# What are the best methods for catching Tilapia?



## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

I have a friend with a stock pond that has asked me to help him thin out his Tilapia population. The pond is stocked with Bass, Blue Gills, Catfish and Tilapia. Problem is I have never fished for them. I mostly fish saltwater so any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Cast net


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## AndyThomas (May 26, 2012)

Bow or big cast net


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## JBuck132 (Feb 9, 2014)

Corn will do the trick, but if your impatient like me. Throw a cast net until you canâ€™t throw it any more. 
Always works for me.


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## fin&feather (Jun 24, 2008)

I don't think you can rid them this way, just get a mess full. They overpopulate so fast.. Drag net will help also, they should be in abundance in perch beds before long


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

What works best using a rod and reel?


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## Going catchn15 (Mar 13, 2014)

Tie the cast net to the rod and reel or visa versa!
Throw the cast net into the tilapia school and drag them in! 
Put them in an ice chest - cover with ice!
Filet them and put them in zip locks! 
Freeze them or eat them fresh? 
Clean the rod and reel up as it will get slimy!
Have fun and send us photos on 2 cool?
CW


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## fin&feather (Jun 24, 2008)

some have caught them small bill crayfish cranks, others do well with a heavy sinker below multiple large hooks.. Seen it both ways, and some get warned and others thanked for clearing our waterways of them. Just don't tie a cork and release one to follow the schools like some have done, that's a big no no due to they have to be gutted immediately but Idk if private ponds follow different regs.


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## Chadgreen (Apr 11, 2014)

These things are a problem. Fishing for them takes to long. Dog food an a cast net. If there really thick. You probably wont even have problems with getting catfish stuck in your net. There so agressive they'll beat the cats to the dog/cat food


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## golkayakiad (Mar 15, 2012)

i use to work part time at a talipa farm the fish there were use to getting feed at the same time same place so when they knew it was time to get feed they would all be piled on each other in one part of the pond and we would cast net em they will tear up a neat fast though. good luck


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## P (Nov 18, 2012)

dough balls with some strawberry banana jello mixed in . If that don't work poop on hook


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I've never ran into a pond owner, myself included, that thinks they have too many Tilapia....but there's always a first time.

I usually catch them at will in the fall prior to really cold weather which will kill them all anyway. 

I have caught them on flies but the quickest way is to isolate them from the bluegill and then just use plain old red worms to catch all you want. Range cubes in shallow water work for me to get the Tilapia away from the 'gills who are much faster to the bait. 

Here's a typical fall catch:


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## creeker (Feb 14, 2005)

Bait with floating dog food.....using a dog food imitation fly. have a good time!


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

Meadowlark said:


> I've never ran into a pond owner, myself included, that thinks they have too many Tilapia....but there's always a first time.
> 
> I usually catch them at will in the fall prior to really cold weather which will kill them all anyway.
> 
> ...


Are you fishing the red worms from a cork or on bottom?


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

bow fish them. 

Remember any tilapia brought to hand has to be eviscerated....do not release. if you see a bed shoot into it....they are very camo in there....sometimes just looks like a bed and you will shoot two cuz they were there the whole time.


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## jas415 (May 25, 2009)

*Tilapia*

I catch them on those little Gulp earthworm bits. Tiny hooks, tiny cork, tiny bit of bait. We converted a natural slough into a Tilapia pond. Some bream in there but almost all Tilapia. In the winter if it gets below about 47-50 degrees water temp they die off. In our deeper ponds the bass and catfish tend to keep the population down along with the cold weather. I think they hatch like every 30 days, so 50 in a small pond turn into several thousand in 3 months.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Bull Red said:


> Are you fishing the red worms from a cork or on bottom?


 Suspended under a bobber.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

jas415 said:


> ...50 in a small pond turn into several thousand in 3 months.


 Not if you have bass in there. LMB absolutely love them. When I first started fooling with Tilapia in ponds, many years ago, a highly respected biologist advised against it saying "they will make your bass grow too large". Since that seemed like a good problem to have, I pressed on with them and have not had a single regret...and some very large bass also.


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## Lakeside_TXN (Mar 18, 2014)

I've heard small red cranks are the trick as fin&feather mentioned, but the only way I've been successful has been finding where they're concentrated, making long casts with a big spoon, and ripping back through them.


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## Spooley (Feb 24, 2013)

The ole stand by crank telephone / shock treatment will them bring up or dynamite if you have some..


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

Spooley said:


> The ole stand by crank telephone / shock treatment will them bring up or dynamite if you have some..


And that ain't all it will bring..and he/she got a Badge


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