Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Blue Tilapia for 2010

FWIW, I'm seeing some that I'm guessing to be about 16" long grabbing pellets in the evening.

So do you hope to catch some before they die off?

Are you planning to try to overwinter any?

I don't have a place to overwinter any. I'd like to catch at least one, but I beleive I need some Stubby Steve Pellets to do so. I ran out this past weekend.

I sell Stubbys

Well, why aren't you here already with them? Are they nice cylinder shapes or more like flattened nickles? (I've gotten both).

Hey, I know now why the Blues make good aquarium fish. I caught 2 tonight and they were a very nice mixture of Blue hues. No camera nor a scale. I did hold them up to the fishing rod, and I know how long they are. Now I just need to measure the fishing rod!

2# test, White crappie Berkley powerbait nibbles, #10 Owner mosquito hook, fished 10" beneath a small ice fishing float.

I did not catch the big one, or it'd be in the refigerator now.

These are nicely shaped....none smashed. Freshly made also, lots of fish smell!

Nice to hear you finaly caught one, could you tell if they have grown much since you stocked them?

Does it matter if they are smashed or not?

I have same that are smashed and have yet to try them.

Would love to give them a shot for the CC but I bet the GSF will hit them before the CC have a chance.

Jeez Rex, I've been standing in the driveway all morning long, waiting! You ain't here yet with them?

The tilapia were 12" and 13" long.

They will also bite on pieces of night crawler if you can keep the blue gill away from your bait. But it seems like the tilapia see the commotion and move in to see whats for dinner.

You can also train the Tilapia by hand feeding them with a handfull of feed thrown in every few minutes about 5 times in a row for a week or so....gradually reduce what you feed each time to just a few pellets every minute for 10-20 minutes.

After you see the Tilapia swarming when you get close to the water toss in a couple pellets and a hook with a Stubby Steve or other bait and catch away.

This sure sounds like it would be fun and an easy way to pull some out for dinner.

I hope to try this next year once I stock them in the spring.