Young fishers, man with string and hook dominate Saleng Fish Tourney

June 18, 2022 Metro BLISTT

A 14-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl, and a man with makeshift fishing equipment who had a last-minute catch are the biggest story during the Saleng Fish Catching Competition at the Burnham Lake Sunday, during Independence Day.
The 14-year-old Bruce Cacas and the five-year-old Aliyah Triss Cupatan were the first to record catches coming in barely after eight minutes after the start of their one-hour stretch in catching the biggest and maybe most numbers of fishes started – a 13- inch and 12-inch tilapia, respectively.
Cacas, the younger of two brothers competing had a eureka cry after a short time that drew applause from a small crowd. That broke the 10-inch effort of Jackson Abion earlier during the first batch of competitors at the dock in the City Environment and Parks Management Office event which is part of the five-month Saleng Festival or Pine Tree Festival.
Then a few seconds, Cupatan, the littlest and youngest of the 28 participants, shouted with glee as she also reined in a 12-inch fish that left
the other 17 participants, that include a fisherman professional photographer from Batanes, a Korean fishing hobbyist, and a visual artist, were stunned.
Cacas later followed up his success with another 13-inches before struggling with his brother with what could be a much bigger catch after their lines were tangled allowing the fish to get away.
“That could be a 16- inch,” said tournament director Rafael Serrano after leaving the brothers who were trying to untangle their lines.
But the last-minute catch of Julius Carnese, who was using a line and hook attached to an eight-inch piece of wood, saw him dangling an 11-inch catch for his third fish of the day as time expired.
He earlier caught an eight-inches halfway in the competition and 10 minutes later, his biggest catch at 12 inches. Carnese took the most
catch award, while Cacas netted the biggest fish award.
Cupatan settled for the second-place award in the biggest fish category edging Kim Dae Hyun who caught his 12-inch fish midway in the
competition.
Kim, however, left early after he lost a big one that got away during crunch time. “It could be a catfish, a big one”, said Serrano, who saw the
surplus store owner’s 12-foot fishing rod bend to its fullest.
Cecil Bayanes also caught the last train for the money round as she hooked a 13-inches just as the clock struck one hour to go along with her
earlier catch of 10 inches. Bayares was earlier given the gold plum in the biggest catch which was taken back due to countback as the younger Cacas boy had two 13-inch catches.
Bayares instead settled for the second most catch, ahead of first-round competitor Abion, whose yield of 10 and nine-inch tilapias was the best catch so far until the second batch. Meanwhile, the older Cacas boy, Francisco III, 16, was given the young angler award, Sally Wayte, a Hawaii, the United States-based Filipina, took the veteran angler’s award, for being a 78-year older. She also has a 2.5-inch young tilapia she shows as a temporary trophy.
Celia Wegayan was given the Alpha and Omega award for enlisting the first entrant to the competition and one of the last to register a catch – a 10-inch.
As this developed, fishing could become a regular activity at the Burnham Lake, said Mayor Benjamin Magalong during the awards ceremony
right after the fishing competition that is backed by the Office of Benguet Congressman Eric Yap and the Department of Tourism – Cordillera.
“Thanks to the efforts of a man who survived Covid (for 45 days) who also suffered a big heartbreak when he lost his wife earlier this year,” said Magalong referring to Serrano, who was the first person to be issued a special fishing permit at the lake.
Magalong had his first catch of fishes Thursday last week during an early fishing tryst with Serrano where he outdid his fishing mentor five against three.
“He got his first taste of the shock when you get to catch a fish,” said Serrano, referring to the mayor.
On June 13, the City Environments and Parks Management Office is expected to release the first batches of fishing permits.
“We are still finalizing the guidelines on how to fish but by Monday, June 13, we expect to release permits including of course the fees,” said Sandra Almag during an Ugnayan at the City Hall last June 8.
This is a news welcome to fisherman-photographer Noli Gabilo, who joined the June 12 fishing tournament but failed to catch one. The Saleng Sports Events included a fun run (3K, 5K, and 10K), go-cart races, and a boat race among boat personnel. It is also supported by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the Manor at John Hay, HEDCOR – SN Aboitiz, and Newtown Plaza.
Pigeon Lobien with Nene Cadiog & Rainzee Bantiding/PIO Baguio Interns