I have three ponds here in Punta Gorda, Fla. which I use for my fly fishing schools.
Prior to stocking tilapia, I had bluegills and bass in the ponds. This resulted in bass which after period of time of catch and release were impossible to catch and whole slew of medium to pygmy bluegills and of course, the invasive walking catfish.
I then added blue tilapia. They grow to 2 bls plus down here the first year, and I now have ones to 10 lbs. Once accustomed to taking floating catfish food, they take a dry fly just like a brown trout.
Of couse, they breed like welfare receients. Solution? Bass weren't good enough predators to keep them in check, so I added channel catfish.
The channels eleminate enough of the tilapia fry to hold their populations just about right and also took care of the walking catfish!
