It very weird, I have fished Choke hard for the past several years now, and I never knew that there was Tilapia in the lake untill a few months ago.

I had heard people say there was, but since I had never seen or caught one with all of the fishing I did out there, i just thought they were mistaken. Usually you will catch Tilapia on lakes that have them, while fishing for bass. They will readily take small crankbaits and other cranking lures. On Fayette I catch several Tilapia every time I have gone, which is about 5 or 6 times. So, I figured that if they were on Choke I would have caught one!

However, the other day at the boat ramp I was talking to some guys fishing from the bank. They had a big cooler and I looked inside and saw it to be filled with football sized Tilapia! I was amazed! Now, I dont know how many are in the lake, but apparently they are in catchable numbers if you throw the right bait. However, I wonder why i never have caught any while bass fishing!

HUH??

I used to see small ones around the north shore ramp a lot when I lived in Tilden

FlippinTX is flippin out on something.

Strange, all these years I thought they only fed on plants/grass. Learn something new every day......

We have Tilapia all over Martin Creek and I've never caught one cranking.....or on anything else for that matter. In fact....I dont know anyone who has caught one while bass fishing. I shoot them bowfishing....but thats it.

Ok were you just sitting around the house thinking "man, I bet people would love to hear my random thoughts about tilapia at choke" and actually decided to go to the computer and post this????

He's been on a posting rampage lately...

Talipia on a crankbait? You bet! Havent been to Fayette County without catching some on a rattletrap when ripping them over some shallow points.

lmao that's frigging funny!!

I have fished Fayette about 5-6 times, I have family that live in Katy and thats the lake they go to. Every time I have gone, I have caught a Tilapia on a cranking bait, and many other people do to. There is a rule that you must kill or keep every tilapia you catch on Fayette, that is why you see so many floaters on that lake!

However, I have never caught a Tilapia on Choke and I fish it every week! Thats why I did not think they had them untill I saw them the other day in the cooler.

I figured that people would be interested in knowing that Tilapia were in Choke Canyon because bass feed on them. It is not a commonly known species on choke and I was just trying to give yall some info!

Yall guys have a good day!

I've caught Tilapa on Fayette if I recall. Didnt know they were in Choke. I remember catching some big ones in Calaveras back in the day. I'd bet some long legged bird with fish eggs on his feet is the reason they made it into the lake. I have no idea if Talapia are good or bad for bassfishing lakes. I know they breed like rabbits.

Flippin, don't worry about those guys. I for one am happy to read your story, and I wish I could get my hands on a cooler full of tilapias! Those suckers are expensive. I think most people who set out to fish for them use some sort of dough bait, like fishing for carp.

Those that fish for them use a net.

Like jpthrls909 stated, I have also seen them around the North Shore ramp but have never caught one, plenty of perch but not Tilapia. Same for Fayette. The only people I see catch them on a regular basis are cast netters. Not saying that others are not being caught on rod and reel, just never happened to me, yet.