The channel catfish stocked nine weeks ago in my new 0.3 acre pond have still not shown up at the feeding ring. Over that time, I have only found three dead CC, and that was the day after stocking. There should be about 58 six to eight inch CC in the pond somewhere. The pond is still almost full and fairly clear after spilling over a little last week. Today I decided to fish for them, no bites. All that comes to the feeder ring are hordes of FHM, maybe a few very small sunfish too.
Should I keep throwing a couple of handfuls in the feed ring every evening, or am I just wasting feed on FHM?
It seems if they (CC) all died, more would have floated up. Out of probably 1,000 FHM I stocked, I have found maybe 50 dead over the nine weeks. I put three areas of brush cover into the pond, none are near the feed ring.
The CC in my other pond are much larger, and actively feed every evening.
Any ideas as to how to verify my CC are still there? Large minnow trap perhaps?
