Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding winter feeding

with all of the ice on my pond , should i break the ice to feed the fish

Welcome to the forum, bull.

Fish metabolism, and hence their food requirements, drops way down as water temps drop. LMB metabolism, for example, drops by 1/2 for an 8 degree F temperature drop. So food needs for your fish in Winter are just a few percent at most of what they would be in the Summer.

Pelleted feed has also been indicated as possibly bad for fish in low water temps, perhaps because it takes so long to be digested under these conditions.

In short, no, don't worry about feeding under ice.

I would think that fish probably wouldn't take pellets through the ice anyways... Except for trout, I cannot think of any fish species that would eat pellets through the ice. As Theo Gallus said, most species of fish have a massive drop in metabolism during the cold winter months.

If you're pond is the typical LMB, BG pond they will be fine over the winter feeding on the natural foods in your pond.

PS Welcome to the forum bull! You will be impressed with the knowledge many on here have to share...

How about down here in Texas do you think I should feed my fish hear in North east Texas the water temp has been around 40 degrease.

Most warmwater fish (LMB , BG , RES) don't eat much at 40 F. If you put out the feed and they don't eat it then stop feeding until it starts to warm.

Bill Cody the fish whisperer aka Dr. Perca has fed hydrated pellets to yellow perch under the ice. Right Bill?

Rarely will any species but trout come to the surface for floating pellets. Most feed trained fish will eat softened sinking pellets if presented to them. I get quite a few perch eating soft rolled sinking high protein pellets (Aquamax carnivore) under the ice. In early spring after the ice melts and water is 40-45F high numbers of these fish plus my male BG will come very close (6"-12") to the surface eating softened sinking pellets.