Dauin
Frogfish season in Dauin
Frogfish live on Dauin's sand all year, but some months are much better than others. Here's when to come, what to look for and where we find them.
Frogfish all year, with a peak
We see frogfish in Dauin all year round. The best months are March to June, when there are plenty of them on the sand. From February, frogfish numbers start to build, with lots of tiny juveniles growing bigger by the week.
In July and August they are still around, just not in the numbers of March to June, and you can find them on our dives in every other month too.
The season month by month
- February: frogfish numbers start to build, with tiny ones growing by the week. Water about 25 to 26°C.
- March: the start of the best frogfish months, with plenty of juveniles on the sand. Water about 25 to 26°C.
- April: one of the best frogfish months, and usually the driest month. Water 26 to 28°C.
- May: warm water again, and lots of frogfish. Water 28 to 29°C.
- June: the last of the best frogfish months. Water around 29°C.
- July and August: fewer frogfish, but still about. Warm water.
In the cooler months, from late December to March, bring a 3 mm or 5 mm wetsuit.
What to look for
A frogfish rarely moves. It sits on the sand, on a sponge or among debris, looking like part of the seabed, and waits for a small fish to swim too close. In Dauin we see hairy frogfish and painted frogfish, in a range of colours. At Apo Island, Mamsa Point is known for giant frogfish.
They are easy to swim straight past, so let your guide do the searching and move slowly once they've found one.
Where we find them
The Pier is known for plenty of frogfish, and Malatapay Pier has different kinds in the right season. We also find them across the Dauin coast, including on our house reef. Where they are changes from week to week, and our guides know where they've been seen lately.
Photographing frogfish
- Bring a macro lens.
- Keep your fins off the sand and settle gently, without touching anything.
- Never move a frogfish or prod it to change its position.
Read more in our guide to muck diving in Dauin, or see when to dive Dauin for the whole year.
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