Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,072
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,411
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
14 members (Shorthose, Requa, Justin W, LeighAnn, Bob Lusk, catscratch, Freg, DenaTroyer, Blestfarmpond, Snipe, RAH, Rick O, bstone261, Theo Gallus), 780 guests, and 194 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#122849 06/23/08 09:50 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
J
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
I bought thirty feed trained bass last year and put them in my pond. Now when my feeder goes off I am almost certain that more than thirty bass are at the feeder feeding. Is it possible for other bass in the pond to learn from the behavior of these feed trained bass or are feed trained bass only possible if started at birth? Will the feed trained bass have offspring that will feed at the feeder? I wonder too if some of the bass are there just to eat the bluegill that are feeding and not really eating the feed?

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,587
D
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
D
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,587
Other bass to learn? Absolutely! Other bass can indeed learn by watching that feeding behavior.


Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

From Bob Lusk: Dr. Dave Willis passed away January 13, 2014. He continues to be a key part of our Pond Boss family...and always will be.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,474
Likes: 264
E
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
E
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,474
Likes: 264
My thoughts and experience with feed trained LMB.

Over time many will go off feed and start eating natural forage and still eat some pellets. Some (small % )of non-feed trained LMB will , as a result of competition , start eating pellets. The offspring of both feed trained and non-feed trained LMB may learn to eat pellets but they do so for a shorter time and in smaller %s. This is all subject pond conditions. Ours are very natural and don't contain high fish densities. The smaller the area and the more fish the more competition forces LMB to eat /stay on feed and the higher the % that learn to eat pellets and stay on them.
















ewest #122862 06/24/08 07:46 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
I have 30-40 LMB eating pellets in my pond and they all learned on their own.


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 93
C
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
C
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 93
Mine learned on their own also. The BG were great teachers.

I just picked up some Aquamax Largemouth. They are still learning how to deal with such a large pellet. One smack with a hammer and the pellet breaks in two. They seem to be happy with the half size for now. I'll go back to the whole pellet after a bit and see what happens.

Chuck


[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
E
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
E
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
Chuck...

The LMB can learn just like the BG, but with them being predators, some prefer to eat natural forage instead of pellets. Those fish will probably still come to eat pellets if there isn't enough forage.


Water dries, rocks crumble, and trees die. The only thing that is eternal is the reputation we leave behind.
- Ancient Viking Proverb

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 93
C
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
C
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 93
ezylman

Just to clarify.....My LMB have been eating Aquamax 600 for a couple years now. I just stepped up to the Largemouth pellets.

I'm guessing maybe a third of them will eat pellets and the rest are perfectly content with the natural forage. Forage base is pretty good. Lots of Regular BG and Golden Shiners of all different sizes are available for those finicky diners .


[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
E
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
E
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
Chuck...

I gotcha. I guess we could consider your pellet eating bass the lazy ones since they don't want to chase the other fish. However, a lazy animal is a FAT animal. This equals bigger fish.


Water dries, rocks crumble, and trees die. The only thing that is eternal is the reputation we leave behind.
- Ancient Viking Proverb

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
J
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
Theo this is good news to me. I thought I would have to continue to buy bass like I do the hsb in order to keep them on feed. The largest bass I have caught in my pond I don't think were on feed. They were far away from the feeder when I caught them but I don't know if that is because the older bass in my pond were not feed trained or if at a certain age they go off feed. I like fat bass. I had been feeding my fish salmon food with a higher fat content. My fish were getting fatter but I can't get that feed anymore due to the cost of shipping.

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
I strongly suspect that the hungrier an LMB is, the more likely it will learn to eat pellets or stay on feed. Unfortunately, those with big bass ponds don't want a forage base which keeps their bass hungry, although they might love them to be on feed. And in a big bream pond where we keep the bass hungry, having them eating pellets may not be advantageous to keeping them busy eating small BG (I'm still thinking on that one).


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
E
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
E
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 267
I agree with Theo's thinking. Another way to look at it is that I hate vegetables, but if I am hungry enough, I will eat them. Other people love to eat only vegetables. Some bass may prefer pellets, but you may need to starve the others to get them to eat them. I would be very surprised if all of your LMB would stop eating BG, but with feeding, the ones that prefer pellets would definitely decrease the pressure on the BG when they go after the feeders. The question is would the increase in BG population that would follow be beneficial to the bass that don't eat the pellets. My gut response is yes, because it gives them more available forage.


Water dries, rocks crumble, and trees die. The only thing that is eternal is the reputation we leave behind.
- Ancient Viking Proverb

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
J
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
It's interesting to me that the highest density of BG in my pond is also where I have the highest density of Lmb.

Joined: May 2008
Posts: 477
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 477
 Originally Posted By: james holt
It's interesting to me that the highest density of BG in my pond is also where I have the highest density of Lmb.


If I were a LMB I would follwo the BG too.



Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025
Likes: 1
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025
Likes: 1
Since I got no love on my post earlier today about lmb self training themselves, I am glad I found this one. I am also concerned for 2 reasons, based on my similar goals as Theo, mainly big BG; the bass are taking away a lot of BG feed, they are also lazy and not doing their due diligence on the bg. I am thinking of borrowing a panty hose pellet fly from George and catching those suckers. I have 75 in less than an acre, lots of several size BG, they just are not getting eaten as I think they should I have 3 ft. visibility so I can see well what all the fish's habits are. Some BG, when stalking the shoreline will stop and nab a floating pellet. I throw some close to shore to pre-occupy the lil fish so they can get slaughtered(yes, sadistic). Other BG will never get out of stalking mode. Some of the lazy, no good, bass will just gobble up the pellets around the pier along with the bluegills and never go after the small bg nibbling at the pellets. It wisses me off. Dont they know they are bass? Is there a name for a mixed up lmb?

Last edited by burgermeister; 05/14/09 10:11 AM.

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
How often a day do your feed, burger?

I would make a nice statement about how my self-feed trained bass have kept up sufficient pressure on BG numbers while only being fed once a day, but after the BG selective fishkill I had last Winter it is both a moot point and a conclusion that can't be verified.

Last edited by Theo Gallus; 05/14/09 07:38 AM.

"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025
Likes: 1
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025
Likes: 1
I feed 3 to 4 times a day with feeder in spring and fall, 3 times in summer and well, multiple times in winter, but for far less time. I just loaded up feeder with 3/16 since the larger stuff doesnt work too well. I will save the 1/4 and 3/8 for hand feeding when here. I just got 2 bags of 3/16 4612 feed that was made Monday night, bagged Tues. AM. Picked up yesterday PM. How fresh is that? I guess I shouldnt complain, but the bass just seem to take forever stalking in shallows to catch something.
We'll see how things are this fall with a sein haul. We will be fishing out lots of BG probably 4th July. Also some lazy bass after I am convinced they spawned. I havent detected small lmb yet. Probably oo early.


Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,938
Likes: 268
More info on burgermeister's self feed-trained LMB:
 Originally Posted By: burgermeister
I just hand fed 1/4 inch 42% at 11AM and a whole school of largemouth yearlings stayed in one spot and eat all I would throw out. Apparently they have been eating the smaller stuff, or just found out how easy it is to get protein. A dozen or so pellets has to be similar to a couple of 3 inch BG nutrition wise, huh?
At first I was excited, now after thinking about it, I wondered if it is a reason why, in my opinion, they are not taking care of business with the BG as they should. 75 stocked, 600 BG last year.

 Originally Posted By: Dave Davidson1
Why should they hustle when they have a benefactor like you? Actually, I expect they do clobber the BG anytime they get a chance.

 Originally Posted By: Theo Gallus
As noted on the other thread you posted in, I have not seen this problem (although this year is not a fair test for me).

One difference you and I have is in the stocked LMB:BG ratio, burger. I started with a much higher number of LMB wrt the BG and I believe it has stayed pretty high. Another is that you have much longer feeding and BG spawning seasons down there.

For comparison purposes, I feed once a day, 5-6 days a week. That may also be notably different.

P.S. Lots of love, burger.

 Originally Posted By: ewest
Yes I do see a few non-feed trained LMB start eating pellets. It appears to be only a small % . I think this could be from several sources. They may have been somewhat trained by placing them early on in a pond where BG are being feed trained or fed at the hatchery. It may be induced by competition for food. Could be conditioned by seeing BG and other fish such as CC or LMB eating pellets. I also see this in the offspring of feed trained LMB but not in the % you get by buying feed trained LMB from the hatchery.

 Originally Posted By: burgermeister
Thanks, Eric. I also feel that is the several factors. I cant adjust fish habits, it was just surprising to see a whole school chowing down. I'm sure they will grow enough shortly not to be satisfied with the feed. Probably happens more than noticed, but with clear water, I can see it better.


Last edited by Theo Gallus; 05/14/09 10:26 AM.

"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Bob Lusk - 03/28/24 10:06 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Alum vs Bentonite/Lathanum for Phosphorus Removal?
by DenaTroyer - 03/28/24 09:38 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 08:36 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5