Nile tilapia Fishing

Egypt's most caught and most eaten freshwater fish, present everywhere along the Nile, in the delta lakes and in the shallow bays of Lake Nasser. Being a herbivore-omnivore, it takes bread paste, boiled broad beans, sweetcorn and a small piece of worm best. Use a 0.16-0.20 mm hooklength, a small size 10-12 hook and a sensitive pencil float; the bite is short and downward. From April to October it comes very close to the bank, so look for the shallow sand craters where it nests. In winter it drops deeper and feeds less.

Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Photo: Germano Roberto Schüür · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Season calendar

Jan
Feb
MarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov
Dec

Active periodSpawning period — release what you catch

Season
March–November
Water temperature
20–33 °C
Spawning
April–September
Behaviour
Warm water, bottom feeder

Techniques

  • Float fishing
  • light bottom rig

Frequently asked

When is the best time to catch nile tilapia?
The productive window for nile tilapia runs March–November. April–September is the spawning period; releasing your catch during these months is strongly advised.
What water temperature does nile tilapia feed in?
Nile tilapia is most active between 20 and 33 °C. Outside that band its feeding rate drops off.
How do you fish for nile tilapia?
Common methods: Float fishing, light bottom rig.

Species that fish under similar conditions

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