    
steve yapp (Goodfishing)
New member
Username: Goodfishing
Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Monday, August 27, 2007 - 3:02 pm: | |
A 4wt flyrod with a 5wt floating line would be quite nice for these 6-15" tilapia. A medium action rod is good for this kind of line-flinging (soft, easy casting). Inexpensive DT line would be good(no need for very long casting) - 15 to 20-foot casts. A nice inexpensive reel is the medalist 1495. The one-size heavier line would beat the wind. A 9-foot rod is better to work against the wind (try side-arming the false casting to beat the wind, too). You might even go two sizes bigger with a 6wt line. The floating line acts just like a bobber, except it doesn't spook fish & you can see the tiniest bite move the line (you might use a bright yellow line so you can see it "move" on the water from a bite). An 8ft. leader made of a 6ft. 17lb.piece of mono tied to a 2ft. piece of 10lb. mono would work good (the hook should turn over well). You could tinker with the mono leader pieces to find a perfect combination. Use a bare bronze sz. 6 hook with a small piece off a large nightcrawler or a whole, very small earthworm. You might experiment with a single kernel of corn or a single green pea (squish it a bit), or a several small maggots thread on the hook. These baits will not fly off the hook when the flyline is thrown. Cast the line out & let the hook sink down vertically thru the water column, then let it rest for a minute. Be a good line-watcher; watch the line to see it move forward from a bite. A bite could happen anytime during the descent of the hook falling to the bottom. Repeat this, moving here & there. Would an artifical fly work? Perhaps a black gnat with an extra thick body daubbed liberally with smelly jelly - this might work. You might twitch it along very slowly (give the fish time to see it & smell it), but keep it steadily moving. Tilapia are truly the Salton Sea's gift to the public for recreational angling. Extremely lucky to have such a fabulous warmwater fishery. A 10-12" tilapia battles as hard as if latched onto a two to three pound bluegill. A 15" fish is like smallmouth bass times two. Very strong, hardy fish, & kinda neat to look at; like a gray, barred peacock bass. Good fishing to all! |
