Lake mead tilapia/stripers

[Kelpy]

I am just curious at how one goes about finding tilapia in lake mead. I know that they spawn in the weed edges around the lake but I looked last summer and didn't see any anywhere? Can anyone give any tips on where you all have seen them? If anyone has?

And just another thought I had about catching stripers. Is it legal to use carp as bait/chum for them? Just wondering because if a guy was to catch a carp while striper fishing would it be benneficial to cut it up and throw it out there?

Thanks, Kelpy
[signature]

[Mead_Stripers]

I've never seen or heard of anyone catching tilapia at Mead. I've fished a lot of shoreline at Mead and have never seen them. I typically land a ton of stripers and some large and smallmouth bass.

I'm not sure if it is legal to chum a carp but I don't know if stripers would actually go after a carp. Hands down, anchovies are the best attractors for stripers. They have that strong fishy smell, and I think the stripers love that. My friends and I actually caught a large carp off anchovies on 2 occasions, which is absolutely bizarre to me since they appear to be strictly vegetarian. On those 2 occasions, we released the carp.

Best regards,

Paul
[signature]

[Kelpy]

Yes, there is tilapia in lake mead. . . I know that because the lake mead information thingy says it. Although, as far as catching them. . . I heard from a friend of a friend of mine (usually good source) that he snags them during the springtime. Evidently it's legal because they aren't supposed to be in there anyway. "bucket biologists" put them there.

I will find them and it's only a matter of time, when I do i'll let yall know.

As far as stripers eating carp. I know they do because we've caught them on em while fishing for flathead catfish. And every time I touch a carp I smell pretty fishy for a long time! [pirate] So they gotta come to carp chum. I am gonna try and will let you know how it goes.

Later, Kelpy
[signature]

[BaySport]

Last fall while tossing a net in Las Vegas Wash for shad, I pulled in a tilapia. It weighted about a pound, and was very healthy. So they are out there! Carp for Chum? Corn or cut bait always works for me.
BaySport
[signature]

[Mead_Stripers]

Wow, you learn something new about the lake even when you're not there. I had no idea Mead had tilapia or that stripers go after carp. I just took a look at a photo of a tilapia and I believe I may have caught a few along the shoreline. I always thought I was catching a sunfish (definitely, not crappie). They're small, yellowish-green color with spots along the side. I can't be certain which fish it is. Regardless, I've caught ones about the size of a cell phone before. I then use it as live bait for stripers. You want a nice fight...use tilapia or sunfish as live bait. I've used crawfish as well but it's hard to hook a striper when using live crawfish as bait.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

Best regards,

Paul
[signature]

[Kelpy]

Thanks whizzle,

I am looking to spearfish them and was wondering if there were any around. I guess I will start my search in the areas you have mentioned.

Later, Kelpy
[signature]

[Kelpy]

Thanks,

You said rocky structure, and weed beds, but what kind of depths are we talking about? Shallow < 10ft ? deep > 40 ?

Thanks for all information!

Later, Ken

P.S. When should I start looking for em? March, April?

Maybe we should get together and make a spearo trip this spring?
[signature]

[Mead_Stripers]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not sure if I was catching Tilapia or Sunfish but I was catching them on 4 lb test with a tiny hook. Then I would use a tiny piece of anchovy, and I would just pull them right out of the water. I just held the fishing line with my hand. Not difficult to catch at all but I didn't see many of them.

Best regards,

Paul
[signature]