Brazos River Authority article

"Another invasive species has found its way into Texas lakes and rivers and state officials have a request if you find one.
Don't return it to the water.
Tilapia have been found in the Lone Star State's waterways and because of that, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is asking anyone out fishing that catches them, to not release them.
Their suggestion? Eat them."

Gibbons Creek is full of them. Not sure how they are doing now that the power plant is shut down. Back in the 90's the fisheries students would go out and seine net the hot water return channel and pull up hundreds of pounds a day. They were required to gut them and couldn't return any to the lake. Many a fish fry was had with those fillets.

I thought it has been a law in Texas for a few years that if you catch one, you are required to eviscerate it?

It is.

It doesn't get cold enough down here anymore for the winter weather to kill them. I was planning on stocking them in a few weeks but I'm hesitant because I don't want them taking over my pond.

IWe stock them every year, it's only a few of our main stockers that have overwintered in 3/4 years we had them. Last year they all died tho....the ones I didn't round up an eat.

We put 25 lbs in a 1.5 acre and they have never approached taking over.

Pretty sure I have the state record for a tilapia on the fly at Gibbons Creek. Foul hooked the damn thing behind the dorsal. It was huge.

I don't think you're allowed to get a state record by illegal hooking...

are you?