Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding New Feeders installed

Just assembled and installed a Texas Hunter DF125 on my 12 acre lake for the first time. A second one goes up next weekend at the other end.
Very easy assembly, works well dispersing feed. Just waiting for BG's to eat however. Only turtles so far. BG's have never been feed before on this lake. How long will it take to get them to eat the pellets? Previewing previous posts on this forum, is 3 to 4 weeks average? I'm set for 1 second once a day. Suggestions welcome.

Hey BassPro,

If you can afford them Texas Hunters are the way to go for sure! Congrats. When I started feeding my BG it took about 2 to 3 weeks and I only have a 1 acre pond. So it will take a bit but they will find it and then look out!! I think your doing the right thing on the 1 second feeding for now until they find it, but I would also do a 1 second feeding in the evening. Trust me some of that food is getting eating under the water too. It's not all going to waste. About 2 weeks in you will start seeing thing happen I bet. Good Luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks RC. I will keep all posted. This is a new project for me. As I mentioned, turtles are having a buffet right now. 2nd Texas Hunter DF125 goes in Saturday at the other lake end.

Going with two or three short feedings will get them on it. Hang in there it will be awesome once they figure out the dinner bell!

Thanks Wade. All I get are about 20 turtles eating my feed!...They hang around my feeder all day. Will they interfere with traing my BG's to feed? I have a turtle trap nearby. No one goes in it!...
It's been 4 days since I first started feeding. Should I be more patient? I'm going to try and catch a few turtles this weekend.

I keep my traps in a "staging area". I don't want the turtle traps directly in a throw area, but in the area they travel to the feeder. They'll find it, much like the BG will find the food. It just takes a little while.

Once the turtles start getting accustomed to the location of the trap to sun themselves, be sure and check it often. I've screwed up and had it so full the trap door wouldn't even fall.

Now if I can figure out out to keep my extremely fat Tilapia out of the food, I'll be set.

Good luck, and TH is definitely the way to go.

Did I make a mistake by buying a turtle trap on e-bay for $89? The same one with the trap doors on top sell for over $200!...I get turtles sunning themselves, they fall in and then get out. Other turtles trying to sun tilt the trap letting out the ones inside.

Took mine a couple days with all feeders 3 feeders on 3.5 acres they didn't have to go far for food

Might try strapping (rope tie or wire tie) styrofoam blocks around the top side perimeter to keep it from tipping over.

Get some swimming noodles and zip tie them around the outside perimeter.. Turtles can climb them still and you'll always be at the mercy of which way the turtle drops into the water cage side or pond side.. I built one of these and caught 68 turtles in 2 days using floating dead BG for bait..

Thanks for the advise guys. I'll try that this weekend...
Because of all the turtles in my pond, I discontinued feeding from my Texas Hunter DF125. I now "hand feed" the BG's for 15 minutes a day. The turtles don't eat my feed cuz thet won't come close to me. I get plenty of BG's feeding this way. I am going to continue hand feeding for awhile until I don't see turtles anymore, then start up my feeder again. Any thoughts on this?

Yeah turtles are always going to be an issue. The other day I showed up to my pond right before feed time and I had to have at least 15 or 20 under my feeder. BGK do you have a pic of what your talking about with the floaties??? I would love to see it!

thx,

Turtles will get use to hand feeding I can almost put pellets in there mouth off my dock they literally swim right up to me mouth open.. Kids love it..

Both feeders are now installed at each end of my pond and working well. BG's are feeding but not many. We are thinking of stocking more. I've posted my questions about this in the section under "Types of fish to Choose" in this forum. Any advice is welcome there. Thanks All....

While you are training the fish I would suggest to set the timer to run several times each morning and afternoon, and for longer than one second. I'd set it to run probably 2-3-4 times for a brief durartion in the morning, maybe every 10 minutes, and the same in the afternoon. This helps train them to associate the sound of the feeder and the feed hitting the water.

As long as you feed them every day, they will learn about the feed and the sound of the feeder...and the sound and sight of your approach and presence. The more often you feed them, the faster they learn. Once you see fish rippling their way 100 feet and more to get to you and the feed you will realize that there isn't much way to actually sneak up on a fish and catch him (litarally) by surprise. In a 10 acre lake they can hear you from any locaion and they always know when you are there in a boat. As the most important fisherman that ever lived, Mr. Buck Perry, said, "When you try to sneak up on a fish....that's when you scare them."

My .02 anyway.

Don AKA "Bill"