Tilapia

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]Here is a picture of some farm raised Nile Tilapia. That is EXACTLY what those fish are. I have caught them in several of the warmer states of the country. They are one of the best fish for aquaculture and are a good food fish. Also fun to catch wherever the water is warm enough for them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They could not live in any other lakes in Utah...unless the lowest winter temps stayed above about 55 degrees. They like it even warmer. In Arizona waters, where there are lots of them, they have big dieoffs in winters that get cold enough to drop the water temps below 50.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Yes, somebody planted them illegally. WOW. in Utah? Nothing like that has ever happened before.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For those who want to catch some Tilapia, they will hit some lures and baits. However, they are more prone to eating vegetation than meat. In Arizona and California, when they won't bite on crawlers, they will often hit corn or doughballs. Whoops. Can't use corn in Utah.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Bluegillman]

[size 1][#0000ff]Whoops. Can't use corn in Utah.[/#0000ff] <-- why is that?[/size]
[size 1]Those Tilapias are they about ten inches long and weigh about a pound? They serve them in fine Restaurants, right?[/size]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yes, tilapia are an important commercial food fish in this country now. Although they grow to several pounds, the most popular size for packaging in the market is something under 12".[/#0000ff]
[size 1]
The tilapia is an import from Africa, which lives only where the water remains above about 50 degrees. They hit a variety of natural baits and small lures.[/size]
[#0000ff]Utah is one of the only states in the union to NOT allow the use of corn as bait...even for carp. They also do not allow "chumming" or baiting an area to draw in fish. Those regulations go way back to the days when trout fishermen on some of the popular trout lakes in Utah would throw out large quantities of canned corn around their boats as chum. In some areas the corn piled up several inches deep on the bottom of the lake and degraded the water quality.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]At least, that is the story. In reality, I suspect it was just another law to protect the "hatchery pets" (rainbows). Our fisheries people have always been prone to make laws to protect their precious darlings. Heck, we can't even use live minnows in this state.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[CROSSINEYES]

COOL LOOKING LITLE GUYS. LOOK KIND OF LIKE A TEXAS CICLID.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]They are members of that family. Most of them came from Africa, where they are a big part of the diet for many native people. They were planted in quite a few waters of the warmer states because they can withstand a wide range of water chemistry conditions...as long as the water stays warm enough for them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There is actually a large population of tilapia in the Salton Sea, in southern California. The water there is saltier than the ocean and those tilapia like it just fine. They get over 3 pounds in there and they smack lures pretty good. Really good fighters.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[cat_man]

They also have found a home in Mexico and Central American waters. I bet they're in the northern part of South America as well.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]They have been transplanted throughout the temperate world...wherever the climate is suitable. Their proclivity for eating all kinds of food...animal, vegetable and otherwise...makes them a good fast-growing food fish for waters where other species do not adapt as well.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[utwalleye]

We used to catch them in Hawaii and in the small rivers about 3 miles from the ocean. fun fish to catch. lter chuck
[signature]

[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Impact"][#ff4040][size 3]You can catch some at Blue Lake. Way the heck out there in Wendover. Been there once. Alot of bluegill too. Just go in the winter time so you don't get eaten alive by mosquitoes.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
[signature]