I'm from Florida, but there is almost the same kind of fishing done here as in Texas, so this forum is surprisingly helpful. One question that might be relative is: Is it safe to eat Tilapia from a golf course pond?

I wouldn't eat bass or bream from one, but I heard that tilapia have special gills which filter out all of the chemicals from the course.

I was messing around one night and threw a 3' cast net into a pond and pulled out 13 of them ranging from 1/2lb to close to 3 and the golf course manager said he didn't mind what I was doing as long as I didn't leave anything on the course. So it seems like the easiest fishing possible, with good tasting meat, but I was hoping for some opinions on whether or not it is safe.

And I'll probably put up some GoPro footage if I go down there again.

Where in Fla.?

Daytona

And in addition to that last post, they live extremely short too, so they aren't supposed to even be able to build up toxicities, but some confirmation could be useful.

You should be surfing! Leave them dang things alone!

You're allowed to keep tilapia using a cast net?

I would not eat fish out of a pond and a golf course pond is probably the worst with pollution. If netting tilapia is what you want then go to lake Fairfield where it is cleaner. I went a couple months ago.

It's illegal to throw a net in public fresh water, but I talked to the owner of the private course and he's fine with it. I've read that their gills filter all of the stuff out, as well as, they wouldn't live long enough anyway to build them up.

Yep, atleast in Texas. They are not a game fish. You can keep as many as you want too.

I would not eat anything from a golf course pond. Way to much fertilizer and herbicides.

The talapia are in his pond to keep the pond clean of algae. He probably didn't do it and has no idea how beneficial they are to his pond. As far as safe, depends on the course, drainage to the pond and many other factors. I am a golf course superintendent and the fish in my pond are safe to eat. We do not allow fishing for anyone but me or my guest. It is a huge liability issue.