Anyone have a old one you don't need?
Moderators, I am sorry if this type post is not allowed. I assume it will be deleted promptly, if so.
I'm giving up on my old feeder. I'd be happy to give it to you as part of a trade..
If not let me know if you've got an old TH you'd be willing to sell.
Thanks,
Jeff

SetterGuy, they're tough to find. Occasionally I'll see one on CL or Texas Hunting forum, but they go really quick. You may keep an eye out for their deer corn slingers too. Most use the same throwers as the fish feeders.

If you want to gamble some more, there IS a way to modify the connections on a TH fish feeder timer to work with the AquaPro feeders. This entails cutting and splicing wires from the TH timer and the feeder, which voids the TH timer warranty. Timers are around $150

I've never seen a used TH feeder here in the upper Midwest.

I'm going to end up buying a new one.. Before I pulled the trigger, I thought I'd at least ask..

I have one and don't think that you will regret getting one. Call around and sometimes you can get a deal on one at hunting shows. That's where I got mine.

Way over priced as far as I'm concerned. Sorry I know there great and all but the price tag on them things is ridiculous..... just to throw food. LOL....

RC

SetterGuy, I don't think you'll regret the purchase one bit.

I finally broke down and bought one. And, NO regrets. The battery only lasted about 6 months but getting a good battery these days is a character builder.

OTOH, RC has thrown feed for quite a while with his set up.

Well granted mine is a bit more work and you can't just mount it on the dock.... but I love the ability to move it around some. Or in or out depending on water level. It works for me and so does the price.

RC

I used to feel the same way. Until I threw out about $100 worth of feed. Due to leaks, and have come up twice after two weeks away, and find the exact same amount of feed in the feeder as when I left. When you factor in the cost of feed, the cost of the fish, and the number of times I actually get the grandkids up here. It's looking like a better deal all the time.

Plus any day that they don't get feed is a day of optimal growth wasted.....

Yes there are pros and cons to both no doubt. I don't feed my fish for them to survive either... I only throw food twice a day for like 2 seconds each. So not as big of a deal for me.

Esshup coming from you who sells fish I understand your statement for sure but the average guy with a pond is that really his biggest worry.. I wouldn't think so... a few days without food if something went wrong wouldn't hurt my fish heck I could go a week or 2, but like I said I only supplement feed I don't want my fish dependent on my fish food.

Not downing TH feeders at all. Heck if someone gave me one I would use it right away!! but when I could have about 5 of my setups for one of them.... Hard to do..... is all I'm saying.

RC

My feeder works like a champ for 6 years now. I just recently floated it tho and I love it!! And it's mobility. I got about give or take a few bucks I have about a total of 175 bucks in it. Just throwing out options is all. Yes TH feeders are sweet and if you have a real nice dock you want it on awesome!! But if you would like to float a feeder or 2 and move them around. This works like a champ for about a quarter of the cost.

RC

That's an opinion I had once, till you discover mycotoxin mold from moist feed left on a slinger plate is killing fish, or clumps up on the plate, and very inconsistent feeding rates.

Well it's been 6 years and I never have had that issue but I guess it could always happen... My food stays quite dry and I have never had clump issues on my plate? Like I said just another option for some who don't have the spare 700 plus bucks to feed fish. Plus I am not really worried about
consistent amounts of feed thrown each time as long as it throws I'm good.



RC

$800 for 9 maintenance free years of reliability on my TH...I've been through 4 other feeders of lesser quality during that time each costing $400-$450 on my other ponds. I figure I'm way ahead of the game at this point. TH obviously is aware of this, they are priced accordingly. In pond management there are so few absolutes - a TH feeder quality and dependability is one of them.

Yeah I get it there the best of the best.... on that same note though I have 6 years on mine maintenance free also. Just have to swap rechargeable batteries from time to time here is another pic of mine slinging food pretty good for 175 bucks.... I guess I'm just a DIY kinda guy and that's 600 bucks I saved to use elsewhere that's all I'm saying. Heck 600 bucks savings that's a nice Chainsaw or a Self-propelled lawnmower.... Real nice 12 gauge shotgun!! LOL Thats just how I think I guess. Like I said I wouldn't turn one down either but a lot of folks out here can't afford a 600 dollar air system let alone a 800 dollar fish feeder. That's all I'm saying.

RC

P.S. I also get that everyone doesn't want to deal with a fish feeder out in the water. It is a bit more difficult to fill up and swap batt's out of it... You got to get in a boat to do it for sure.

Anyhow sorry Setter Guy we kinda got off track... but finding a good used TH feeder for sale would almost be like seeing to real nice 12 point bucks fighting each other 40 yards in front of you during hunting season. It just don't happen very often...

RC

RC, it all depends on the individual pond owners goals. I have clients that don't feed at all and never will, others that hand feed, others still yet that have feeders.

If you want to take fish out of the pond to eat, feeding them will allow them to grow faster, and can "turn" inventory faster from pond to table.

RC, you are a DIY guy. Think about the guys that aren't handy like you, but want to feed the fish, and they might not live at the pond. So they buy a feeder, have a company set it up for them, and who do they call when it doesn't work? Who would that person call to fix it, and would they expect it to be fixed for free? Every trip to a pond costs $$, and I'd be willing to bet that because it's under warranty the pond owner would expect the labor to be free too. It wouldn't take but a trip or two to a pond to chew up any profit made on the feeder, and then what? Will the customer be mad at you for selling a feeder that doesn't work 100% of the time? What if the feeder let water into the food? Who eats the cost of the food?

There are many reasons why I sell TH feeders. I like TJ also have a couple of feeders that I have here that don't work reliably, so they aren't in the store.....

+1 IMHO it all depends on the individual pondmeister's goals. Stocking rates and feeding regiment go hand in hand IMHO. If you stock at a rate that is dependent on pellets to keep your fish alive and growing and are not on site most of the time, then get the most reliable source for food and most reliable feeder you can find. If you just supplemental feed (like me) and stock at a rate that is not dependent on an external food source, you can rest easy when your fish are not fed. IMO in RC's case, seems he has a reliable feeder and his pond is not dependent on pellets. Best of both!

curious why no one mentions sweeney feeders anymore? i have had one for about 7 years and it works flawless. only had to replace the battery one time.

I have three Sweeney's that I have probably had for 7 or 8 years. They all work great. Last year one timer got wet after it had been stepped on and cracked and I did need to buy a new timer. Sweeney went through some hard times business wise and I think Texas Hunter stepped up and likely took over some of the business. When I bought the new timer Zack & his staff were great to deal with and shipped my timer promptly. They are definitely still in business.

I have emailed and left voicemails for Sweeney 3x in the past couple years with zero response. Their product apparently is well made, but I obviously lack Bing's magic touch.

I shopped around and didn't find an appreciable amount of $ difference. So, I went with TH.

I've done what RC has done but haven't floated it. I built a guard for the back of it so the feeder wouldn't throw out the back. Coons appreciated my efforts.

Esshup sorry was gone all weekend. I didn't mean anything harsh to anyone who sells them or buys them. I would love to have one!! Just not in my budget and I am sure many others. They are the Ferrari's of feeders no doubt. Yes I am a DIY kinda guy I guess, but more so because I have to be not because I want to be... If that makes sense. I mean I like doing things and all but sometimes it would be nice to just be able to say the heck with it and buy it!! I don't have that luxury very often. Esshup never said this but just to be clear by no means am I downing the product or people who sell them. Esshup if they weren't any good I know you wouldn't have them to sell. Sometimes it's just about the money unfortunately.

RC

If you can keep a cheaper model running for a fraction of the price, that's a great option. Since I lack the DIY skills and time to do what you do, I get to dig deep and shell out the bills.

Saving my shekels for a TH feeder in the spring....definitely pricey but from the reviews on this site and others I am convinced they are very dependable and the best available. Our BOWs are an hour away from home....I need low maintenance and something I can count on. BM61.

Good scenario for the TH reliability, you'll be happy.

That's the same issue I face. 90+ miles to the pond. Sometimes it's two weeks between visits. Nothing more frustrating than finding the feed at the exact same level in the feeder as it was two weeks ago.. Then find some mold growing in the feed where water has invaded.

I bought TH and have been pleased with it, but it did leak at the seam and got the food wet. I called TH and they sent me some caulk and I caulked the seam and hasn't leaked since. BUT they too can leak. Feeder has been going off since the end of February, and no other issues. Directional feeder works great for feeding fish, it is easy to fill, easy timer to program. I wished it had a few more feed times, but it has 9 and I can make that work. Timer has never failed to go off.

I looked for several months and never found a used one, but good luck, there has to be a few out there.

I am a bit confused about the water getting into your feeder issue. I have Never had that happen with mine and I don't see how it can.... It's 2 pieces yes but with rubber seal and like 15 screws to seal it with and the middle overlaps to the outside and a cover that overlaps an inch with a snap clip you can even put a lock on if you want... I too live 90 some miles from my land at the moment and have had great success with this feeder. Heck if they didn't work when you were not there Remington and Wild Game Innovations would not make them for deer feeders. I get it if you don't want to go through the work to DIY thats fine each to his own but the possible issues/problems some of yall are worrying about just don't happen that frequently.... Maybe I'm just lucky I guess. Good Luck Setter Guy...

RC

It was coming in around a rivet or the outside seam on the out feeder housing. I caulked the entire vertical seam and each rivet along that seam and it stopped. It was leaking right where the inside funnel starts.

Well even TH feeders aren't perfect hehe, no feeder is. That's another nice thing about my hopper. All plastic no ridged corners or rivets.... Only way my hopper would leak is if a woodpecker put a hole in it... LOL....

Sorry you had that issue on such an expensive unit. At least you got it fixed!!

RC

I have 3 of the large TH fish feeders and all three have some water seepage into the feed storage area. All of them have this around the feed view windows. it's not bad and maybe it only happens when we get the large rain events we have had the past couple of yrs. I sometimes see this when the hopper is low and will see some clumping and mold where the feed is stuck to the side of the hopper at or below the view window. I don't worry about it and consider it minimal amount of water. But they all do it.

Guess I'm lucky my TH fish feeder hasn't leaked yet. The TH deer feeder is a different story tho.

No leakage in my TH feeder but it is only about one year ole

Once again just want to make sure no one thinks I am bashing TH they are by far the best feeders out there for their intention. My feeder was not intended for fish. LOL, but if I see a way to make something work I kinda have to try it. LOL I'm OCD that way. Here is a quick look at my feeder in action a quick test run for those who may want to know how well it throws food. I am using AM 600. It actually does even better with mixed smaller stuff in with the AM600. I put about 100 to 125 lbs in the hopper with no floating problems at all. Course this was in mid March so fish were not feeding the best yet but there were starting for sure!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRrifZrRHE

RC

I'm probably going to go RC's route. I like diy stuff too. I do not nor will have the extra money to spend on a TH. I have the catalog and BOY do I want one...but I have to many other projects that have to be done. I'm hand feeding now, so anything would be better than that. I'm on my pond daily...if only to feed, so checking is not a problem, pond is about 100 yards away from house. I have two older deer feeder hoppers that are plastic. May end up getting a TH motor kit though. Although the wild game innovations one at walmart might be the way to go. If I have problems you take it back to walmart and get a replacement most of the time. At less than $50 I could replace 2 1/2 of them for the price of the one TH kit. Although it will not be the quality...probably won't fling feed so far either. I'm going to the 360 route like RC and float it. Just think its pretty cool myself. Would I get a TH if I had the money...you bet!!! But its nice that we have options and ways around it so you can even feed on a budget. More money goes to buying the feed that way. lol

I think that's a great idea. I'm thinking the same thing on a forage pond that is 3/4 mile from the house. I'm afraid that an expensive feeder back there just might not be there when I got back.

I'm curious as to why anything is better than hand feeding in this situation?

Well I made my setup because I wasn't around my pond all the time. If I was there every day I very much enjoy grabbing a big red solo cup full of food and slinging it!! I would probably do a lot more of that for sure!!

RC

My problem is being there same time everyday. I work two jobs and have fours kids and its hard to plan to be there all the time. Will I still hand feed some? Oh yeah!! Its the best. Mine is only for feeding time. Hard to get them on a schedule when you feed up to a couple hours different everyday. lol

Tony, I hand feed everytime I get there. But, it's 70 miles from home.

Hand feeding is great, but with a feeder it starts looking like a piranha feeding frenzy. I don't think you could get them to do that hand feeding unless you were very consistent with day and time.

My pond is 50 yards from my front door, and I don't think I would or could do it that consistent. Too many things going on, and that feeder is there feeding every morning, noon, and afternoon.

True, but does that feeder know when the wind is blowing, and adjust it's broadcast pattern to compensate? Does it read the fishes response to the feed, and adjust the amount accordingly? Can it record the numbers, sizes, and species present to assist you in your management strategy?

I get that feeders are sometimes necessary, I just don't think they are an automatic purchase for those who live at their ponds. I have always fed my ponds by hand, and have no desire to automate. My fish boil the water when I feed, and I consider feeding time to be my chance to have eyes on the pond. I make time for it happen, just like I make time to spend with my family, go to work, etc. It's that important.

I think this comes clearly under the, "Different Strokes for Different Folks" theory,

I agree with you Bing.

As far as wind, I throw in nine 8-10 second burst(7.2- 9.0 oz of feed per throw). It is gone before wind can have any effect.

No need to adjusting feed, they eat more than I can afford to give them now, 4-5#/day plus what I hand feed.

I am standing beside it 90% of the time in the afternoon, so still get to see the fish almost daily. I do add some hand feed in the afternoon, when I'm there. I am rarely around pond to see the morning or noon feeding, but sometimes watch out the window in the morning while having my morning coffee . This is my first year, so not sure how fast they will stop feeding as temps decrease, but will adjust feed times as needed. Even with a feeder, it can still be very hands on.

Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis?

I agree with Bing also, however I have wondered for some time if we are maybe a little quick with our pro-feeder stance. I have read threads directed at new or newer members where "getting a feeder setup" is recommended as being very near a necessity...at least that's how I interpret such posts.

Certainly there are variables and circumstances that lend themselves well to having a feeder. One's goals for the BOW, size of the BOW, time available to feed, physical limitations, and probably a host of others all come into play. If a feeder is desired for any reason, including simply that you want one, great.....they are cool to watch, and will put weight on your fish.

But to imply that feeders are necessary for growing big fish, isn't true. I feed by hand, once a day. And I feel very optimistic that I have two pound bluegills swimming in my water right now.

I think a feeder is the easiest way for me to have the best chance to grow big fish, but not necessarily the best way. I feed but don't fertilize, since my pond is supposed to be a swimming pond. The guy that fertilizes may do it better and cheaper than me without even feeding.