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boltesc #491102 06/01/18 11:47 AM
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I am bumping this thread with a tongue in cheek observation on the dangers of Optimal. I started feeding Optimal bluegill 2 years ago. The fish have loved it from the start, no rejection, a few red ear (not many, but some!) eat it, and the growth rates, WOW. Easy ordering and to my door delivery is a sweet benefit too. Now, about that growth rate thing. I manage for LM. Biggest lm so far is just over 7lb and around 24 inches. If you take the standard 1/3 length rule, that means those big bass eat mostly 7-8" bg. My bg are growing so fast to 9-10", I am having trouble keeping them culled down. But, boy, as a fly fisher, those babies are sooo much fun on a 4wt. So far this year, about 25 lbs of 9"+ bg have hit the freezer, mostly bigger males after the first big spawn was done. So, if you are managing for lm, watch your bg close, or they may well outgrow the lm ability to eat them. Then you will have to do more fishing, horrible problem, really. But, your bass may end up looking like Flames, and that would be another issue altogether.

I plan on continuing to use Optimal and suffer the management issue of doing more bg fishing. What about you?


CMM

boltesc #491106 06/01/18 01:36 PM
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I use, and love, Optimal. But I wonder if the feeding was part of the reason I lost my biggest CNBG to fungus last October when temps sharply plunged. Maybe the feed helped prolong the spawn and kept fish in the shallows where they were most vulnerable to severe temperature swings.

Other than ceasing to feed around the end of September, not sure what else I could do.

PS My experience is that their tiny feed, say #2 and smaller, needs to be hand thrown. Gums up feeders after it absorbs moisture. Their giant, 1 inch LMB feed also needs to be hand thrown, and totally rocks for feed trained bass!

Last edited by anthropic; 06/01/18 01:58 PM.

7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160




boltesc #491112 06/01/18 02:18 PM
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I just started feeding optimal, but I am working towards big HBG and I want my stocked gills to stay ahead of my predators (HSB) while the HBG offspring should be the HSB's main meals.

CMM - if you need help culling those overgrown pesky blue gills, just let me know...free of charge, of course!


Fish on!,
Noel
boltesc #491117 06/01/18 03:16 PM
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I wish I knew the actual difference between feeding AM and Optimal. Optimal comes at a fairly large premium(60%) to AM. AS much as I feed (35-40 sacks a year) I'm thinking of moving to AM next year or start mixing and I run out this year.

or

If I cut back 60% on the amount of optimal would I be at the same place?????


1.8 acre pond with CNBG, RES, HSB, and LMB
Trophy Hunter feeder.
boltesc #491122 06/01/18 04:47 PM
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Quarter Acre, pm me if you want, I'd love to meet and we can cull some gills at the same time.


CMM

boltesc #491273 06/04/18 05:35 PM
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I was reading this thread earlier today and decided to try hydrating my feed. I had seen a lot of the take and spit activity with my fish as well. The small fry and minnows obviously just peck away at anything they can corral. It was very enlightening to see how much better and quicker they consumed the little bit I've been tossing out. May have to increase the load just a tad.

I'm currently feeding game fish chow, but have decided that im going to have to make a change to something a little higher in protein. My only concern is, with only 3 LMB in the pond (10-12"), they may run out of viable food if the GSF, BG and RES grow too quickly.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
boltesc #491282 06/04/18 08:28 PM
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Mike,

How big is your pond, and why only 3 LM? Do you have other predators? What is/are your management goal(s)?

I switched to Optimal from a cheap grain based feed for a couple of reasons, better growth to hopefully get the bg spawning earlier and better water quality. I have had FA problems in the past and used a multi prong approach, but I believe the fish meal based feed was part of the solution.


CMM

boltesc #491284 06/04/18 09:36 PM
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I just started feeding optimal, I'm seeing some BG spitting but seems to be primarily the smaller ones which probably just can't handle the size. I'm using the Bass Pellets.

boltesc #491289 06/04/18 11:08 PM
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Update on my fish eating Optimal.
I've been feeding Optimal BG since last September. The approximately 20 RNBT and TT (tiger trout) are feeding well. Rainbows splash water at least 10 feet when they rise, getting me wet, dousing my cell phone, spotting my sunglasses. Lots of energy. The tigers take a more gentle approach to feeding.
What I'm most interested in is that my GSF and YP are actively surface feeding. That has taken a few years. They are incredibly fat.
And, last night and again tonight, I got to watch a BCP sip pellets off the surface. Another crappie was shadowing the feeding fish, as if to observe what was going on.
It may be the trout voraciously feeding spurred the other species of fish to try the pellets. Occasionally a big LMB will cruise by and take a panfish for dinner.
Anyway, Optimal is working really well for me. Only trout fed on the Aquamax and Skretting feeds I tried in past years. I'm thoroughly satisfied with Optimal.

SK63 #491291 06/04/18 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: SK63
I just started feeding optimal, I'm seeing some BG spitting but seems to be primarily the smaller ones which probably just can't handle the size. I'm using the Bass Pellets.


Yeah, I notice that only the biggest BG will take the 3/8" Optimal Bass Pellets. LMB, of course, love them!

Right now I'm mixing Optimal BG and Optimal LMB. One thing I've noticed is that the LMB feed helps bring in bass who also don't mind slurping down some BG feed (and unwary BG!).


7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160




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