# Mystery Fish



## 3FishinCrew (Oct 26, 2012)

I have been fishin' my whole life and have never came across this fish. Any of y'all know what species this is?


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## MoonShadow (Jun 3, 2007)

Tilapia?


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Looks like tilapia. Where caught?


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## Nosaed (Aug 2, 2010)

Tilapia
I have seen reports of these caught in lake Houston before. If these are wild tilapia not stock pond or so they are good eating.
Usually the store bought (farm raised) ones aren't even good bait.


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## 3FishinCrew (Oct 26, 2012)

At a little pond in Sugar Land.


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## 3FishinCrew (Oct 26, 2012)

Y'all are correct from the photos I found on Google. Thanks for the help! I was really stumped. It put up a pretty good fight as well.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Mozambique Tilapia...and you're right, they are fun to catch.


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## doublethree (Aug 2, 2013)

There are many tilapia in Sugarland ponds. Just wondering if you need kill it right away after you catch it.


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## sotexhookset (Jun 4, 2011)

Caught it on a crank bait. I thought they were vegetarian/ berry eaters or whatever.


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## Longshot270 (Aug 5, 2011)

sotexhookset said:


> Caught it on a crank bait. I thought they were vegetarian/ berry eaters or whatever.


They eat everything. The one I had in an aquarium would beat up on my oscar and eat whatever got dropped in, live food to algae wafers.


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## pwooly (Dec 2, 2012)

Where in Sugarland do you fish? Been trying to find a good pond. Been fishing in Missouri city area.


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## Nitro Man (Jun 13, 2013)

Kill It!!! It's an invasive species that eats eggs from other fish during the spawn. Not sure what the law is for private ponds but if you catch a Tilapia on public water you are required to gut the fish and not release it back to the water alive.


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## Bernie06 (Jun 19, 2012)

*kill them*

Yes kill this fish right away. Grocery stores and markets that sell these fish can have them alive, but have to be killed before they are sold to the public. This is an invasive species and can destroy a fishing population.


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## Slamfishing (Aug 16, 2013)

Tilapia,probably put your bait in her face and got mad when she was spawning


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## D-I-A (Jan 11, 2013)

I thought cichlid at first, but it may be a tilapia.


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

Tilapia. They tear up bass beds and run off the males protecting fry. Fun to shoot with a bow and make a good fish fry. 
Gibbons creek has some big ones in it!


Cody C


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## BadBob (Dec 16, 2010)

just about to say that ive heard folks catching them out on gibbons and lots of them


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## essayons75 (May 15, 2006)

Here is the reg. You can possess/transport them if you immediately remove all intestines. We've caught them and as soon as the kids pull them in I gut them, throw on ice.

Also, yes they are in Lake Houston. I've seen them caught in the slew by the YMCA in Kingwood. They will eat worms.

*Possession and Transport of Exotic Aquatic Species *

*It is a violation to*


Possess or transport any exotic aquatic plant or animal listed as harmful or potentially harmful. This includes: plants such as hydrilla, water hyacinth, and giant salvinia; fishes such as tilapia and Asian carps (grass, silver, and bighead carp); and zebra mussels.
Possess tilapia, grass carp or any other fish listed as harmful or potentially harmful, without immediately removing the intestines, except on waters where a valid Triploid Grass Carp Permit is in effect. In those waters, it is illegal to possess grass carp. Any grass carp caught must be immediately returned to the water unharmed.


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## isaac.mendiola (Aug 16, 2013)

what pond in sugarland?


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## Watersoul (Feb 15, 2013)

I was wondering what a talopia looked like. Good catch.


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