11-29-2009, 06:56 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Just in case Josh (FB2) wanders off again, I will offer some input on that one. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Tilapia are not found in Utah except in one small spot...the Blue Lakes out in the far west desert. This is a geothermal spring fed group of small ponds that maintain temperatures warm enough to harbor tilapia and other species. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, there were no tilapia in them until a few years ago. Until then they were a great spot to go for open water fishing even in the dead of a cold winter...for big bluegills and largemouth bass. But, the skin divers who use the warm clear waters for divers' training and recreation have added a few "aquarium pets" (illegally) just to increase their own enjoyment. Unfortunately, some of the exotics...like the tilapia...have had a negative effect on the bass and bluegill. Besides competing for food and nesting spots they are very aggressive nest raiders and can eliminate complete nests of the previous inhabitants.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are a couple of lakes in that area that have tilapia. In the main lake, which is deeper...the lake popular with divers...there are fewer tilapia but they grow bigger. Some exceed 6 pounds but are very hard to catch by anglers. In one of the smaller "bluegill" lakes there is a huge population of tilapia which are now stunting. They used to exceed 12 to 14 inches but now average under 10 inches. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Our state fisheries people have never patrolled or managed Blue Lake because it is waaaaaay out in the desert. But they recently enacted a mandatory keep and kill regulation for all tilapia. It will not eradicate them but might help reduce the population. Unfortunately, not many people get out there to fish except the labor force from the gambling town of Wendover...20 miles to the north on terrible roads.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Because the food sources are scarce these fish will hit a wide variety of baits and lures...and flies. One of their primary foods is a small water beetle...about a size 12 black bug. Flies of that size and color will catch tilapia, bluegills and even some good sized bass. But, they will also hit other patterns and colors in other sizes. They ain't proud.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A lot of tilapia anglers simply toss out a small tube jig with a piece of nightcrawler on it. Others skip the lure and just fish a small piece of crawler on a bait hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here is a link to a divers' website with some interesting pics and info.[/#0000ff]
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[url "http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm"]http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm[/url]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Tilapia are not found in Utah except in one small spot...the Blue Lakes out in the far west desert. This is a geothermal spring fed group of small ponds that maintain temperatures warm enough to harbor tilapia and other species. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Actually, there were no tilapia in them until a few years ago. Until then they were a great spot to go for open water fishing even in the dead of a cold winter...for big bluegills and largemouth bass. But, the skin divers who use the warm clear waters for divers' training and recreation have added a few "aquarium pets" (illegally) just to increase their own enjoyment. Unfortunately, some of the exotics...like the tilapia...have had a negative effect on the bass and bluegill. Besides competing for food and nesting spots they are very aggressive nest raiders and can eliminate complete nests of the previous inhabitants.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are a couple of lakes in that area that have tilapia. In the main lake, which is deeper...the lake popular with divers...there are fewer tilapia but they grow bigger. Some exceed 6 pounds but are very hard to catch by anglers. In one of the smaller "bluegill" lakes there is a huge population of tilapia which are now stunting. They used to exceed 12 to 14 inches but now average under 10 inches. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Our state fisheries people have never patrolled or managed Blue Lake because it is waaaaaay out in the desert. But they recently enacted a mandatory keep and kill regulation for all tilapia. It will not eradicate them but might help reduce the population. Unfortunately, not many people get out there to fish except the labor force from the gambling town of Wendover...20 miles to the north on terrible roads.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Because the food sources are scarce these fish will hit a wide variety of baits and lures...and flies. One of their primary foods is a small water beetle...about a size 12 black bug. Flies of that size and color will catch tilapia, bluegills and even some good sized bass. But, they will also hit other patterns and colors in other sizes. They ain't proud.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A lot of tilapia anglers simply toss out a small tube jig with a piece of nightcrawler on it. Others skip the lure and just fish a small piece of crawler on a bait hook.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here is a link to a divers' website with some interesting pics and info.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm"]http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm[/url]
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