Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Anyone care to share their setup to feed in their stocked pond/lake? Starting from scratch, never done it, so I'm all ears. LM, bream, channels, and fathead minners.
Pointers on feeding a stocked pond?
- Thread starter Boll Weevil
- Start date
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
I put a feeder full of floating fish food out. Feed twice a day and have it hooked to solar panel.
I've also seen folks make a hoop out of plastic pipe and throw food into the hoop. Hoop keeps it from floating away, and teaches fish where to feed at
I've also seen folks make a hoop out of plastic pipe and throw food into the hoop. Hoop keeps it from floating away, and teaches fish where to feed at
Boone25/06
Well-Known Member
Automatic fish feeder is a must for optimal growth. If just for fun and watching fish eat hand feeding would be fine. Sweeney is the best feeder I have used.
Floating feeder ring to get them started and not let them push feed to bank and become easy prey for herons.
Feed the best / highest protein feed you can afford. Aqua max and optimal or high quality. You will feed less feed this way to get same growth. So cheap low quality feed will actually cost more in long run between less growth by weight and adding more nutrients to pond that will cause excess algae.
Plant based protein is okay for catfish but no good for your bluegill and bass. They do best on a fish meal based protein.
Do not over feed or you will be dealing with water quality issue that if not handled could kill all the fish to an dissolved oxygen crash.
Way too many things to go over completely but these are a start.
Floating feeder ring to get them started and not let them push feed to bank and become easy prey for herons.
Feed the best / highest protein feed you can afford. Aqua max and optimal or high quality. You will feed less feed this way to get same growth. So cheap low quality feed will actually cost more in long run between less growth by weight and adding more nutrients to pond that will cause excess algae.
Plant based protein is okay for catfish but no good for your bluegill and bass. They do best on a fish meal based protein.
Do not over feed or you will be dealing with water quality issue that if not handled could kill all the fish to an dissolved oxygen crash.
Way too many things to go over completely but these are a start.
Stock baitfish first. Once you add the predator fish, you should plan to add more minnows every year. Bass and Channel cats will absolutely wear out smaller bream and the few minnows from initial stocking....
As mentioned above, supplemental feeding helps.
Trophypond.com
As mentioned above, supplemental feeding helps.
Trophypond.com
Use a high quality feed, I'd suggest aquamax
thirdwilliam
Well-Known Member
Have the water tested to determine fertilizer needs. Our pond is 8 acres and we have been working to improve the size for a number of years. We place tilapia every spring to provide additional food, they spawn every 30 days. We have added crawfish every couple years and shad . We had it shocked before we started to determine where we were. Bass, bluegill and crappie pond. We are supposed to take out 250 fish every year. Ours was over populated and the bass were stunted. We now have a good variation of age class and healthier fish
Where do you guys buy aquamax and crawfish?
First year needs to be catered to fish habitat and BAITFISH. Put structure in the pond and maybe a gravel area for spawning in a shallow end. I would specifically cater to building a robust population on breeding fathead minnows. The stocking of other fish is easy but start off on the lower end of a stocking ratio. Wooden pallets with cinder blocks on them in the shallow end are great places for minnows to lay eggs. Oh did I mention that BAITFISH only the fish year is the way to go. Also do you plan on aeration for the hot summer month with little rain?
Marshall county coop in Benton Ky orders it for us.
Shiners and crawfish, my guy sold out and retired
New contact is Andrea at 731-968-8624 if they are still in biz.
Big crawfish fail this year, if available they will be expensive
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Thanks y'all. Really appreciate the tips.
I use a one directional deer feeder. Bought it cheap after deer season. I have been using it since march of 17. Aquamax is a great product and puts size on fish quickly. Set your timer to run just long enough for the fish to quickly eat what is thrown out. As the size increases you will have to adjust the timer to throw more feed. Highly recommend checking out Pond Boss forum. Anything you want to know will be discussed on that forum. Be careful with the LM on a newly stocked pond. The will put a hurting on your bream. If you can find Copper Nose blue gill I highly recommend them. The get huge with supplemental feeding. I also recommend a quality aerator if you have a power supply to run it. Oxygen and supplemental feed will greatly enhance your pond.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
For those that feed, can you tell me a little more about your setup? Is it on a pole, suspended, on the ground, on a dock? What kind is it and can vermin get to the feed or turn the spincaster to steal food? Ttrying to minimize waste and coons are both smart and persistent.
yellalinehunter
Well-Known Member
One direction spin feeder, solar charged, hung on 4x4. Spin plate is tucked back and lid is screwed on. Coon would have to be persistent and smart to get the feed. Hasn't happened to mine been up 2 years
