I have an old pond about .3ac that I seined and stocked with CNBG last April and have been feeding with 1/8" Triton. They do not appear to have really taken to the feed as well as I expected but I have been feeding nonetheless. Do you guys feed year round or shut off the feed in the winter?
Thanks
Hey Chris
As cool as water is now I would hold the feed till it warms up some.
Did your main pond ever fill back up?
Yes it did last spring but it is back down again. I just had Alan out with the dozer/ trackhoe to dig out some holes and create structure while the water level is down. It is finally coming together!
That’s good to hear
Offer for all the BG and LMB to use for stocking still stands
Excellent - thank you. I'd be interested to see your place sometime!
z
I’m down to just feeding 1 second a day.
I'm with Tbar, still feed but at reduced levels. CNBG lose weight over the winter without feed. With feed, even reduced amount, they maintain weight.
Feed does fertilize, whether eaten or not. If you are fighting excess fertility, might be smart to turn it off completely during winter. I'm fighting highly infertile water, so it is not a concern.
I have read elsewhere that some folks switch to a sinking feed in the colder months to keep uneaten feed from washing up on the bank and becoming (expensive) coon food. Any merit to this idea? If so, any recommendations?
Thanks yall
z
There are members that have good results with sinking fish food, but my question is, how do you know if it's eaten if you don't see it? We're North of you, but I've cut off the feeder at the top of the pond, and just put a 5 gallon bucket of food in the hopper. Nice days, I hand feed them. Nasty days, I don't.
Just a FYI, but CNBG do retreat to warmer water if it's closely available to the feeder. When they do feed, they tend to rise straight up to the food, and not chase it laterally like they do in warmer water. A hand full of food makes it easy to determine if they're eating or not, then you can feed as long as they seem interested.
The feeder at the dam is still running, but the morning throw is off, and the late afternoon throw is down to 2 seconds.
Pat,
I should be out there this weekend if you want to come see the progress. My brother will bring a drone to get some aerial pictures I can share with you if you can't make it. Drop me an IM or a text (if you still have my #) and we can make a plan.
z