Hi all
I live in Townsville North Queensland and as luck would have it, I have a small stream not far from my home. This stream is packed full of Tilapia. and using my 6w fly rod I have had some luck catching them with a small buzzer fly. I would like to hear from any one fly fishing for this fish using any other fly pattern.
regards michael.
added info. I placed some photos of these flys on (fly chat)
Heading
Looking for an all round NQ fresh water fly, try these
Last edited by michael.cl; 17-11-2009 at 09:24 AM. Reason: adding text and photos
Hey mate cant say im having as much luck as you. Im using little bread fly's the tilapia will rise to the fly get 1cm away from it and just back of, there happy eating the bread all day butt wont even kiss the fly. It is a very visual form of fishing big red beats coming up to the fly. I just struggling to tempt them into tacking it although the local mullet population is keeping me happy. Do you have any photos of the fly pattern you're using the creek i fish is litterd with them and i would love to help get the bugger's out of the water and into my garden.Originally Posted by michael.cl
Thanks Nick
Hi Nick
Glad to hear some one else is trying for these fish,I all so tired bread but like you say it is a no go ,all I was doing was feeding them. The fly I use on them with some luck is a small busser type , I have posted some pic's of them on fly chat under the heading of (looking for an all round NQ fresh water fly, try these ) I fish the fly down on the bottom in cooler water and away from the sun light as Tilapia seam to spook very ease on the surface. hope you have some luck Nick.
PS. you can bye the fly from any trout supplier's on the net if you are not into making your own.
Regards Michael.
Thanks heaps mate i try and get my hands on some of these flies. Is there any particular colour you find works best. And would you know if these fish are seansonal or not they seem to sun themselves but yer they do get spooked.
Thanks once agian Nick
Hi Nick
As for color I get more hits on the small red bussers than any thing else. weather they are seasonal or not ,that I cant tell you. I fish with a wool indicator on the surface and all so rub fresh water sent on to the fly every now and again . hope this info will help with your catch.
Regards Michael.
We used to chase a lot of tilapia down here in brisbane some 20 years ago in some of the freshwater section of local rivers. We used to catch a lot in the North Pine River on peeled prawns and found that they would also take small shrimp patterns when we were targeting bass.
I tried for talapia at the crystal cascades in cairns while i was on holidays but i couldn't even get close to the buggers let alone get a back cast with my flyrod
Still on the to-do list
Hi,
think we might be fishing the same spots in annandale! I dont use flys, but i have noticed they're a smart fish. I just use sp's or hard bodies and they are super agressive and hit it for the first couple of casts untill they work it out then nothing. Go back the next day and they hit it again. The pond I go to also has heaps of activity on the surface as you rock up but then they see you and scarper. still hit the popper for a few casts.
Hi Myusernam
We could be fishing the same creek, you are right about the fish being smart. It is just the same with fly, you will take a few on the wand and it all stops as they get Wise to what is going on. I find when I am fly fishing for Archer fish it is the same scenario. I guess if we bit down on a piece of food with a hook in it, we wood wise up very fast all so. All the best with your fishing, may see you at the creek some time. Thanks for the input.
great post guys, looking at doing the same around lake Tinaroo but at night.. the tilapia come into the shallows at night, a dull headtorch doesn't spook them but a bright one does, figure a surface pattern with small strips would be the go.. will let you know if I have any luck, have to find a night lately where there's not much wind! i'll try a small popper too when I get bored. Cheers.
i remember reading something a while back that tilarpia dont like colder weather , not sure how true it is
Many years ago used to fish samsonvale off an old road bridge where we shouldn't have been fishing and caught tonnes of them on a sinking tip fly line with just about any pattern I could tie on .
Great fun and we'd make piles of them on the road and a local big wedge tail would scoff em down with us a few metres away.
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