I am looking for some answers, so lets see what u think? Pond is 3.5 acres with 3 TH feeders running in the early morning and late evening. The feeders are set @ 3 feeding times of 10 sec. then 30 min later 2 sec. and then 30 min later 7 seconds. The Cargils 1/8" feed is gone in just a couple of min. So would you increase the feed by more seconds thrown? And I watch as the CNBG feed and I see some that I would guess to be in the 6" size but most are in the 3 to 4" size. I have started fly fishing for them, so I could get a close up look see, and I only catch the small ones. They are fat and sassy and look to be in excellent health. I was not sure if there was a WR for a 3 to 4"CNBG, so I have not weighed or measured. I don't want to over feed but the fish food is gone in just a min. or two. I love to watch them tear the water up And my water surface temps are in the mid 90's , will they slow down as the summer comes on hotter and longer? Thanks

Tracy

When it got really hot last summer my fish kind of reduced their feeding activity. Usually late July and early August when it is the hottest here.

I only hand feed, but back off on the amount a little if they quit cleaning it up quickly. I only feed about 3 pounds per acre max though, so not exactly on a aggressive feeding program.

That is just what I do. May not be correct.

Thanks for your response here snrub. I am going through a lot more feed than I expected. The CNBG will tear the water up when the feeder goes off. If I set it @ 10 sec. feed, they will have it all gone in just a min. or so. And from what I have read here, it says, no more food if some is left after 15 min of feeding. If this is true, they might eat 1/2 of a sk of feed in that 15 minutes. haha. I was thinking I might just stage the feeder up until there is food left floating. I also think they are eating some of the FHM's that are in the area when the feeder goes off. I want the cnbg to feed on other things in the pond, so I was wondering where do I stop the feeding?

Tracy

Here's a chart for smaller bluegills: http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=32040&Number=416309#Post416309

I think of the 15 minute advice as more of a guideline for those unfamiliar with feeding, than I do a rule. There's a difference between feeding to satiation, and supplemental feeding. Feeding all they will eat in a 3.5 acre pond will involve $$$$

$$$, you Got that rite Spark's. And thanks for the chart.

Tracy

For comparison....I only have 2 feeders and feed about 1/2 pound /day/surface acre.I kinda decided how much my budget was gonna be and worked backwards.Good luck with your pond sounds like you are going to have some monster BG

Tracy, I've had pretty good results by adding and deleting throw times. I probably throw less time per throw than others, but it keeps prevailing winds from floating the food to the bank, and it keeps the CNBG close to the feeders all day.

From now to the end of Sept, I'll cut the feedings back a smidge, and then ramp back up when things start cooling down.

IMHO, sprkplug's on point about the 15 minute rule. I think it is a maximum recommended feed time. And with the number of CNBG you're stocking, it could really get expensive.

Al and Chasen thanks for the info. Al, when the wind is out of the WSW some food will make back to the bank, but not much, maybe 100 pieces of food and that will be eaten by the FHM or crawfish. In asking the question, how much to feed here, I was thinking about the Cargils 1/8" that is eaten in about 1 min. I am not sure of the pounds per throw because the 3 TH feeders do not throw the same, even when set at the same time feeding. Two are older feeders and throw different from the newer one. So, the amount I throw is gone in like 1 min. And then like you said Al, there are some heavy stocking rates in this pond and if I figure the spawning CNBG there is a lot of forage fish. And that is why I was asking how much should one feed? And as Sparks discussed the $$$, I now see that The Camalot LMB fingerlings need to get going and start reducing the BG numbers. And just for adding to this, I have not seen one lmb fingerling since stocking. Where the heck did they go? They are not on the shore line where I thought they might be. Will the lmb fingerlings hand in the deeper cooler water, like if they were bigger?

Tracy

Tracy, the spinner plate height is the often overlooked variable in TX Hunter feeders. When I had a feeder in the brood pond, 1/8" Cargill liked a high setting (closer to the bin funnel), and if I didn't do that, there was a certain amount of food that just kept dropping over the spinner, and then to the blower. I like to set both feeders to the same plate height setting, and then they'll consistently throw the same volume of food per throw. In other words, 5 seconds of 1/8" fish food should throw consistently from feeder to feeder. IIRC, a ruler and an allen wrench is all it takes. If esshup sees this, he can explain it better than I can.

I'm not sure about the CBLMB, but both my LMB and CBNG have moved around 15-20' off the banks over the last few weeks. The rain stopped, the heat hit, and out they went. The lack of alpha predators probably helps with your fry roaming freely also.

Hope all this helps.

No need to explain further Al, you did a pretty good job.

I had to adjust the spinner plate down on my TH feeder. As set from the factory, it barely let a Purina AquaMax 600 pellet through.

I stocked LMB at 3". I didn't see them hardly at all for weeks. Then I started seeing 6"ers hanging outside the schools of BG that lined up on the shore when I came up to feed. I occassionally see a splash when one hits a minnow up in the FHM/GSH breeding cove. I take it that if you've provided an unlimited buffet of forage fish, they don't need to be where you see them.

Thanks guys for the responses. Al, I did adjust the plates on the TH Feeder when I first set them up. But the 3 feeders are still not matching each other. Seems to be the timer, but I am thinking of catching the feed in a plastic bag and weighing the food caught and then adjust the timer for a match up of the food dispensed. Two of the feeders I purchased were used and 3rd one was new. I have been using the Cargils high protein feed but I added some Purina which is about twice the size of the Cargill's 1/8", so I will sell how the feeders do with it. My feed and seed guy gave me the Purina, I think he is hoping to see me some in the future.
After seeing Sparkie's comments here about cost, I watched the feeding and adjusted the feeding times. Man oh Man, can those CNBG eat some food, and the Tilapia seem to be joining in along with the Fhm's.

Tracy

Look for them in the shallow in grass where the minnows hang out. Little splashes usually means a minnow provided lunch. I see them in shallow water where it's safer

Tracy
I use the Cargill 4512 in 1/8 and 1/4" . The CNBG eat the 1/4" first then pick off the 1/8 last . My fish eat 2 seconds worth in about 30 seconds so I feed more often instead of more at one time. Hungry fish are healthier than bloated full fish

Thanks Pat for the info. I did a heavy stocking of cnbg and so when I feed in 9 second feedings 5 times per day. All of the feed is gone in about two min. And there are thousands of FHM's for the cnbg to feed on. Sometimes I will see the cnbg will be busting the surface like I was feeding but I wasn't. Guessing they might be feeding on the schools of small FHM's.

Tracy

Nice to see isn't it. After the feed is gone you can see the smaller CNBG skimming the surface for the powdered fines that is thrown with the feed. Those bass really grow fast if you got stuff for them to eat.

Tracy, if you try to catch the feed here's some tips (been there, done that, got the t-shirt).

Wear heavy winter gloves when holding the bag. Pellets hurt.

Forget about using a plastic bag. The pellets go thru them like they were launched from a shotgun. I used a loosely woven cloth bag to let the air out the third time. (didn't learn my lesson the first time)

Have someone else press the timer. Have the bag already over the opening. Keep your face out of the line of fire.........

esshup, Thanks for your report of your personal experience. It's kind of a funny story. I can see it now in my minds eye Sounds like the type of experience's that I have, when I'm trying to do something.

I filled the feeders and have now set the timing. After watching the fish feed I adjusting to a 10 second feeding. Two feedings in the mornings and 3 feedings in the evening. I am going to see how long the food will last in the large TH Feeder. I had a pallet of the Cargill's high protein feed delivered to the farm house, cost was about $150 for the delivery, so it added about 3 dollars cost to each sk. I think it comes to around $42.00 per sk. Just thinking to myself about how the pond may be a money disposal pond, but I have never found a cheap hobby. Haha. chasing women and catching one, or playing golf or bass fishing boats. And now growing trophy LMB. (I hope)

Tracy