Flies for Tilapia?

riverman wrote:

Anyone know what they feed on, in general, and what flies would work on
them?

They're omnivorous; pretty much like little finny pigs--algae and all
sorts of other vegetative matter, insects, small fish. Most pond-raised
tilapia are fed pellets. Fish farmers in the Congo mainly feed them
agricultural produce (grain, grated cassava, etc.) ag. by-products, or
household and kitchen scraps. Suspended mosquito larvae imitations, small
PTs and small Adams will work. Be sure to pay the folks who own the pond.

JR

"JR" wrote in message
...
riverman wrote:

Anyone know what they feed on, in general, and what flies would work on
them?

They're omnivorous; pretty much like little finny pigs--algae and all
sorts of other vegetative matter, insects, small fish. Most pond-raised
tilapia are fed pellets. Fish farmers in the Congo mainly feed them
agricultural produce (grain, grated cassava, etc.) ag. by-products, or
household and kitchen scraps. Suspended mosquito larvae imitations, small
PTs and small Adams will work. Be sure to pay the folks who own the pond.


Thanks. I read on a SA website that flies tied to look like corn worked
well, but that seemed a bit....unethical. I definately paid and will
continue to pay the pond owners: its a little R&R spot about 5 km out of
town called "Symphonie Naturelles", and they charge 1000CF to enter and
another 1000CF to fish, your gear or theirs, C&R or C&K (at the current rate
of 380CF = $1). They have a website that a search will find, I can't link
you to it because our internet server is down. I have no idea why I can
access the groups in the meantime.

Uhm, mfitons, if they are a generically interchangable bland-fleshed
whitefish, why would releasing them mean I don't know nothing about eating
fish? Doesn't sound like anything special to me at all, except a smelly
car.

--riverman

riverman wrote:

I definately paid and will
continue to pay the pond owners: its a little R&R spot about 5 km out of
town called "Symphonie Naturelles", and they charge 1000CF to enter and
another 1000CF to fish, your gear or theirs, C&R or C&K (at the current rate
of 380CF = $1). They have a website that a search will find, I can't link
you to it because our internet server is down. I have no idea why I can
access the groups in the meantime.

I've got to admit that made me laugh. Congo, at least Bas-Congo,
Bandundu, and the two Kasais, are chock-a-block with tilapia ponds (tens
of thousands of which were put in as part of an excellent Peace Corps
program that lasted more than two decades). I had supposed you'd come
across a couple of ordinary farm ponds.

"Symphonie Naturelle". eh? That the RENKA business? I think you should
86 the tilapia and check out wherever that babe on the RENKA home page
caught the little tigerfish.

JR

"JR" wrote in message
...
riverman wrote:

I definately paid and will
continue to pay the pond owners: its a little R&R spot about 5 km out of
town called "Symphonie Naturelles", and they charge 1000CF to enter and
another 1000CF to fish, your gear or theirs, C&R or C&K (at the current
rate
of 380CF = $1). They have a website that a search will find, I can't
link
you to it because our internet server is down. I have no idea why I can
access the groups in the meantime.

I've got to admit that made me laugh. Congo, at least Bas-Congo,
Bandundu, and the two Kasais, are chock-a-block with tilapia ponds (tens
of thousands of which were put in as part of an excellent Peace Corps
program that lasted more than two decades). I had supposed you'd come
across a couple of ordinary farm ponds.

Yeah, I know about the abundance of Tilapia ponds, but I don't think there
are any close to Kinsahsa. Too many mouths to feed. And even if I managed to
find and get out to a 'farm pond', I'd be swamped by hundreds of half naked
kids wanting to touch me and my gear, and completely amazed when I threw the
fish back. (I'd rather hand them out, but can you imagine the stampede if I
did that!) I prefer to pay the $5 and have some privacy and peace of mind,
since thats whats in prime demand around here. Also. I think farm ponds
might not have lunkers since they get harvested 2-3 times per year.


"Symphonie Naturelle". eh? That the RENKA business? I think you should
86 the tilapia and check out wherever that babe on the RENKA home page
caught the little tigerfish.

I found the site you are referring to. RENKA is a tourist/rental car
business that just got started, and that Tigerfish babe picture is a stock
picture, probably taken on the Zambezi back before the collapse of the
Zimbabwean economy. I've been scouting for Tigerfish around he they have
Goliath Tigers in the big river, but that takes a big boat and specialized
gear. The real problem is getting around the country without a sturdy 4WD. I
have caught some tiny Tigers in another river near here, but they were only
fishtank sized. I'm working on that: I think I'll be able to get more FF for
tigers in the coming year as old guides start hanging up their shingles, and
maybe I find a truck.

--riverman

BTW, here is the official (not so good) Symphonie website:
http://www.congo-pages.org/kinshasa/...naturelles.htm
For an inspirational search, go to Google images and put in "tigerfish"..
:-)