Tilapia in a bass pond

[unclefish]

We put some Mozambique Tilapia in a 2.5 acre lake that was lacking baitfish. Have not really noticed a difference in fish weights in 3 years. Some died last winter in the cold but had some survivors.

You can see them when they are spawning do their little dance. They make alot of babies and have multiple spawns a year....but we haven't noticed much difference...we still have skinny bass. They eat them as fast as they can grow them. We need to take alot bass out of here though.

[bswift355]

Our 4 acre lake was nothing but algae a few years ago. Had teams of guys try to kill vegetation with chemicals, pulling it out, etc nothing lasted. I stocked the lake with Mozambique tilapia 4 years ago. They completely devoured the algae in a matter of weeks. They spawn every 3 weeks or so. Bass and blue gill grew like crazy. Nothing but win win. What is interesting is I was told they will die off when water temp reaches 52 degrees. Sure enough first winter rolled around and it was a murder scene. Coons, birds, cats etc had a field day. I assumed they were all dead. Funny thing happened....the algae never came back. Somehow a few of the large ones made it in enough numbers to spawn again. Even after the crazy freezes here in town (I like in Cypress) they are still in there. My 5 year old son has caught a few on earthworms. Huge like a dinner plate. I would highly recommend these to any lake or pond to manage algae and feed bass

[bswift355]

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[TKRanch]

We used them on a small pond to help control vegetation. Just put mid sized ones in annually as the will not make a cold winter. Worked for us.

[White Falcon]

Holly Lake uses them to control vegetation. They die off in the winter, Bold Eagles love the die off.

[Bowhica]

I've seen them in most of the golf course ponds. I spend a lot of time around the water playing golf. Which is why I usually carry my water wedge tipped with an H&H white spinner bait.

[Dry Bones]

For those who use them to control vegetation. We put in a few Grass carp to help with the vegetation in a small pond last year, but haven't seen much of a change if any. Our primary problem is what I only know as coontail and it grows thick in abundance. Will the tilapia eat it?

[mudkat]

I had them until the cold got them this winter and the pond dried up 2011 and 2 years ago we caught a 9-8 so that's a pretty good growth rate.The biggest problem with skinny bass is not taking enough small bass out of the pond ! if you look up the recommended amount to take out per year it will surprise you.

[mudkat]

I too have grass carp and this year with the tilapia gone the coon tail and algae are worse ,Is it the the tilapia or just different growing season who knows ?

[BrandonA]

I had them until the cold got them this winter and the pond dried up 2011 and 2 years ago we caught a 9-8 so that's a pretty good growth rate.The biggest problem with skinny bass is not taking enough small bass out of the pond ! if you look up the recommended amount to take out per year it will surprise you.

a good Rule of thumb is 25-30lbs per acre. Where is everybody getting their Tilapia?

[cowman]

a good Rule of thumb is 25-30lbs per acre. Where is everybody getting their Tilapia?

Overton Fisheries in Buffalo

[hog_down]

Overton Fisheries in Buffalo

x2, very knowledgeable and friendly.

[BrandonA]

x2, very knowledgeable and friendly.

We got our Camelots from them. Just wondering if there was anything closer to Goldthwaite

[Jsmullins]

There needs to be some caution when stocking these and that's climate related. If for example you are in south east Texas where it does not get very cold for long spells I would avoid these at all costs.

I lived in Florida for 25 years they have pretty much declared war on tilapia. All legal means of non game fishing are encouraged. I have used a cast net and pulled in 100+ lbs per throw.

If they don't get the die off due to low temps they over breed and they compete for the same spawning beds as bass. To the point they will push bass off the beds and use the bass beds as their own. Then there is the issue of population and vegetation available. Once they consume the vegetation they turn to predation of insects and fish eggs/fry further compounding the bass and panfish issue. . If you are stocking in a area that can knock the population down every year none of this matters but if you can't rely on cold weather to help it could get ugly.

I liked to fly fish for them but it requires long leaders and 1x tippets with size 16 and smaller flies. These fish spook super easy but fight real good on a fly rod and taste better wild caught than their farm raised counter parts.

[BrandonA]

There needs to be some caution when stocking these and that's climate related. If for example you are in south east Texas where it does not get very cold for long spells I would avoid these at all costs.

I lived in Florida for 25 years they have pretty much declared war on tilapia. All legal means of non game fishing are encouraged. I have used a cast net and pulled in 100+ lbs per throw.

If they don't get the die off due to low temps they over breed and they compete for the same spawning beds as bass. To the point they will push bass off the beds and use the bass beds as their own. Then there is the issue of population and vegetation available. Once they consume the vegetation they turn to predation of insects and fish eggs/fry further compounding the bass and panfish issue. . If you are stocking in a area that can knock the population down every year none of this matters but if you can't rely on cold weather to help it could get ugly.

I liked to fly fish for them but it requires long leaders and 1x tippets with size 16 and smaller flies. These fish spook super easy but fight real good on a fly rod and taste better wild caught than their farm raised counter parts.

Very good points. I think that we would probably have a die off at least every other yr if not every yr.