Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Feeding Bluegills

Hi,
Been trying to get my 'gills started on pelleted feed and they're starting to get the hang of it. I have noticed however that the bigger fish seem to have a preference for larger pieces of food or really tiny pieces. They'll come up and take a look at normal sized pellets and then back away. I have been wetting the feed, a per Mr. Cody's instruction, and rolling three or four pieces into a wormy, minnow-like shape before tossing it out, and they really attack it. Are bigger bluegills often finicky about food/bait sizes?
Thanks and good fishing,
Dan

Bigger BG are very often wiser more cautious BG. Fish exposed to anglers usually do not get big or trophy sized by being dumb. Dumb fish are usually eliminated from the population early in life before the fish gets old. What I think you are seeing and experiencing with the BG is caution and some hesitancy for eating new items. As the more shy ones learn the food is okay, they will be more aggressive at feeding on the pellets. When the fish are eating the softer pellets well you can gradually make the pellets drier until they are eating dry pellets.

An old dog/new trick thing?

I've also observed that fish that are trained on pellets from the get go early will always be more aggressive with pellets. I know it doesn't sound very profound though.

I have a cage of a few hundred 5 to 6 inch tubbies that were trained on artificial feed in an RAS as fry. These fish actually have their backs slightly out of the water in anticipation when I head for them on the pier. They are very aggressive with artificial feed.