Comments on: Catching Small Fish With Bare Hands…

By: Larzy

Larzy — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:53:49 +0000

They are called catsawan by Mindorenos.

By: emmanuel nikko quiogue

emmanuel nikko quiogue — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:30:31 +0000

In Cebuano, it is known as BALO. It one of my mom’s favorite dried fish… very tasty!

By: kitchen

kitchen — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 04:07:25 +0000

Torcillo…?

By: mayumi

mayumi — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:26:02 +0000

i remember having these in san vicente, further south of coron. the fishermen called it espada. we made it into kinilaw.

By: ted

ted — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:38:21 +0000

I think they are called lulungi by bulakenyos, and yes back in the old-old days we can catch them with our hands in the Pampanga river, they can survive in fresh waters also.

By: Betchay

Betchay — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:27:30 +0000

Hi Corrine! I guess it depends on the location.If from pristine waters, I guess, it’s ok to eat.But still I wouldnt dare eat it here in the city! You never know where it came from! I shudder to think of all the dirt and pollution in the nearby shores.

By: corrine

corrine — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:30:56 +0000

Betchay, the guide in Kayangan Lake told us the same thing.. that they don’t eat this fish because they eat all the dirty stuff in the water… as in he gave examples and it’s yucky! I asked if they were janitor fishes and he said “no” so it seems he is really in the know. Hmmm… but these beauties are fascinating!

By: Bugi

Bugi — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:16:31 +0000

I was in that same lake, and this big shrimp kept on eating dead skin from my feet (I know its gross, but it was nature’s way of saying I needed a footspa). I caught them the same way you did. Man, I miss coron…

By: Ken Lovell

Ken Lovell — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:13:07 +0000

Yes, garfish, with beautiful delicate white flesh. I’ve bought them at Navotas fishport and caught them wild in Australia. Please don’t cook for more than a minute or two.

By: Betchay

Betchay — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:24:43 +0000

Hi MM! I remember seeing a lot of this fish from the dirty waters at the back of our school and was told that they eat debris that’s why they are always found near the shores.So it was imprinted in my young mind that this fish is “dirty”–not fit to be eaten and I never thought that it grows up that big! I’m glad you made a post on this fish to erase a myth from my childhood! :) I clicked on “garfish”(as anthony and kiko identfied it) in wikipedia and it does seem to be this fish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garfish