CATCHING TILAPIA

[scoob]

Several Powerplant lakes in Texas have been stocked with 'Tilapia' and are now being discovered as pretty fine fair, as far as eating...However, catching the critters has become a problem for the few of us that are interested in the fish, and we would like to lean on some of our fishing buddies from other states that have mastered the technique of catching this fish on rod and reel... We can bow hunt them and we can catch them with a castnet, but so far haven't found anybody that catches them with a hook/bait.
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[theangler]

Hello Scoob.

I've never even heard of this type of fish, what can you tell me about them?
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[gvanzant]

Hi: Tilapia are a very hardy fish imported from Africa at first to clean up our water canal systems like the All American Canal and others off the Colorado River. They were supposed to eat the Hydra that clogged up the canals. They soon spread and become an actual nuisance. Presently they are thick in the brackish waters at the head of the San Gabriel River near the Power Plant outlets. In the spring and fall they can be seen swimming up river appearing like 100 yard balls of dust like clouds. There are virtually millions of them. Every Cormarant and Pelican in the country feeds on them. Yes, it really gets crowded on the river. They are really prolific, thus supporting a large commercial market. All the grocery stores have them in their fish cases. I assume the fish in Texas is the same as here in Long Beach. They reach about 8 inches in length and those guys that fish for them use worms for bait PS although illegal they are wonderful halibut bait.
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[scoob]

Correct; Gvanzant, However in the warm water power plant lake that I live nearby, there are two species, the Spotted, and the Blue. And both can run up to 6lbs. The farm raised ones have very white,sweet meat. But here in Texas they are considered a rough fish, and (just like California) and most places were a mistake. I've been researching them and can find very little about how to catch them with a hook. But I did pick up some clues from China... It appears that they will eat about anything and maybe caught(maybe)with a doughbait like one would use for Carp, or small worms/larva/maggots. Nobody fishes for them around here but there is interest... One day I would like to wade Southern California casting a 'Hammer' Tail and hang up with a Halibut....Thankyou and LOL
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[gvanzant]

scoob: Interesting. I didn't know of two species of tilapia. Here's a story you might like. The commercial interests like to raise "light colored fish" because they appear more attractive to customers in the grocers fish case. So, using the old genetics they have developed a totally cream colored tilapia. About one fish in 2000 (something like that) is born cream colored. They hold out for a "pair" and soon get lots of cream colored offsprings. If you are familiar with the Mexican Cabrilla,did you know that the golden cabrilla is actually a genetic mistake. If you bring that Hammer Tail to Southern California there are lots of other fish that will bite your tail faster than a halibut and fight much harder. One thing about saltwater vs freshwater...sometimes you never know what you're going to catch. In a way it's fun to get spooled or broken off by some denizen that you weren't expecting. This is getting "windy" so I will hlod off telling the story of Triploid Trout.
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[scoob]

Thanks George, It's been very interesting reading your comments... I live in central/east Texas and transfered up here from the Gulf Coast and have been around salt/wtr all my life, and miss it. I retired last July and have developed a taste for fresh water over the last 16 yrs. Yes I know what it's like to be spooled, and I've had the 'Damn! I wish I knew what that fish was!' I still make it to the bays occasionally and do a little wading.... But you and the west coast have been blessed with some great near shore fishing/wading.... I guess you can tell that I'm getting a little cabin fever...What type of fishing and fish are you most interested in? Steve
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[gvanzant]

Scoob: This is a blast talking about fishing especially to some one who is a veteran as far away as Texas. What kind of fishing am I interested in? I like to fish for anything. I once had an aquarium with two blue gill in it. I used to experiment with different fly pattern on them. I tied a fly pattern on a straight pin, to eliminate the hook and bounced it on top of the water to watch their reaction. When I was a kid I made my own hooks out of straight pins and caught smelt with bread balls. My first rod and reel was used to catch rat-tail sting rays out of our local bay. My first love though, is to fish all the hardbottom spots around Long Beach. I fish from a 28 foot Ulrickson with all the necessary electronics.You could probably get more of a handle on my fishing interests by reading the stuff I put on this site at "Georges' Corner". If you ever get to Southern California we could go get some of those "butts" you would like to tie into.
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[JapanRon]

Hey there Scoob,

Kind of strange. I thought I had sent a reply but maybe it didn't actually register. Anyway, there is a site that focuses on fishin in the Salton Sea (large body of water) which is located here in California. This lake is full of fish that can live in very warm, brackish or saline water. The webmaster of the site will be happy to give you hints on fishing for tilapia as well as sargo and corvina. He also does a weekly fishing report.

The tilapia are pretty easy to catch on the fly and are the forage fish for the big corvina. Their population fluctuates wildly in the Salton Sea. They normally travel in very large schools. Use the search engine Google.com and input Salton Sea, fishing, corvina and you'll find the site.

JapanRon
a.k.a.tsurikichi

Hope this helps,
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[scoob]

Thanks Ron, I have already read some info on the Saltan Sea, but I'll ckeck it out again... I would have gotten back sooner but computer been acting up... Thanks for the input... steve
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[ssor]

Hi Steve,

WOW! I was worried there for a while. Was begining to think you had gone to Angler Heaven. Boy what a relief to see you back on the boards.Welcome back

That Gettogether down in Port Aransas is all set up and just right for you to come down and enjoy some of the great saltwater fishing you love. Hope you can make it down at least for the Tournament. I will be down there ready to give you a prize or two.

I have missed your fishing reports over on the Texas forum. Have you been out on the water lately or has the weather given you cabin fever like alot of the north texas anglers have?
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[scoob]

A Big Hello! to my Friends, from Scoob... Yes, I've been off the Boards for awhile. Mostly due to Computer Virus, bad telephone lines, and computer server problems. When you live way out in the Texas Cow Country like I do things just don't go as fast, or as well as you wish... I've been knocked off my server just the last 3 days which interrupted a great conversation with (george Gvanzant) a very knowledgable person... Weather has been a real issue here and the water temp is cold, but every once in awhile I'll catch a few bass on a string of nice days. The Crappie will be turning on soon as well as the white bass making there run up the creeks, probably early March... The Cats will be chasing the shad into shallow water in about late March / early April... Spring time in Texas means some of the greatest fishing of the year for freshwater, and the Bays will start thundering with schools of bait fleeing the jaws of specks and reds in the shallow water. I'm getting carried away....must be the cabin fever...I'm going to clean and sort out my Tackle Box again.... Nice to here from you, ssor! Probably see ya later this year. [cool]
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[puzzum]

I live in Florida and people dump them into our canals.
I target them by using 6pd test and a piece of bread on a size 4 or 6 hook.
If they are at the surface use a bread flake, on bottom bread ball.[fishin]
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[NatefromOgden]

My brother and I caught a supper sized mess of Tilapia from his backyard Florida pond using nightcrawlers hanging under a float just like you might do for bluegill. We had some very basic, (cheap) gear and the fish put up a fine fight.
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[sabigfish]

We have some a few years ago in our ponds at Canyon lake and the only success was with a bobber with a few piece of worm. Most are caught in cast nets.
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[CudaBill]

never had a hard time catching these things in california (where they may be, however).

I've had best luck fishing them out like carp (they school together). Usually, anything unorthodox will work. Never had luck on lures, but bread balls, fish food, etc work. A bow and arrow also work great.
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[albinotrout]

We have them in a small set of lakes south of Wendover here in Utah. The DWR doesn't want them there, they were planted illegaly. So you can keep everything you pull out no limit. They use plastic jigs here. Also can tip it with frozen peas. careful heard that they can steal the bait off the hook.[cool]
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[zachdawg72]

[reply]If your looking for the funnest way to catch them try snagging them but for the most effective way use a castnet[/reply]
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[Paulpro]

I snag catch them weigh photograph and release I call it
SCWPR for "short" I pinch the barb and always try to lip snag them.
Really strong fighters!,I got one and was sick didn't even move a muscle really weird,skinny and pale reminded me of ET when he got sick[frown]
Never thought to upload the snag video but I will!,you can see them both released here,the sick one died found it floating..each is weighed 5lb..I seen bigger up to 10 maybe,one is blind in one eye.

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[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XTfkx9fHyA"]Dual release Blue Tilapia![/url]
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[FLfishmaster]

Wzup scoob. I would like to offer you some tips on how to fill your cooler with tilapia. Like already stated in previous replies worms and bread balls will work OK for tilapia, but if you wish to catch them on hook and line pieces of hot dogs work the best. They also like dog food and split corn kernels. If you flyfish you want to use a dry fly at dawn. Tilapia fill up on flies in the a.m. The best times to catch tilapia are morning and evening hrs. I hope this helps and good luck to you.
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