Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Disappearing Tilapia?

I stocked 20lbs of Tilapia for the last four years. The first two years the Tilapia were visible and seemed to be everywhere. Last year and this year I have not spotted any...I did see a few large dead Tilapia at the end of last year and caught some of the biggest bass of my life on a white spinner bait around the time of the die off. could it be as they have cleaned the pond and keep going deeper for food?

Hmm.. is the pond void of weeds in places it used to have them 4 years ago?

Also I wonder if now that your bass are bigger 20lbs is not enough, and the bass are keeping them thinned out so well you never see them.

But to be blut I have not clue, just offering suggestions.

Sgt911,
Jake may have something in the weed situation, that could be forcing the tilapia deeper or at least away from the shore line to feed. If you don't have either the weeds or algae, I would say you are doing well.

I have very few plants and many large tilapia and seldom see them except at feeding time.

Four years ago I was overrun with coontail, it appears to be gone now..The only vegetation I have now is white lily,. and yes, the bass have gotten big..8lbs+. I very seldom catch a bass on a lure until the Tilapia die off, and then the strike becomes very violent on a white spinner bait

SGT911 how did you get rid of the coontail?

You got me? I put in 11 grass carp in six years ago and 20lbs of Tilapia for the last four. If I had to point a finger I would say the Tilapia ate it. I still do pull a string out every now and then, but none is visable....The pond is 1 1/4 acre

HUH, I think I know where my Tilapia went, Dad hooked(and lost) a 10+ lmb on a kernel of corn yesterday....I think I am large predator heavy...I think only a few of the ones I stocked were too big for a big bass to eat...I did see one medium sized Tilapia though.

It'll be interestingto see how many of the orig. stockers survive. I saw some of mine actually jumping on the bank to escape a LMB within hours of stocking.

This Fall, when the water cools down, since I can't seine the pond, how will they show themselves? Float as morts? Will they congregate in the warmer shallow water? I put 160 in a 1 1/2 ac pond, but they were at the most 4" long.

Esshup, last year when my niles died, they were swimming around sluggishly near the shore for about a week. Within a day before and a day after November 5, they had pretty much all died. I collected 60 of my original 100 stockers that had floated to the surface. I figure the other 40 sunk and got eaten by herons.

bbjr:

Thanks. I'll keep an eye peeled when the water temps drop.