Species #109 — Blue Tilapia

Luke Ovgard Panfish Fishing, SpeciesQuest

Species: Blue Tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) Location: Gila River, Phoenix, Arizona Date: November 16, 2017 I knew Redbelly Tilapia weren’t the only exotic cichlids present in the Gila River, so I continued fishing, being careful to check every one of the 23 Redbellies I caught for signs of being either Blue or Nile Tilapia, both of which can be…

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Species #108 — Redbelly Tilapia

Luke Ovgard Panfish Fishing, SpeciesQuest

Species: Redbelly Tilapia (Tilapia zillii) Location: Gila River, Phoenix, Arizona Date: November 16, 2017 While the first Rio Grande Cichlid was easy to catch, the next dozen or so fish I caught were Redbelly Tilapia. These feisty and beautiful little fish came out of the weeds with every drop, looking to pounce of any- and everything I…

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