Blue Lake Tilapia

[BIGBLUESCAT]

Went out to wendover to hang out with Kenny Wayne Shephard. So while in the big city we went out to Blue lake on Saturday got there around noon fished untill eight. Got 7 tilapia and some of the biggest Blue gill i have seen. Water temp was 80 degrees. lots of bugs and big horse flies that love to bite. Had a great day. They are also very tasty that is the fish not the bugs. The Love Princess loved them.
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[Tangled_not]

I for one, had no idea there were anything but bass out there. look like big healthy fish! tilapia are great eating, enjoy. thanks for sharing.

Anyone know the story behind tilapia at blue lake??
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[Flyfishinglover]

Nice job ya one day I want to catch some tilapia I love to eat them.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Tilapia have been in the lakes there since the mid 2000's. Bucket biology. Some say the divers who frequent the warm waters put them in there. Others claim it was the predominant workforce from Wendover.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No matter how they got in there they have affected the bass and bluegill. They spawn several times a year and are aggressive nest raiders themselves for the other species. They also compete with the bass and bluegill for the limited food supply. The only upside is that their young in turn are good food for the bigger bass.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]DWR has put a mandatory keep and kill regulation in place for the tilapia in Blue Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It is preferred to fish that area in colder months to avoid the bugs. Since the water stays warm all year it does not hurt the fishing...and it is a great place to go fishing without having to drill holes in the winter. Just be sure to stay close to your vehicle. Lots of vandalism and theft on unguarded cars and gear.[/#0000ff]
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[Tangled_not]

thanks TD, maybe i'll have to make a trip out there and oblige the DWR with the catch and kill reg. used to dive out there back in the day, but havent been there for 10 years or more.

They are in the cichlid family, and from my experience with aquarium fish, are VERY aggressive. a Cichlid tank is just that, cichlids only. pretty exclusive club, very territorial. kinda like junk yard dogs.

Good thing is, cold water is a limiting factor.
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[Jazzperch1]

my sisiters boyfriend said he used to go there alot when he was a kid with his dad and said they would slay the tilapia with fozen peas for bait, sounds crazy but it worked, also some fat gills and the largies that grow long instead of fat cause of the warm constant water. nice report BBC
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There are fewer tilapia in the big deep lake but there are some bigguns in there...reaching weights of over 6 pounds. Also harder to catch. Divers feed them squirts of Cheeze Whiz from cans underwater. Maybe a good "Velveeta hackle" fly would be in order.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The biggest population and the easiest to catch are the ones in the shallower "bluegill pond"...close to the road. The sizes go in cycles. Sometimes smaller than others, but looks like there are some big enough to justify a trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They are primarily vegetarian...and green peas do work. But in a competitive environment they eat anything that doesn't eat them first. The main food item in that water system is a small aquatic beetle. Even bass eat them. But fish eggs and small fry are on the menu for all species. A lot of the "regulars" from Wendover just soak a piece of crawler or fish a small jig with a bit of crawler for sweetener.[/#0000ff]
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[Paulpro]

You slayed those tilapia!,how the heck you get yours
the big guy I got was 3 3/4lb[]
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[Jazzperch1]

cool vid!!![]
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[Tangled_not]

I'll have to work on that cheez whiz "emerger" pattern. sounds like a small arsenal of baits and lures is in order, experiment a little. thanks for the input.
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[a_bow_nut]

I think that I would just rub it on to the lures that I was using. If they are used to the smell and the taste, then what would be better than a lure that smells and tastes like what they have been eating?
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[BigBuck3333]

the thing about talipia is they eat ther own crap,suprised tube dude didnt tell ya but then again he propably didnt want to spoil yer appetite.[laugh][laugh][laugh]
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[BIGBLUESCAT]

Speaking of what they eat. Does anyone know what they really like. I was using good old worms but i was wondering since they are vegetarian they may have liked something better and i could have caught more. I did through some spinners and rubber with no luck.
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[brookieguy1]

Any pics of the big bluegills?
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[BigBuck3333]

fish terd on a hook,used to love the fish myself till a buddy of mine told me they eat there own crap havent been able to stomack one since.
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[BIGBLUESCAT]

I didnt take any pics of the blue gills i let them all go. I was only after tilapia and didnt want to deal with them. They were very nice though some had big shoulders and did not fit in my hand. I own Timp marina at utah lake and i catch and eat alot of blue gill, but i had to laugh at how big some of them were.
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[Jmaze]

Best way to catch them is with a stink bait hook. Just insertion the easy cheese into the plastic, fill, cast, bendo. Works great for 5 or 6 fish all the time. As for the theives... We leave an armed guard... Seriously. Last time I drove out there as if on Que 20 minutes after driving down the road a guy drives by in an old Toyota Corolla, parks right next to he truck... Peers inside... Did I say i was with my wife... Any ways got more then he bargained for....
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[Paulpro]

If I took cheez wizz I'll end up eating my bait,
even underwater!
[#bf0000]Not good to give advice on a forum that violates our local laws. For those who don't know, Paulpro lives in Florida and of course they have different laws than we do here in Utah.[/#bf0000]
Like they say in that informercial..Set It And Forget It!
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