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#393470 11/28/14 07:54 PM
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A few days ago I was at one of my ponds and threw a small amount of pellets in the water. Water temp was 42-44 and after a few minutes there was quite a bit of fish coming up to eat. Not as aggressively as they are in the Summer but some were nailing it pretty good. I fed them until there were only a few coming up to eat. Does anyone else feed when the water is cold?

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I tried it a couple weeks ago. Threw a few small pellets. Gone in 15 minutes but very unenergetic feeding.


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If it is a warm, sunny day I will throw some sinking pellets around the perimeter of the pond in 1-4' water. Water temp in the low 40's.

I only do it if I see some fish coming toward the shore as I drive around, only do it once every few days, and only feed about 1/4 or less of what I would normally feed in the summer. Max of 2/3# per acre per feeding. So a very small amount compared to what the fish eat on a daily basis in warmer conditions. I feed max about 3# per acre in the summer almost every day as supplemental feed.

Will not pretend I'm doing anything correctly, but that was not the question.

Mostly small fish are the ones I see show up. Maybe the bigger ones are out deeper, can't tell. But the small ones are the ones I can see from the shore pecking at the pellets not too aggressively.

Last edited by snrub; 11/28/14 09:13 PM.

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Small guys are all I saw when I feed as well. I expect they were some of the pellet trained 2 to 3 inch PS I had just stocked a couple weeks before.


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There is some thinking out there that you should NOT feed warm and cool water fish in coldwater as it can be detrimental. The claim is they will still instinctively feed but the dry feed digests poorly due to slowed metabolism and digestion. It's said this may cause bloating issues or even decomposing feed in the gut. I can't substantiate it, but the koi folks are true believers and claim you can harm koi by feeding them in cold water. They even have a special feed they feed them coming out of winter.

I had a trout farmer tell me not to feed trout in water that has recently opened up from ice. Said I could kill the trout. That I am skeptical of.

I stop feeding my bluegill and yellow perch in temps under 50 F. unless I hydrate the feed.


Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 11/28/14 09:47 PM.

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I've also read about that possibility Cecil and have concerns of it.

I'm still in my infancy of fish feeding so it is kind of an experiment on my part. Have not seen any floaters or sick fish yet because of it, but that does not mean there are not some. Been trying to watch and observe to see what happens. That is why I put the disclaimer in my post, that I did not claim I was doing the correct thing, just what I was doing.

Will quit altogether very soon for about the next three months.

Mine is more about observing the fish and their habits rather than what little feed I'm feeding for the amount of acreage and fish in the pond. If it helps anything, I think it will be the smaller fish. Maybe make them a bigger snack for the larger fish. But not enough total feed to make much of any difference in the total biomass of fish in the pond. More recreational feeding than anything.

As far as softening the feed, the size fish I see eating them are not big enough to take the whole pellet. So at least those fish are eating softened pellets because they can't get any off of the pellet till it softens up.

Last edited by snrub; 11/29/14 12:25 PM.

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I normally don't make it a habit of feeding under 50 degrees but they were pretty active that day. I'll be keeping an eye on them the next few days to see if everything is ok.

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No worries, just thought I'd pass on the consensus on coldwater feeding of cool and warm water fish. If you think about it the metabolism of the fish is low enough in coldwater-- that growth is negligible at best anyway -- so feeding isn't even warranted.

Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 11/30/14 04:09 PM.

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Originally Posted By: Cecil Baird1
There is some thinking out there that you should NOT feed warm and cool water fish in coldwater as it can be detrimental. The claim is they will still instinctively feed but the dry feed digests poorly due to slowed metabolism and digestion. It's said this may cause bloating issues or even decomposing feed in the gut. I can't substantiate it, but the koi folks are true believers and claim you can harm koi by feeding them in cold water. They even have a special feed they feed them coming out of winter.

I had a trout farmer tell me not to feed trout in water that has recently opened up from ice. Said I could kill the trout. That I am skeptical of.

I stop feeding my bluegill and yellow perch in temps under 50 F. unless I hydrate the feed.



I have noticed no such thing with Copper Nosed bluegill. When I see them hitting the top of the water catching minnows, I feed them. Not just a little either. 2 quart jars full at the time. Mine are tearing it up , late afternoon on calm water. The temp went down to 40 degrees last night. But I really don't know what my water temp is. Also I have been watching bass come in picking off some of the smaller bream. Now I have noticed that on some colder days that they will not frenzy as much. So I might throw out a couple hand fulls of feed just to see what they are doing. If they don't start going into a frenzy, I stop feeding after the first couple hand fulls.

My theory behind this is,,,,,if those fish are hungry, they ARE going to eat, even if the water is below 55 degrees.

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It's not so much a question of whether or not they will eat, as much as what will eating the pellets do to them? That's where the debate lies....what problems, if anything, will eating the unhydrated feed cause?

Your fish are new, as in this is their first winter, aren't they Jason007? How do you know what the repercussions may be?


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
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Originally Posted By: sprkplug
It's not so much a question of whether or not they will eat, as much as what will eating the pellets do to them? That's where the debate lies....what problems, if anything, will eating the unhydrated feed cause?

Your fish are new, as in this is their first winter, aren't they Jason007? How do you know what the repercussions may be?


Well, I don't know the repercussions may be. This is what I do know though. I have had several hard freezes here. Several sub 40 and 50 nights. I'm pretty sure the water temp is below 55 degrees because I fish 15 minutes from my house out of the bass boat pictured below. The water temp on a 10.5 mile, long, by 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide lake. My electronics tell me that the water temp there is 53 degrees as of over a month ago. My temp should be lower in a smaller body of water. OR at least the same.

I have been feeding my fish nearly daily, twice per day, in fact just got finished feeding them. They are fat, healthy and not a hint of a problem. No dead fish......no fish act like they are sick.....and they tear it up out there. And we can't argue with growth rates. Yes you are correct, the bream will be 7 months old on he 17th of December. I can guarantee that there are some closing in on a pound.
The one below was caught in a cast net a few days ago.....and I have caught some larger than this within the last week, but just didn't have my phone on me. Caught 3 in one cast yesterday, all of them larger than the fish below.


Does this look like a sickly fish?


And here's my rig.






Last edited by Jason007; 12/10/14 02:36 PM.
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Very pretty. The boat is nice too.

Facts are, this is your first winter, and you're guessing at water temps in your pond. No one is declaring that feeding below 50 degrees WILL kill your fish....only that one school of thought indicates it MAY be harmful. Most of us here in the northern latitudes will not take the chance....dead, pale, bloated bluegills aren't very pretty at all. A fish's metabolism slows during colder temps, along with its growth. Why take a chance on doing something harmful, for very little gain?

Doesn't it make more sense to wait until the fish can utilize that feed more effectively?

I don't know much about outboards....do you need to drain that lower end, or make sure there's no water standing in it? If so, why? After all, maybe it won't get cold enough to freeze, so why bother?

Same thing with the fish....because it MIGHT happen.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Flip side of the coin.

Typically when I have RBT in the pond during the winter, I have an aerator keeping the ice open in front of the feeder. I fed Purina Aquamax 600 all winter long, a 50# bag would last roughly 4-5 weeks. I fed during the middle of the day. I never saw any more or less morts in my pond during a typical winter. Last winter I didn't feed at all and no difference in the amount of dead fish. I always see a few (less than a handful) every Spring.

Does this mean that the fish didn't have problems from eating the food during the winter? Not necessarily, it just means that in my pond I didn't notice anything extraordinary happening. The RBT didn't show much different growth rates between the fed and unfed winters, so I don't know if feeding actually helps or not.


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Originally Posted By: sprkplug
A fish's metabolism slows during colder temps, along with its growth.


The only reason a fish's growth slows during colder temps is because they stop eating due to the metabolism slowing.
Look at Florida bass........they feed and grow year round.

A fish that feels bloated will not continue to feed. A fish will only eat , if it's hungry and has capacity for more food.
They know when to stop eating instinctively.

The growth rate doesn't slow because it's cold. The growth rate slows because they won't eat and/or won't eat , as much.

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That is generally true Jason. Especially in the Southern areas. However, we've all caught bass, and other species, who instinctively bite when they are stuffed and have the tail of another fish sticking out of their mouths.

And then there are the guys up North who can't wait for the ice to thicken. The metabolism of those fish has to be about zilch at that time.


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Originally Posted By: Jason007
Originally Posted By: sprkplug
A fish's metabolism slows during colder temps, along with its growth.




A fish that feels bloated will not continue to feed. A fish will only eat , if it's hungry and has capacity for more food.
They know when to stop eating instinctively.



I'm not sure I buy into that. Like Dave says, instinct appears to say just the opposite at times...."food is available now, better eat it"....I have HBG in one pond, and I have watched them eat until the feed fills their stomachs and throats...when they open their mouths to try and take another pellet, undigested feed comes out.

Those fish are full, no question about it. Yet they still attempt to continue feeding.

Animal instincts are fine, but I don't think they're perfect safeguards. Ever see a horse that has foundered on feed, or even lush grass? Or a dog that has drank antifreeze? Sure, they're warm blooded and may experience taste sensations that fish cannot, but you would think instinct would kick in to keep them safe?


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Fish feed based upon the environment and the solunar tables. I've read that fish will feed to being stuffed, then regurgitate, then eat again at the "peak" times according to the solunar table. Of course, it isn't so simple as water temp and barometric pressure also affects feeding as you guys are discussing.

I had an "old timer" tell me once, that if you're heading to fishing, pay attention to the cows. If all the cows are feeding, then the fish will likely be feeding as well and vice-versa.


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I can tell you from experience fish will eat more than they need: grin


Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 12/11/14 09:02 AM.

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Well that does it. I'm convinced I should no longer feed my fish in cold water. To reduce temptation and to make it absolutely impossible to feed them in the winter we are moving a few thousand miles away from the pond (to the south, not to the north - no ice fishing for me eek ) . So no more cold water feeding of fish for me this winter.

How's that for dedication to the health of my fish? grin grin


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Originally Posted By: Cecil Baird1
I can tell you from experience fish will eat more than they need: grin



Ok. Mr. Cecil, sir.
I am not trying to start a pissing contest with anyone here. You're all pretty good fellers and very helpful. But I would like to continue the debate, and hope no one gets mad.

So here is my experience with CNBG, and largemouth bass.
My water is cold. Below 55 degrees. Most late evenings, I can go out there and watch to see what my fish are doing. I have a zillion minnows in this pond. I have schools of fatheads by the thousands........and the native minnow. The native minnows do not get as large as the fatheads. But they are in there by the tens of thousands.

Just about every afternoon, the CNBG are just tearing up the native minnows. You can watch them jumping out of the water trying to get away....then the bass come in....and start picking off smaller CNBG and Minnows. I have watched this numerous times.

My fish most certainly have more than they can eat. None of them have died. All they have done is grow. It's not like I have any way to cut off their feeding as Mr. Snrub has suggested. Now on the other hand, I can stop feeding high protein pellets, but that is in no way going to stop the fish from feeding on other critters that are also high in protein.

I do not know what happened to that dead fish that you posted. But this I can tell you with 100% accuracy. For fish to grow, they have to eat. And they will. Whether you stop feeding them or not......if they have a forage base, they ARE going to eat. Sure.....that does slow down given certain temperatures. But feeding tendencies do not.....and will not, stop.

Here's the other thing about digestion and metabolism.
Just because it gets cold, a fish does not lose its digestive abilities. The necessary bodily fluids are still there and they still break down consumed forage the exact same way. That is not what changes when the water gets cold. It doesn't change.

What changes is the fish become inactive as temperatures drop, burning far less calories due to inactivity. In turn it requires far less forage/calories to maintain its weight, or even add weight.

In short , if a fish is going to eat itself to death, and you have a forage base that allows for it. Then you can't stop it.

Unlike Mr. Snrub, I intend to continue to feed, until they stop feeding.

How's that for dedication to growth rates of my fish?

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Your experience? If I understand you correctly, this is your first pond, your first batch of CNBG in this pond, and your first winter with these fish?

What pond/bluegill experience are you referring to?

My friend, it's not winter yet....no one here is suggesting that feeding your fish in cold temps will cause them to go belly up immediately, or an hour later, or the next day. I need to see the results after WEEKS of cold water feeding. It's going to get a LOT colder up here once winter starts...maybe it will in your location also. I would love to feed my fish all winter, but until I have more information in this regard I'm not going to.

If you have documented, scientific proof that it is not harmful to feed all winter, in cold water, please share those resources with all of us so that we can discuss those findings.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Jason,

No offense taken or any inclination for a pissing contest.

Keep in mind the contention that you will hurt the fish if they are fed in cold water is not written in stone. I know fish farmers that swear by it but conversely a fish nutrition researcher at Purdue that says if they want to eat feed them. (It's Dr. Paul Brown.)

Until there is a definitive study to know for sure we are all just giving our two cents.

BTW my above picture was more tongue in cheek than anything. If you really want to see fatso I can post a pic of a 12 pound brown trout out of the pond. The picture makes trout farmers cringe! LOL


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Ugh, every few months someone mentions the antifreeze incident at PB V? The bar was closed, Josh was thirsty. Pretty simple mistake, he's paid his dues, let's move on, please.


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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Originally Posted By: snrub
Well that does it. I'm convinced I should no longer feed my fish in cold water. To reduce temptation and to make it absolutely impossible to feed them in the winter we are moving a few thousand miles away from the pond (to the south, not to the north - no ice fishing for me eek ) . So no more cold water feeding of fish for me this winter.

How's that for dedication to the health of my fish? grin grin


snrub, you can still enjoy the warm weather AND feed the fish at the same time. Just put in an aeration system. Put a directional fish feeder on the pond, and place a diffuser or two strategically in front of the feeder. You can get a Texas Hunter feeder that holds enough fish food at one filling to last for more than 5 months if you set the timer to 1-2 seconds. That should be enough to hold the fish over until you get back! grin

There. Best of both worlds!!!!

When I fed the fish in my pond over the winter, I KNOW that the trout were actively eating, but I have no idea if the bluegills or bass were. I never saw any of them coming to the surface, but I have no idea if they were picking up the food as it waterlogged and sank, or if they picked it up off the bottom.


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Oh, on the fish feeding...my fish shut down when water temps approach lower 50s, so my course of action is pretty clear - no other choice for me. I don't think anyone disagrees it's certainly possible in LA, AL, FL, TX, MS one could feasibly feed much deeper into Winter months, right?


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