the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
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the fishing month at a glance
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Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the blue tilapia
how to recognize it
Tall, compressed body. The tail lacks the regular vertical stripes of the Nile tilapia and has a wide pink-to-bright-red border. Breeding males have an intense metallic blue head, a dorsal fin with a red edge and a stronger pink tail; females have orange, paler fin edges. Juveniles show oblique stripes on the soft dorsal fin and a dark spot on it. In old records, blue tilapia was often identified as Nile tilapia.
Also called: tilápia-azul, tilápia
don't confuse with:
where found
open on the large mapWhere to look: Lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals of warm water, in open water or among rocks and vegetation; tolerates brackish water. Males dig nests in shallow vegetated water, up to 60 cm deep.
Exotic in Brazil, where FishBase records an introduction (1965); we found no published records of free-living populations. Native to the Middle East and Africa; outside Brazil, established in Mexico, Central America, the Antilles and Peru.
when to fish
best season
Spring and summer. Spawning requires at least 20 °C and long days, and activity drops sharply in winter, although the species tolerates cold well.
best time of day
Daytime. Feeds by day, most active in the warm hours when the water is cold, and early or late in the afternoon in hot weather.
what affects the blue tilapia
cold and cold fronts
Tolerates cold well, but below about 18 °C it eats little.
atmospheric pressure
Little effect.
moon
No significant effect.
rain
Cold rain shuts down activity.
water level
Small effect; look for shallow banks and structure.
noise
Tolerant, used to fishing ponds and tanks.
wind
A little chop helps; strong wind makes it hard to see the float.
depth
Shallow in heat and during spawning; deeper in cold.
how to fish
lures
- micro jig 1/32 to 1/16 oz
- nymph fly
- mini plug
natural baits
- corn and flour dough
- pellet feed
- minhoca
- green corn
- bread
tip from an angler
Feeding float with pellet bait and a small hook 20 to 40 cm below. Set the hook lightly when the float runs away; the mouth is small.
- rod
- 1.8 to 2.4 m, 6 to 12 lb, or bamboo rod
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 1000 to 2500
- line
- monofilament 0.20 to 0.25 mm or braided 10 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 0.25 mm
- hook
- No. 8 to 2, short shank
accessories
- groundbait float
- groundbait made of pellet feed
- landing net
catch and release
Exotic: do not return it to environments where it does not yet exist, and never release live fish from a tank or fish farm into a river, lake or reservoir. Where local rules allow, prefer killing it for food.
rules for the blue tilapia
Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Releasing into a river, lake or reservoir without a license is an offense
introducing or releasing into the natural environment is banned without a technical opinion and a licenseconfirm with the agency details
Introducing an animal specimen, native or exotic, into the country or outside its natural range, without a favorable official technical opinion and a license from the environmental authority, is an offense (Decreto 6.514/2008, art. 25) and a crime (Lei 9.605/1998, art. 31). Releasing blue tilapia from a tank, fish farm or aquarium into a river, lake or reservoir falls under this, according to environmental agencies. Anglers catching the fish in the environment where it already lives should follow the local rule on releasing or killing it.
Mato Grosso do Sul: tilapias can be added to the bag limit
fish may be added to the limit of 1 fish + 5 piranhas, observing the closed seasonMS details
State Decree 15.166/2019, art. 7º, allows recreational anglers to add to their limit fish of exotic, allochthonous and hybrid species, including tilapias (Oreochromis spp. and Tilapia spp.), provided the closed season is observed.
Mato Grosso: introducing an exotic species without a license brings a fine
fine of R$6,000 to R$100,000, plus R$100 per kilo or fractionMT details
Art. 46 of MT's fishing law penalizes anyone who introduces native, exotic or non-native species without authorization or a license from the competent agency, or in breach of the license. It applies to releasing captive-raised fish into a river or lake.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, art. 46 (as amended by Lei nº 12.197/2023) - Sema-MT
Mato Grosso: catch and transport of exotic fish have their own resolution
under Cepesca Resolution nº 02/2024MTconfirm with the agency details
The official Sema-MT table (updated June 6, 2025) cites Cepesca Resolution nº 02, of March 7, 2024, which regulates the catch and transport of exotic fish in the rivers of the Paraguay, Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins basins. We did not check the text of the resolution: confirm the conditions with Sema-MT before transporting. Transporte Zero under art. 19-B covers only the 12 native species on the list, none of which are tilapias.
Source: Resolução Cepesca-MT nº 02/2024 (cited in the Sema-MT table of Jun 6, 2025)
Mexico: up to 5 freshwater fish per day, no live fish as bait
5 freshwater fish per angler per day; 1 rod; no sale details
In Mexico's federal-jurisdiction inland waters, the limit for freshwater species is 5 fish per angler per day, with only one rod in operation. Using fish as live bait in inland waters is banned, and fish caught in sport fishing may not be sold. Each reservoir's committee may lower the limit and set sizes. The rule does not mention tilapia or give an exception for exotic species; fish above the limit may be caught if released alive (item 4.9.5).
Goiás: blue tilapia is not on the list of released exotic species
outside Annex II: zero transport limit; on-site consumption of up to 5 kgGOconfirm with the agency details
Annex II of IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026 releases, with no size or quantity limit, the listed exotic species, among them the Nile tilapia, the Mozambique tilapia and the redbreast tilapia, but does not mention Oreochromis aureus. For blue tilapia, in principle, the zero transport limit of art. 2º applies, with on-site consumption of up to 5 kg per angler. Confirm with Semad-GO, since the list is by basin and may be updated.
Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, arts. 2º and 5º and Annex II
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026). Exotic species: management aims to prevent new releases.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
estimated weight
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how we calculate
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01738, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
more about the blue tilapia
Cichlid native to the Middle East and northern and western Africa (Jordan River, lower Nile, Chad, Niger and Senegal), taken to fish farming in many countries. FishBase records its introduction to Brazil, from the United States in 1965; we found no published records of free-living populations in the country, unlike the Nile tilapia. It is established in Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru, where it competes with native fish, the best-documented case being Nicaragua. It is cold-tolerant (8 to 30 °C), forms shoals, eats phytoplankton and little zooplankton, and the female incubates the eggs in her mouth. Spawning only occurs above about 20 °C.
Family: Cichlidae · omnivore
fun facts
- Cold-tolerant: lives from 8 to 30 °C and withstands up to 41 °C.
- The male digs a nest 4 to 6 m across and up to 60 cm deep, and defends its territory with side displays, bites and mouth-to-mouth fights.
- A female can carry up to 2,000 eggs in her mouth.
- It crosses with the Nile tilapia, and these hybrids were used in fish farming to produce all-male batches.
in the kitchen
FishBase describes it as tasty. White, firm fillet, fried, baked or grilled, like other tilapias.
similar species
sources and references (11)
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase: Oreochromis aureus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight relationship, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on October 13, 2026. The common size and weight and the depth range are editorial estimates for sport fish (FishBase gives a common length of 16 cm, from farmed fish). The maximum weight of 2.0 kg is the published one. The species has no IUCN assessment.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Oreochromis aureusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
- scientific IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group: Global Invasive Species Database, Oreochromis aureusCompetition with native fish, cold tolerance (8 to 30 °C), hybridization with the Nile tilapia, cases in Nicaragua, and records of an exotic species in Brazil and Mexico. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: introduções de Oreochromis aureusList of introductions by country, with the entry into Brazil (1965, from the USA) and in Latin American countries. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Decreto nº 6.514, de 22 de julho de 2008, art. 25 (introdução de espécime animal sem licença), e Lei nº 9.605/1998, art. 31Text of art. 25 (wording from Decreto 6.686/2008) checked against a transcription of the legislation; art. 31 of Lei 9.605/1998 makes the same conduct a crime. Check the current text on the Planalto site.
- official Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166, de 21 de fevereiro de 2019 (pesca em Mato Grosso do Sul)Art. 7º: list of exotic and allochthonous species that may be added to the limit, including tilapias (Oreochromis spp. and Tilapia spp.). Official Gazette of Feb 22, 2019, checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009 (consolidada) - Política da Pesca de Mato GrossoArt. 46 (fine for introducing species without a license). Consolidated text checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Sema-MT: espécies proibidas, medidas mínimas e cota de captura de peixes em Mato Grosso (atualizada em 06/06/2025)Cites Cepesca Resolution nº 02/2024 on the catch and transport of exotic fish. Checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Modificação da Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-017-PESC-1994, que regula a pesca esportivo-recreativa em águas federais (DOF de 25/11/2013)Items 4.6 b (one rod), 4.7 c (no live fish as bait), 4.9.2 (5 freshwater fish per day), 4.9.5 and 4.11 (no sale). Text checked on October 13, 2026; the rule does not mention tilapia.
- official Instrução Normativa Semad-GO nº 17, de 26 de maio de 2026 (defeso, cota e espécies de Goiás)Art. 5º and Annex II (exotic and allochthonous species released by basin). Text checked on October 13, 2026.
how we calculatewhere each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: