, I didn´t send my email
preis@macau.ctm.net

Thanks again

[mwoolgar]

Hi Guys

I'm planning to also go out to the Philippines in mid August 2007. I would love to meet up with someone to go spear fishing. I was planning to go around Batangas but Puerto Gallera would also be good. Please let me know.

Cheers

Miles

mileswoolgar at yahoo.co.uk

[latitude10north]

Okay! First off, Malitbog is in Southern Leyte. The bay is Sogod and there are many diving spots. My email address is latitude10north@yahoo.com. It was a foolish question about the spearguns as we will ship them by boat thru Forex to Malitbog from Washington State. We are in process of installing a concrete perimeter fence and are immediately going up possibly 2 more storys. We expect to be there in six weeks. My name is Mike Lloyd, my wife is Julieta.

[mwoolgar]

As I type I'm in Manila. I have just returned from Puerto Galera and quite frankly I would not recommend PG for spearfishing. All in all the trip has been quite a disaster from start to finish.

My wife works for Cathay Pacific so I get cheap standby tickets - unfortunately this means going through Hong Kong. I read about someone else who went through HK with spearguns and got nearly arrested by the Police. As I had no choice I thought I would risk it and plead ignorance if caught. When we arrived at HK our bags and my spearguns were still in London so we had to stay in HK overnight and wait for the baggage to catch up. The next day we got on a flight to Manila but before we did this we had to get the bags and then check them in again. Just as we were getting on the plane the police pulled me aside and into a van with 4 police armed with submachine guns. They had clearly xrayed the bags as nothing had been opened. After measurning the guns, taking photos and asking loads of questions they eventually said that I had been given an official warning not to bring spearguns into HK as I did not have a licence. Thankfully I got on the plane, guns included


After a day in Manila we drove to Batangas and got on a ferry to Puerto Galera [PG]. At the pier, customs police asked if I had any knives. Innocently I said yes and explained it was for free diving. I opened my speargun case got out the knife, with the guns in full view. They then confiscated the knife.... but not the guns!!! Bloody stupid considering I then had to buy another knife in PG.

The trip to PG from Batangas via a large banka [local boat] was hell on earth. A typhoon was just finishing so there were huge wave - well dodgy! My wife got sea sick but we eventually made dry land.

As for spearing in PG it would seem that there is one rule for the locals and another for foreigners. Before I took out my speargun I asked several dive instructors if you are allowed to spearfish - a definite no was the reply. However, the locals say they use them all the time and there is not a problem so long as you do not use tanks. The police here can be quite unforgiving so I took the risk but kept a really low profile.

I spent the next 7 days spearing around PG but constantly dodging divers. It was a real pain in the arse and eventually I gave up. As for fish I saw a few spanish mackerel, parot fish and lapu lapu, but nothing was worth shooting. This could have been due to the fact that I arrived just as a typhoon was finishing and I left just as a typhoon was beginning. The lesson here is avoid the Philippines during the typhoon season.

Well, as you can see not exactly a successful trip. Thankfully I have family here in Manila so I can leave my two guns here. My next trip will be in May 2008 when I will go to Moalboal in Cebu... or maybe some other place were you can spearfish in peace.

Tomorrow I'm going fishing at the local dam - this time only with line, lead, hook and a float. I'll probably have more luck!

[mwoolgar]

Hi Mike - I don't know who's post you are quoting but if it is refering to my reference of Moalboal this place is in Cebu. Maybe not. Tell us more about Malitbog... are you opening a resort there?

Originally Posted by latitude10north

Okay! First off, Malitbog is in Southern Leyte.

P.S. I am here in Hong Kong trying to get a flight back to Hong Kong. I went to the police to clarify their policy on spearguns. It now appears that you can bring a speargun through HK but you must first declare the gun to the airline on checkin. The airline will then inform the HK police of the guns arrival and look after it whilst you are in transit.

[latitude10north]

I am not opening a resort, just retiring to Malitbog. My wife is a Philippino and we have a house and a coconut farm there. As a result of her being native born, our passports are stamped a year at a time. I have bought snorkeling equipment and am sending it this week. Our estimated departure time is Oct. 1. I also purchased 70cc bicycle kits for local transportation. We are 500 feet from the bay and I have purchased several large flotation devices.

[usmcspearfisher]

Some sound advice/recommendations here. Used to hit the Philipines quite frequently, though "adventures" in Subic can hardly be retold in a forum such as this, outside of saying that such "adventures" usually ended up with me visiting the Corpsman.

Anyway, have been toying with the idea of a return trip sometime in the future, so perhaps one is in order. Any brothers still there, or that will be there, we'll have to meet up.

[latitude10north]

Thanks for the heads-up. Things are pretty mellow in Malitbog, with a number of permanent residents from the US, Germany and Australia. Americans run a popular dive shop that offers guided dives in various places on sogod bay.

I'm not a diver but a snorkeler and a fisherman. We're considering the purchase of an outrigger with a motor. I have bought nice fishing spear tips of various kinds and find that fiberglass tent poles work quit well in that they can be taken down for a bus ride or shipping.

I found a cheap supply of surgical rubber in Spokane for the sling.

I have three more weeks here in Washington and we're heading to Virginia with a flight out of Richmond October 9.

I believe it's listed, but for future reference my email address is latitude10north@yahoo.com

[deep6]

hi everybody, im going over to the Manila for a few days and would like to find out where i can purchase some spearo equipment.il be staying at the renaissance hotel, so if there is any shops nearby do let me know.

thanks.

[mwoolgar]

Originally Posted by deep6

hi everybody, im going over to the Manila for a few days and would like to find out where i can purchase some spearo equipment.il be staying at the renaissance hotel, so if there is any shops nearby do let me know.

thanks.

I have just sent PM'd you some contact details

Cheers

[wdaf]

hi spearos,

some links to pics of the fish we get here in the Philippines, Cebu.

News from Paradise: Hunting again
News from Paradise: Fish, Fish, Fish
News from Paradise: A Spearfishing Trip to Palawan with Friends

Month of November 2008 will see a lot of deep freediving, outdoor adventures and spearfishing.

More info to come within the next week on Freediving-Philippines - Freediving Courses and Outdoor Adventure on a Tropical Island

bye,

Wolfgang

[wdaf]

Hi spearos.

From monday june 29,2009 on (+-1 day) i will go spearing for 3-5 days.
Most probably Negros or Siqior.

- Basic accomodation
- Spearing from the beach and evtl. with small cheap boats
- No tanx
- Very nice spots i know + some exploration dives

Anybody wants to join?

Contactinfo on my webpage.