This is a long shot but is there anyone out there who has fished for GT's in the Philippines ?
They're clearly out there, the local name for a GT is Talakitok, and I've seen pics of odd fish up to 21kg. However I suspect few people, if any, pop etc for them.
The Subic Bay area seems to throw up the odd fish and is only a couple of hours from where I stay on my occasional visits to the Philippines.
My in laws might see me a bit more often in the future if I could sort out some decent fishing..............
Try the Batanes Islands, northern most island of Philippines.
Think it is 2 hours by air from Manila.
Downside is only one flight a week and baggage weight limits are extremely strict with most of the cargo being food or supplies for the island.
Logistics can be a pain in the @$$ there are no proper fishing boats when i was there, but the fishing is good.
I was fishing with the locals on a 3 man boat with a small motor.
Was there in the early 2000s, steep cliffs and dropoffs make up most of the islands, deep blue water with GTs, Marlins, Wahoos, Mahis, Flametail Ruby snappers and YFTs roaming near the rocky cliffs and deep dropoffs.
Good time to go is April when the flying fish are in season and typhoons are not as frequent.
Some of the biggest flying fish i have seen are from Batanes, they are over a foot long!
Taiwanese boats frequent the waters off Batanes but the coast guards drives them off when they get too close.
Mainly subsistence fishing with handlines and only one or two islanders doing sport fishing.
There are no 5 stars hotels and the only place with air conditioning is the local bank.
You will probably be staying in one of the village lodges or stone houses which are found everywhere on the island.
I stayed at Shane Dels Inn when i was there.
Cheers,
Paul.