I stocked my pond with tilapia this past spring. This past weekend, I saw what I think are tiapia. They were schooled together in the shallow end of the pond. A few of the larger ones looked white in appearance. Can this info be right? Do they school together? And are some of them white or at least look white? Thanks

I don't have a lot of experience with Tilapia. I just had them stocked for the first time this year as well. I have seen pictures of them being many different colors. I guess depending upon age, spawning, environment etc. I have definitely seen pics of them being almost pearly white. I found this pic on Google images.

Yes, they will definitely school together...especially in late fall when water temps drop. I've observed them suspended in huge schools of fish during those times.

Now is the time to catch them...when temps get much lower they will basically shut down and become vulnerable to LMB predation...so get them now while you still can. Caught a bunch of them this afternoon topped off by a real nice 2.5 pounder.

How do you catch them?

Cast Net

I catch them on a variety of worms, jigs, and flies. Right now I can fill up a gunny sack with them using small jigs tipped with mealy worms.

More fun than a cast net.


Here's some I caught last evening...note the larger one in center which is about 3 pounds. Great fun on light tackle.

Attaboy Meadowlark!
At three pounds no predator in the pond is big enough to eat him, No matter how much the cold slows him down.
You are the only predator big enough for him.
One question, how was supper?

thanks guys for clearing that up. I will be out fishing for them this weekend. How do you cook them? fry? bake?

They are great fried whole if you don't mind the many bones. They are a tropical fish and most will die if water temps get below 54 F so catch them while you can. Not sure where you are but on the gulf coast we may only lose them every few years depending on the weather.