Next week I will be adding 300 3 to 4" Res to the pond. I will be adding them behind a blocking net. Plans are to grow them to the 5 to 6" size before releasing them to the pond with existing lmb and hsb. Overtons is supplying these Res. Also adding 50 lbs of adult Tp and some 14" hsb and a thousand 2 to 3" cnbg. Some of the cnbg are going into a floating cage to grow them to the 5 to 6" range. I have no experience with cage raising fish and my first and last experience adding fish behind a blocking net failed because the morning after first stocking I found a 16" lmb in the blocked off area and most all the stocked fish were gone. I found a hole or gap they swam through and where the lmb got in. The gap was caused buy some brush. So, maybe this time I will do a better job at keeping fish in and fish out. I am wondering what I might feed these Res behind the net. I thought I would hand throw some MVP, hopeing they will eat it and I also plan on catching some small crayfish and adding them and see what happens. Any other ideas on what to feed the Res?

Anytime I have ever used a blocking net, I have been disappointed. Either the fish find a way out or they have gill netted themselves! Cages seem to work much better.

Feed the RES something with about 42-45% protein and 12% fat and they should do great. Start with slow sinking to get them on pellets then transition to floating feed.

I'm planning a trip to Overtons this weekend to pick up a few RES and CNBG myself. Nowhere near as many as you tho.

Dont take my word on this, but if I remember correctly, RES are pretty much impossible to feed train, because they're mainly bottom feeders. If you can get your hands on A BUNCH of small crawfish, that would probably be your best bet. You should ask Shannon what would be the best thing to try feeding them. I'm sure they're feeding them something.

I have had success feeding RES hydrated Optimal fish food, feed them at dawn or dusk under low light conditions to get them started on feed.

The low light conditions are absolutely imperative. I've even had luck training them with floating Optimal, but it absolutely has to be low light.

They will take to the hydrated Optimal feed immediately under low light conditions, give it a week or two and then introduce floating feed into the mix under low light conditions and you should be good to go. Once you get them conditioned to feeding off the surface you can try feeding in brighter light levels.

I have a good source of crawfish in the 1/4" to 1/2" range along with some Gams because they are in the same pools. I can get a thousand of them over a few days using a fine mesh net this time of year. As far as feed, I ordered 1/8" Cargills from Overton's for feeding the small cnbg in the cage. I know they are a supplier of Cargills and so I figured that is what they most likely are feeding. I will hydrate some as Shorty suggested. Thanks for suggesting hydrating the feed. I will do the same with the Aquamax MVP since about half of it sinks and I already have it. If that does not work then I will order some Optimal. Maybe I can get them on feed. I do not think I can keep up a substantial supply of the small crawfish after the spring rains end. I hope to do a much better job with the blocking net this time.

Use an under water feeding platform (I used a piece of old tin with the edges turned up attached to cinder blocks) - feed above that. Sinking feed will work as will hydrated feed. Idea is that most of the food will sink and land on the platform (stay off the bottom). RES will eat floating feed but do better eating a few feet underwater (low light rational). They are not normally surface feeders but will in time do so.

RES love small craws !