Thread: Tilapia

Though I’ve never eaten one, I’m told they’re good table fare. I’ve seen them on a few Chinese buffet’s when I used to go to them. I caught one on a chartreuse jig once. The manatees had been eating the algae and knocking some loose and I think it thought it was a piece of stray algae. He was wrong. Took me getting broken off a few times before I got out a bit heavier gear and caught one.


This one was chubby and man, what a fight. Had to grab the spool and fight him with the rod. And you ain’t boat flipping these fish!

That's a beast

Tilapia are very tasty I think. We’ve bought them in the grocery store many times. I’ve been told not necessarily the best and healthiest fish though.

Used to eat the store bought farm raised Tilipia until I saw Mike Rowe on Dirty Jobs working at a Fish Farm. They raised Salmon in the concrete run pens. Once they harvested the Salmon, they put Tilipia fry in the runs. The Tilipia gorged themselves on the uneaten food and the poo from the Salmon. The fisheries people said the Tilipia scoured the pens clean. Mike, who was chest deep in the pens with the Tilipia when he got that info, was not happy to learn that tidbit.
I would like to try a wild Tilipia from clean water.

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IMOHO there is a big difference in the taste of farm raised and wild fish.

Caught while trolling for crappie. Fought like a banshee. I've never caught one in the mouth, my buddie William was soaking the heck out of a bunny butt in Garlic Slabsauce. I think the Garlic Slabsauce is what made him bite IMHO! dono

Beautiful fish too. Nest off my Sea Wall, have real big beds. I've snagged them there but they've always fought there way off the hook.

That ones better looking than mine was. Pretty colors. They’re protective of their nests and will remove anything that gets in it, so drop something in the nest and wait for them to pick it up and move it, set the hook. I’ve never done this but I’ve been told this several times.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

That ones better looking than mine was. Pretty colors. They’re protective of their nests and will remove anything that gets in it, so drop something in the nest and wait for them to pick it up and move it, set the hook. I’ve never done this but I’ve been told this several times.

I've tried that. They are too smart. Once they know I'm up on the sea wall, they always check for you, and I can never set the hook. I've tried everything. Snagging them when they swim in the distance is as close to them as I can get once they know about you.