LWJ: I'd stock bluegill now with the shad, then next Spring stock your largemouth. Wait a year then use the tilapia once the bass get large enough to consume most of the ones that spawn. You won't believe how much spawn the tilapia put out and how much the bass like to eat them. They are a great forage fish for summer / fall bass. They fight well, especially if you fish them on 4 lb. line like you would bluegill. I don't think they fight lb. per lb. as hard as bluegill - but neither do bass..bluegill are amazing fighters..but don't compare to tilapia as far as a food fish.
Meadowlark: I stock my tilapia when the water reaches 75 degrees, so that they are planted after the largemouth spawn and also so that when I put them in they start spawning immediately. I stock 1/2 lb. tilapia as this is what is most readily available and also I would think most (guess 80%)they survive long enough to get a spawn off. They are pretty slow and stupid when they are stocked and move around in big schools with bass following them for the first day or so, until they learn that bass mean danger. With 3,000 lbs. / approx. 6,000 individuals stocked, I also have enough in the water on stocking for some safety in their numbers for better survival.
I have really seen my bluegill population soar this year. I did plant bluegill heavy last year and again this winter, but tend to believe that the tilapia are helping take the pressure off the bluegill.
Dave
