Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations to feed or not to feed?

I just read the post from Matt with the picture of the young man with the big bluegill. Nothing better than kids and fishin. Certainly better for them than video games (thats my opinion). Anyway, that brought up a question I would appreciate your opinions on. 20 acre pond in Ellis Cty, TX......large population of catfish (both channels and blues) and good population of bluegill as well. I used to feed on a fairly irregular basis but found that it really made it hard to catch the catfish on a rod and reel. That picture of the bluegill with that young man is making me rethink that. I would love to have some gill that size and I guess the best way to get them is a regular feeding program (perhaps other that metabolic steroids) How long would it take, on the avg. to raise bluegill that size starting with a good base of 4 to 6 inchers now? Also, have any of you had the same experience of hard to catch catfish after feeding them on a regular basis? Look forward to your comments

Don, I've experienced that same thing with LMB and reported it on here. In the case of LMB, my unscientific theory is that they are stuffing themselves on unsuspecting BG at the feeders and hence aren't motivated to be aggressive as otherwise. But I think I may be the only person who has reported that.

Relative to your question about BG growth rates. Bill Cody sent me a table of BG growth rates all across the south and for Texas the average rate was .012 inches per day. If you started with a 4.5 inch fish, then according to this rate, one year later it would be about 9 inches.

In my experience, feeding CNBG definitely helps their growth rate and does not produce any negative effect on their aggressiveness for anglers. In a large lake like yours (20 acres) one feeding station to raise larger BG wouldn't seem to have much overall impact on reducing predator aggressiveness, IMO.