Thread: Tilapia - how the heck you catch them.

I've got these Tilapia hanging out in their big holes off my sea wall. They watch me, I watch them. They are so wary but cool to watch. I've seen them here for years now. They just swim away if I toss anything near them. We fish with hot dogs for the Bluegills but we've never caught a Tilapia. I think it sure would be fun to catch one some time. They are huge and would certainly put up a big fight. Not sure if they would eat good would they? Anyone have any ideas on how to get one other than with a Bow/Arrow!

Good eats and I hear they can sometimes be caught with worms. Dunno.

Cast net. Not sure if that's legal where you are. Have friends south of me, cast net is what they use.

Cast net.

Shoot them with a bow..castnet 2d

They are "Invasive" and you can take em anyway you like, no limit (size or number) ....
Here's some I brought home a few years ago when we had the freeze that lasted a week or two.
"Chucker" called me up and told me to meet him at a secret spot and these things were all in there.
We used snatch hooks to get em. Was awesome, hasn't been cold enough since to coral em in to
that spot. The cold also killed thousands and thousands of "Armored Catfish". When ya cruised the boat
across the lake, it looked like God sprinkled pepper all over the lake (dead armored catfish noses sticking up out of the water, floating)
Tilapia, floundering along the sides of the banks (too cold for em) etc, etc, etc ....

They sell em at walmart/Publix/Win Dixie ......
Story is, they were imported to raise in ponds for sale etc (Nile Perch), and like everything else, they escaped to the wild etc, etc, etc ........
I think they're vegetarian = Google is your friend ......

When I go over to a lake in Winter Park on my lunch, there is guys there often fishing for them. They throw uncooked oatmeal around the beds to get them eating and then toss em a lil breadball unweighted on a #10 hook or a piece of shredded cheddar cheese on the hook. Probably could follow abby around the yard and bait up with one of her fresh made snicker bars.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

When I go over to a lake in Winter Park on my lunch, there is guys there often fishing for them. They throw uncooked oatmeal around the beds to get them eating and then toss em a lil breadball unweighted on a #10 hook or a piece of shredded cheddar cheese on the hook. Probably could follow abby around the yard and bait up with one of her fresh made snicker bars.

Sounds like the same technique as Mullet fishing

Originally Posted by kycreek

Sounds like the same technique as Mullet fishing

Pretty much I reckon.

In Saddle Creek Park in Lakeland they catch a bunch on crickets suspended just off bottom. Castnet is very good but prolly for you at night so they can't see the net coming. Have been told if cleaning them not to cut into the body cavity. U-tube shows how to clean them. I always thought they were brought here to eat all the hydrilla and found out they could reproduce. Juveniles are the best snook bait you can find!