I would like to start out by thanking everyone on this site for your patience, Knowledge, and expertise. I an very grateful that all of you contribute because of Y'all I can try to manage my small bow Instead of wondering why fish are floating everywhere. I had my sand pit pond dug in the spring of 2017, stocked it with CNBG and FHM and in July I put in 20 "Native" LMB. I've never had any visibility until he last month or so. Last week my Texas Hunter feeder needed some work(the spinner plate came loose and the lower chute was full of Optimal blue gill feed) When I tested it I was surprised that I had 10 or so pound and a half LMB hogging the feed (between taking a cnbg or two). And after watching for a while I saw some 6 to 8 inch LMB taking feed. I was not told the LMB I bought were feed trained and I know the offspring were not. Am I lucky? Is the optimal irresistible? Should I buy some LMB feed? I am managing for CNBG and plan on removing LMB when they hit 16" PS I am going make it goal to figure out how to post pictures. Again thanks to all of you

Nbell
I have some LMB that feed trained themselves so it’s possible that yours trained themselves or maybe they came that way from suppliers..... they will grow fast

My feed trained LMB, stocked last year at 12" size, only ate pellets the first year. I've never seen them hitting food this year.
Instead I see alot of YOY at the feeder every day. As Pat said they feed trained themselves and they are definitely bigger than those who don't eat pellet.

I am not sure my FLMB have feed trained at the pond but I did see what may have been a DD lmb look and study a chunk and then eat a Purina lmb chunk once. I was surprised at it all. She really did a look see before sucking it down.

I feed my old pond by hand sporadically and noticed this year I have several LMB as well as the recently stocked SMB coming up and competing with the BG for feed. I throw them out some Optimal Hand Throw and have fun watching them slurp it up. They trained themselves.

I have one LMB who is around the middle, size wise, who eats individual pellets of the tractor supply multi species.
It looks silly, such a large mouth eating a tiny pellet.
The other 8-10 LMB won't give the pellets a second thought.
I see no rhyme or reason.
Half the LMB were stocked 3 years ago and the other half were bucket stocked.