Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Amount of feed

How much per acre per day does everyone feed during the summer?

I figure that in my pond it is about three pounds of feed per acre per day.

My feed rates vary from 1 lb/acre in cold weather up to as much as 5/acre in warm weather. For most of the year 2-4 lbs/acre is what I feed, so we're in the same ballpark.

Of course, it also depends on the size of the pond and what's in it. A small, strictly catfish lake would get higher feed rates than a large lake feeding suppl. for bluegill.

Bill I figured this once but now working form memory, scary. For bluegill it was 5 lbs in spring and back to about 3/acre in summer. However if they also have catfish it has been as high as 10 lbs./acre at times.

Greg, why more per acre in spring for bluegill?

Not sure if the feeder you have can throw 4 times per day but you should try it. The bluegill can only eat so much at a feeding. They can really put on some weigth with 4 feedings in the spring and fall. Their appetite is incredible when temps are 70-80. Once temps get much above 80 I scale back the feedings to early and late in the summer.

Greg, Just set up my main feeder Saturday. Right now I have it set to go off once an hour for four hours starting at noon. I will change this when it gets warmer. The feeder is Game Country's Tri-shooter. So far I like it.

Greg,

Do you also scale back your feeding rates in the summer in catfish ponds? My experience has been that catfish feed heavily even at water temps higher than 90 F.

I'll have to try your spring feeding rates for bluegill on a couple of lakes.

Fishman I agree with you it seems the hotter it gets the better the catfish feed. In catfish ponds I continue to turn up the duration throughout the summer. Now in aquaculture with 2k pounds/acre or more you will need to scale back for water quality reasons but you knew that part.

Let's see if I got this right.
I have an 8 acre pond. If I feed between 1-5 lb per day per acre, oh let's say 3 lb/acre per day that is 25 (rounded off) lb per day. That translates into 15 bags of feed per month at 14.95 per bag equal $225 per month for 8 months.Thats 750 lb. a month. OUCH!
I started feeding two weeks ago using the 20 minute rule, at two locations,and at sunup and sundown. I use about 2.5 lb.per day. Hand feeding. This will translate to 75 lb. of feed per month, about 10%of the recommended amount. Will 75 lb. of feed per month help the fish grow or am I spinning my wheels?
On a similar post I noticed that Tim K. from Lampassas feeds 400-500 lb. per month in an 8 acre pond and gets good results.
Thanks in advance for any input.Feeding fish is as fun as catching them.

roadtrip good math. Here is an example that might help...Based on most of my clients that use feeders they go through about 100 lbs./month/feeder. Clients with 8 acre ponds have three feeders (or more) so that would be 300 lbs 6 bags your cost $90 (most food around here is cheaper too $12/bag).

Point is yes your feeding will help alot. If the fish are eating the pellets they will grow. We talk alot about max amount to fed without water quality problems. Feeding less is fine I understand budget and this is why I gave the above example.

BTW I do sell feeders and feeding more times/day if feeding bluegill is better than just feeding by hand once a day. Good luck!

Thanks Greg, I think I can handle around $90. per month.
I was thinking of buying several bags at a time to possibly get a price break, but am wondering how long a 50 lb bag stays fresh.
I hand feed twice a day, it is a lot of fun but I think my rotator cuff is fixing to give out!

I think Greg is making an overlooked point. Walking helps bring the food to the fish instead of expecting the fish to travel to the feed. Nothing wrong with using a feeder. I think they are great. However you know that you aren't getting good balance on feeding most of the fish. Especially the smaller ones.