The white meat of tilapia is delicious. And, in spite of its native origins in the Middle East and Africa, this fish is already been to several US states. You will need to visit fishing spots with freshwater or brackish water if you plan on catching tilapia.
Catching tilapia with an angling rod requires patience, skill, and knowledge. Tilapia are usually shy so you need some patience. So, our goal is to give you the skills and knowledge needed for tilapia fishing to be easier, rather than teach you patience. In this article, you will learn how to catch tilapia.
Contents
About tilapia
Tilapia is the generic name for a number of species of Cichlids. Anglers often refer to the Nile Tilapia or Blue Tilapia while mentioning the term Tilapia. Worldwide, they are indigenous to tropical climates. However, they have been deliberately and inadvertently introduced in the US as well.
It is easy and plentiful to catch tilapia, which makes them popular with beginning anglers. You can catch tilapia with smaller rods and tackle and with an affordable bait. It is also not controversial to eat tilapia. It is common for them to eat all the vegetation in lakes, rivers, and ponds where they live. Breeding rates for tilapia are also extremely high, and they are rapidly displacing native species.
This is why anglers should hold on to them. And, if you are also planning to catch tilapia then here is what you need to do.
How to Catch Tilapia in a Pond
If you’re looking for how to catch tilapia in a pond, you must first know where to look for them. It is advisable to go to a place with brackish and shallow water. These conditions are ideal for these fish. You can therefore easily find them there.
Shallow water is the best place to be during the spawning season. You should also choose a site that has lush vegetation. The vegetation in this environment is what keeps tilapia safe from predators, so they thrive there.
Keep in mind that you must remain as silent as possible. Tilapia is a fish that is always in a scared state by noises. If they feel threatened, they will leave the place and go somewhere else. In other words, make sure you are using the right tools and being as quiet as possible.
As bait, you should ideally use canned peas and corn. When in such a situation, they are easy to attract to these baits. Set up a few rigs and hook a piece of frozen corn. After that, you can hook frozen peas. The area you choose for fishing should be one that you have surveyed a couple of days prior.
These fish prefer floating baits. Therefore, you need to position your bait directly in front of them. If you know where their beds are, then you can park the bait right there on the bottom. There should be no problem with the bed’s edge as well. You must also be careful not to scare your target off with your shadow. If you do, you might miss the opportunity to catch something great.
Also Read: How to Catch Trout Fishes At Night
How to Catch Tilapia on Rod and Reel
As a general rule, you should always carry a heavy rod when going fishing. However, Tilapia are an exception to this rule. You don’t need a heavy rod for them. A rod weighing strength between 10 and 12 pounds is usually best for them. Also, a fishing trip would not be complete without a fishing rod. So, choosing the right fishing rod is, therefore, a must.
Moreover, a thin reel is necessary to ensure that it helps catch fish. A thick reel is not suitable when fishing for Tilapia. Alternatively, you can cover a live bait with cheese if you prefer that. Tilapia will attract to the hook more easily. Bread will also work.
A tiny Tackle is also important for catching Tilapia fish. These fish can see well. Furthermore, they’re quite timid. Therefore, a small tackle will be easy to catch.
Let’s look into it more closely now
Choose a Location: The location is an important factor in catching Tilapia. These fish tend to be shy. They are easy to get alerted to if you get too close. The best place to catch them is along the shoreline.
Also, trolling on a slow boat can be useful. Be careful that you are not too close to the spawning area, or you will not be able to catch any fish at all.
Hooking the Lure: Due to the fact that you will be using a very small hook and a tiny tackle, ensure that you hook the lure in a manner that shows the hook. The lure will not get stuck if the hook is not exposed properly.
An artificial lure with a lip is also an option. Tilapias tend to be attracted to this lure. It’s quite effective at catching them. Always cast with accuracy and safety.
Hooks are best inserted right through the middle of lures. Thus, Tilapia wouldn’t be able to eat it.
Where to Cast: It is now time to cast out the lure for catching Tilapia after you have hooked on to it. You will get the best results if you cast near the shoreline where there are lots of rock structures and dead branches.
Rubber floats are also useful for locating your location. If that location doesn’t produce enough results after a few casts, move on to another.
How To Catch Tilapia on Beds
Silence is the key to catching tilapia on beds. Be careful not to spook the fish with your shadow. Place a small bait on the bottom and watch it sit for a few minutes. A tilapia is shy, but it will attack anything that gets too close to its bed.
Tilapia can be caught on beds only if you can locate them first. A tilapia bed in a pond, creek, or river looks like a sand crater. The beds range in size from 1-3 feet. They are usually surrounded by fish.
During the spawning season, tilapia are particularly protective of their beds. Flocks of these fish can spawn year-round at temperatures over 15°C.
Finding a tilapia bed and agitating them without scaring them is a very effective way to catch them.
But, don’t get too close to the tilapia bed once you’ve found it. It will scare them away. You won’t be able to catch any.
Go to the shore or stand in shallow water. Put the line in the direction of the tilapia bed while remaining undetected.
Also Read: How To Fish A Carolina Rig For Trout
Best Baits to Catch Tilapia Fish
Several kinds of food are eaten by tilapia. However, they tend to be herbivorous. This means that they eat vegetables more than meat. In addition to vegetables, even small aquatic plants are included in the tilapia diet.
Therefore, most anglers suggest corn as the best tilapia bait. Tilapia are also easy to catch using peas, bread balls, and earthworms.
Here are some of the best baits to catch Tilapia:
Corn
Many anglers use corn not only in order to catch tilapia, but also to attract other fish. Five different kinds of corn is generally used in fishing. But, there is more success with canned corn and frozen corn among these types.
Bread Balls
Bread balls can also be used to bait tilapia. However, some bread balls do not stay on the hook very well. Thus, this should only be used as a last resort if none of the other baits work.
Small, tight balls of bread are rolled to attract tilapia. It is also recommended to add catsup to make it tastier. You can order dough baits from online stores if you don’t feel up to rolling bread to make baits.
Peas
Tilapia bait can also be made from peas rather than corn. They are readily available at supermarkets. You can also purchase them online and have them delivered to your doorstep.
Green peas can also be used canned or shelled. Their effect on tilapia would be similar. Since frozen peas stay on hooks longer, they are more recommended.
Earthworms
The use of earthworms has also been claimed as a means of catching tilapia by some anglers. You can collect earthworms from your backyard easily.
It is best to make them look like small invertebrates in order to catch the tilapia’s attention. Online options are also great if you would rather buy some quickly.
Best Time to Catch Tilapia
In order to catch your target fish, you should fish during times when you know you will have the best chances.
Tilapia is best to fish during the peak season of its spawning period if you want to catch this delicacy.
The spawning of tilapia takes place when the water temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 degrees centigrade.
Thus, fishing for tilapia is usually best during the spring or fall. Tilapia is usually present all year round, however.
Therefore, it is vital that you head out there and start looking for them.
You need to figure out what works best for you. And, within no time at all, you’ll become a pro fisherman.
During these periods, make sure that your local area does not have any laws restricting fishing for tilapia.
Now that you know all the important stuff about catching Tilapia, here are some tips which will help you do so.
Find Them in Shallow Waters
Your fishing trip will be more successful if you know where to cast your spinning rod. Tilapias are usually attracted to shallow, vegetation-filled waters when they spawn. This allows them to avoid being eaten by predators.
The best place to find tilapia is in slow-moving waters found in the subtropical and southern areas. Tilapia are also present near banks. So, a slow trolling of the beach shoreline is also a good idea.
You may have fewer chances of succeeding if you dive deep into the water. So, the best areas for casting are those with a high concentration of sea structures.
Mark your location using the bobber float. It is always possible to move on to a different location if your current position does not produce after multiple castings.
Using The Best Bait
Generally, tilapias are herbivorous. Peas and corn are their main food sources. You can use bread balls if corn and peas are not available.
It may be a good idea to freeze bread balls if you are having trouble using your fishing hook with them. In that case, the bread balls would be hard enough to penetrate easily with a hook.
During spawning, tilapias become very territorial. You may increase your chances of landing the tilapia by taking advantage of the fish’s territorial instincts. Invertebrates and small fish are the primary targets of tilapia and will fight to defend its territory.
In varying fishing areas, tilapia diets may differ. You should take the time to study the fish’s preferences in the area where you plan to fish if you want to maximize your chances of landing the tilapia.
Then you won’t have to complain that you can’t catch fish because you will be offering what your target fish loves.
Hook the Bait Properly
The lures should be short. Using larger lures may make hook sets more difficult. For catching tilapia, small earthworm pieces are best to use on small hooks.
The tilapia fish is famous to take bait from anglers, without them landing the fish, which can be quite frustrating. You need to hook your bait properly to avoid this.
In order to learn how to catch tilapia, it is important to practice the hooking of various tilapia lures and baits. It is ideal to expose the hook tip of the lures and baits when hooking them.
It is important to hook your bait through the center when using bait such as worms and nightcrawlers. If tilapia tries to steal your lure, it is more likely to get hooked.
Right Posture While Fishing
Anglers generally hold their rods horizontally and vertically when fishing for tilapia. If you’re fishing for tilapia, this may not be the best method to catch it.
Generally speaking, experts who know how to catch tilapia recommend downward sweeps. The fishing is usually moving between 3:00 o’clock and 5:00 o’clock to achieve this.
The majority of the time while tilapia fishing is going to be either sitting or standing. When sitting, you can reduce fatigue by using a fishing chair. For standing, you must learn the correct posture. Exercising can help you relieve back pain that occurs after standing for long periods of time.
Also Read: Rigging Guide For Walleye (With Pictures)
Apply for a Fishing License
Public access to all fishing spots is not always available in the US and other parts of the world. Find out whether a fishing spot requires a fishing permit or license before you grab your fishing pole and head there.
Tilapia fishing in a license-required area without the license can lead to lawsuits if caught. There can be steep fines and penalties. As a result, the best course of action is always to obtain a license, if required.
Don’t Throw It Away
It is a good recommendation that you release game fish after landing them.
However, there is no such thing as game fish for tilapia. Instead, it is a good practice that you keep as many tilapias as you can catch and cook them.
It’s because Tilapias colonize easily as they have territorial instincts. It is a fact that they are destroying other fish species, causing ecosystem imbalances.
They destroy vegetation in the rivers and ponds where they live. So, in order to keep the number of tilapia in check, it is not good to release the fish after landing.
FAQS
How to catch tilapia in Florida?
It is often referred to as an “introduced” or “invasive” species in Florida as it is non-native to the state. Therefore, they are not considered endangered species.
You can go and catch them in your near beds or ponds where there is Shallow water and some vegetation.
How to catch blue tilapia?
Just like all other species of Tilapia, the Blue Tilapia are also herbivores. So, you can use the baits such as corn or peas to attract them. Be patient and make no use as they are easy to distract by any noise-causing in the surrounding.”
How to make dough bait for tilapia?
This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 pound of processed cheese, and 1/2 cup of cornmeal and flour. A bait made up of these ingredients forms quickly and holds firmly when attached to a hook. The bait will also stay fresh in your refrigerator for a while.
Final Words
Most anglers find that catching tilapia is challenging but fun. It is essential that you learn how to catch tilapia, where they usually spawn, and how to hook bait properly in order to catch them successfully.
We have reviewed some best-polarized sunglasses for sight fishing, that will definitely help you in catching tilapia.
When it comes to bait for tilapia, corn is the best choice, since this species is mostly herbivorous. Other options include bread balls, peas, and earthworms.
These are not so hard to catch. All you need is a good bait and some patience.