A short window

In the weather let me get out for a couple of hours after work. I got a mixed bag like I usually do back in my office but the tilapia have moved in trying to stay warm. They’re tropical and invasive and do t do well in cold water. I started slow and began to wonder if they were moving at all and this little guy came to say howdy.
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He was fun and pulled a little drag, made me smile.then the pretty boys had to be recognized on two casts back to back.
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I might even learn to get all of the fish in the pic sometime. They hit like their normal aggressive selves. I worked my way down thru areas that have worked in the past and got a few here and there. Even got two Crappie back to back. Must’ve been the only two cuz I couldn’t find any others.
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That second one had a good sammich on him but he went back. Overall I got near twenty and the temps were up near seventy after a 39* start this morning. Here’s a few more pics and I hope y’all stay warm…..Skeet
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That’s about a 4 1/2lb Tilapia that was hooked in the dorsal. What a fight!

Nice mixed bag Tim. Thanks for sharing

Awesome ! What a variety!
70, right now I’m hoping for 40 . Haha !
Thanks for sharing. Some beautiful fish .

70 sure does sound nice. Good job. It’s cold and snowing here.

You mentioned the Tilapia being invasive. Are you required to remove once caught? Here, it is unlawful the release an Asian (snakehead) Carp alive. You can throw them on the bank, throw them back dead or keep them and eat 'em if you want, but they cannot be returned alive. I ask because Tilapia is a pretty good eating fish, but I would think they would be somewhat beneficial to an eco system.

Nice mixed bag!! I trade you your weather for mine!! LOL

Nice mixed bag. Those 2 Gills are beautiful !

That tilapia looks built for a good fight .

That's a really nice mixed bag type of day, my favorite kind. Getting antsy here since all I see when I look outside is white and it looks like it will be around for awhile. I'm so done with this winter.

GWG, no I’m not supposed to release them but I snagged this one and felt he deserved another chance. The cast net guys really clean up on them when they’re like this. I’ve heard that corn is a favorite of theirs, I might go back and wrestle with a few. They definitely won’t be released. I’ve had them eat a super small jig that Deepfry ties for me. I’ve been told they eat the spawn of gamefish so they’re no friend of ours.

Chaser, they are built for a fight. When they say they don’t want to come to the net, they mean it. They’re built like a saltwater tripletail and their power surges in the early part of the fight are just awesome. I could put a few in my cooler and park at the grocers with a sign “free fish” and find a home for them , I’m sure.

JJJ , when I lived north and got aggravated with the season I would tell myself that the seasons are only 90 days. It helped knowing that the horizon wasn’t far off.