Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations tilapia up north

Anybody try stocking tilapia up north?

Anybody ship tilapia up north?

Ryan Freeze (near Cincinnati, sort of) is probably the foremost Yankee Tilapia expert & user.

If I could find anybody who shipped them, or if I could find any within about a 4-hour drive of Winchester, VA -- there would be some in my pond.

I've spent a lot of time on the phone, the Internet, and stopping into places -- all trying to find a source of tilapia since about last September.

Same question as N8ly -- does anybody know of a source in the mid-Altantic area?

What amazes me is this would be an outstanding niche market for someone up north with an entrepenurial spirit and the capital to produce them, and have a way to hold them in winter. If I had the capital I would jump on this.

Just a little promotion of this species as a biological algae control and bass forage, and I doubt the supplier could keep enough on hand.

This species has it all. Easy to promote with no negatives, and best of all a perpetual market that needs new fish year after year as they won't survive the winter. And it's about the easiest fish to grow out and produce as it's very hardy regarding ammonia and D.O., so it would be s cince to haul.

What amazes me too is the folks that are growing these out for pennies for the food market (and competing with foreign markets to boot) when they could market them as a preminum algae control and bass forage and really mark up the price.

Damn I wish I had the capital!

I'm in the process of getting a quantity of grass carp for my own use and to sell to others. If they are any indication of what kind of demand there is for a biological control then the sky is the limit.

Built-in obsolescence - something manufacturers dream about and conspire towards.

Well I have found many fish farmers aren't too imaginative. (But not all) Some wouldn't make it if the wife didn't also have an income. (Again not all) I have so much demand for my fish for taxidermy porposes I can't keep up with demand. Before I did it myself I purposed it to fish farmers. They all told me they had no interest in that market. Imagine that. They'd rather sell fish for for $2.00 a pound at smaller sizes and I get a minimum of $60.00 a piece up to $220.00 with minimal resources in them.

Cecil,

In my quest for tilapia in this region, I feel like I've been asking to buy vials of the black plague. A person very high in the state fisheries food chain was polite to me, but I'm sure he thought I was completely crazy. I know the DNR guy really thought I was over the top.

I'm not sure how we educate the highly educated. We are very fortunate through PondBoss to have many educated and enlightened fish experts.

. . . and then there are grass carp! I'm not done with that yet either. I still have two grass carp in there -- but they are very big and very old. I just want to replace them. I have found only four places that provide grass carp in WV -- all hours away. As I've spoken to others outside of WV who are much closer, they don't want to sell into WV because they have to provide samples with each shipment.

Geeze! Don't get me started on such a beautiful Saturday morning.

(Edit: Now you've got me thinking. I've got land that is impermiable clay. I've got lots of water. I've got a backhoe. Hmmm.)

Sorry I'm going to get you started before I'm off to painting some fish

Are you able to pick up your grass carp or do they have to be delivered? Here in Indiana you have to have them delivered, which usually costs you more than the fish. Supposedly it's to keep them from going into public waters or to make sure they have no way to escape your pond. When I had them delivered it was some college kid and he had no interest in that. He just wanted to be off to his next delivery.

Most deliver to local drop off point, unless you are getting very large quantities of fish.

But, once I know where I'm going to get them from, I have to submit a permit to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) who may or may not inspect my pond for weeds and fencing (the grass carp fence is what nearly caused my pond to go over the dam last fall when it clogged). Once they've approved it, they send the permit to the supplier. Then I have to work out delivery details with the supplier. We have two suppliers that make about quarterly trips to this area.

I wish Cecil wouldn't do this. I went to my twin grand children's birthday party after I read that post. I'm sure my eyes were wandering, and my mind was more distant than usual.

I'm thinking . . . I've got a 2000 square foot empty building here on the property. It is a former taxidermy shop. It has water, heat, very well insulated walls, and a 12 x 12 "cold room" that is super insulated. My property is mostly clay that won't perc for septic tank drain fields. I've got lots of natural water and room for more ponds. I have a backhoe that can dig lots of small holes that won't drain. I'm looking for a way to go into semi-retirement.

I ask myself . . . what's wrong with this picture?

As I talk to "casual" pond owners at work and at social occasions, they all look at me like I'm crazier than I really think I am. I know our friends really thought we literally went off the deep end when we told them we were going to a pond convention in Texas.

Is there really a market out there for non-dead fish?

I don't think I'm going to sleep well tonight.

Ken G.

Absolutely!

However you may be better off purchasing the taliapia and grass carp once a year, and holding them until you sell out for the year. Maybe get some tanks and flow through pond water into them and get your feet wet first. It may take some promotion first but I have a feeling word of mouth would snowball.

I have an entrepenurial spirit and a little capital to invest. I am in the process of starting a pond management company in central illinois. People pay a lot of money for algae and weed control.

I will definitely have to do some research on tilapia.

I wonder if illinois has any restrictions on them? The DNR laughed at me when I told them of my new business. they said nobody would pay me to stock fish, control weeds, etc. they do all that for free. (if you want to be on a waiting list for a few years)
I also take people guided fishing on my PONDS. They said nobody will pay to fish private waters. Trust me, people pay pretty good to sit on my dock and catch a lot of fish. (For some reason I have lots of repeat customers)

A few points:

1.) Don't expect government people that only have to show up for a paycheck to know anything about business let alone being entrepeneurs.

2.) Even if your DNR does help with weed control don't expect that to last. With less and less funds available for state entitites, I doubt that will last. There was a time when state fish and game departments used to stock fish for free (with strings attached). That has been done away with in most states.

3.) Pay fishing ponds can be big business especially near urban areas. I don't even live near an urban area, and know if I had the ponds and the fish supply, I could be busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. Many public waters are being taxed to max as far as the number of people using them, and more and more there are user comflicts causing problems. Addtionally I don't see the quality of fishing in these bodies of water compared to 20 years ago. However I'm not sure if I would want to deal with some of the aspects of pay fishing lakes. If I went that route I would prefer isolated large ponds with an high annual fee and a club type atmosphere.

Seems to me you have a very big talapia supplier in Illinois. Some big food corporation runs it.

As far as restrictions you will have to ask your DNR. Mine requires permits.

I only take people fully guided fishing, not the traditional pay lake. I charge $200 for just a few hours fishing.

I definitely need to find out about the tilapia in illinois.

Also Cecil, what do you transport your fish in? I read that you filled up with 183 gallons, I am looking for about a 200 gallon or larger transport tank.

Here's what I have mounted to a trailer. About a 1000 bucks but still more economical than the fiberglass tanks out there. It's rated at 240 gallons but I fill it to 183.1 gallons. I use a fresh flow aerator and oxygen as back up. The aerator is 12 volt and hooks to one of the vehicle's inside assessory connections. (lighter type connection.) Don't even mess with 12 volt batteries. They are a pain in the *** not to mention heavy.



There are three sizes listed but one of them is no longer made. Can't remember which one. Mine is the biggest one.

Cecil,
that is exactly what Im looking for. Thanks

I talked to a local fish grower here and he said he used to sell tilapia but it just got to expensive to keep the water heated all winter long. He said he doesn't know of anyone in Kansas that has them. Anyone in Oklahoma know of a supplier there that has them?