Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding HSB stocked, now trying to get them on the feed

stocked 40 HSB, all 5-8 inches. Any trick to get them on the pellets quickly? I've read to feed in the same spot and same time each day. I'm only on day two and realize it could take some time for them to get used to this...

Right now I'm feeding the same time in the morning but will miss days here and there but should feed them 4-5 times a week at the same spot and time.

Using Silver Cup fish food, the lady at the hatchery said it will probably take a week or so ...

2 acre pond

Give it some time and the HSB will be the biggest fish food hogs you have ever seen...Joe

KBSWA,

I just went through this on my 1 acre pond. I stocked 30 HSB. I have had my feed up for a month now. It took the HSB about 3 weeks to really start hitting it, but my BG were hitting before that just not real hard. Now there going crazy on it after a month. I wouldn't feed to much to fast untill they find it! Then move your feed time up a little at a time. That's just my 2 cents and I am very green with this at this point. I know I will be having to raise my morning feed time from 1 second to 2 seconds for sure. That when they seem to be feeding the most right now.

Good Luck

Still no luck, I've tried to throw some out upwind side of pond so it floats to the deeper portions of the pond. Trying to at least locate the school and then direct them to the spot I want to feed each day. I also stocked 40 4-6 inch bg and have yet to see them feed either.

2 acre pond and there are some small bg / bass fry it seems all around the rocks in the shallows now so don't think they are starving....

Still nothing...feeding M-Friday, but not on the weekends. Not sure if the two day break is causing problems. I have 40 from 5-8 inches stocked , 2 acre pond so would think by now there would be some action. I try to scatter and allow to float over the deeper parts of the pond but no luck yet....Feeding at the same time each morning.

I recently stocked HSB and it took every bit of 4 weeks for them to start feeding. Like you I was beginning to wonder. My first clue that they were still in the pond came one evening when I noticed some fish feeding in a group, and in a manner I was not familiar with. They are very quick.... as in almost impossible to see, just flashes here and there. Mine feed in a loose school, and they're done in just a couple of minutes. But it's a frenzy while it lasts.

Sometimes when stocking HSB that are smaller than your big BGs, they are very spooky and takes a while to get on feed.
I once had a bunch in growout pond that never got on feed - pond had huge numbers of FHMs. I thought HSB were all dead until my son said he was catching them on small spinner baits.

That statement is very ture. The only HSB I have caught as of late was 1 and it was on a beatle spin. I think they like that shinny spinner. I bet a very small chrome dare devil would work too.

Still no luck, I missed a week of feeding 2 weeks ago but fed from April 25th 4/5 days a week in the morning. Only takers are some grass carp...Not sure if I should try my luck with some bigger HSB, 8-10 inch or just keep on the feed. I did see one dead HSB on the rocks but that was a week after stocking and haven't seen any others. 40-45 stocked originally at 5-8 inches. 2 acre pond.

Any suggestions? Maybe change the feed time to later in the day? I hesitate as I am getting some activity now in the feeding spot although it is just carp...would they attrack the attention of the HSB to the feed or would they tend to keep them away?

Fish are pretty precise about the time of day they are fed. I think a fish feeder feeding consistantly at the same exact time each day would do the trick.