Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations More fatheads???

I stocked 250 HBG, 125 CNBG, 125 RES, 100 CC, and 6lbs of fathead minnows in my renovated ~.5 acre pond in December. I have been feeding some and have seen nothing feeding at all. I know that the fish don't feed much in cold weather but I sure figured that I would see some action while feeding pellets. Should I assume that the new fish are feeding on the fathead minnows? There is a fish truck coming to the area from Dunn's next week. Should I stock more fatheads? Just concerned about seeing no action and hoping that everything didn't die. Did not see any floaters at all though.

My water is still muddy with little visibility and will be that way til I get some grass established. ON a good note, I tried putting some gypsum in the pond and it did begin to clear until the next rain came and muddied it up again.

I looked at my record keeping from my pond when new and had about the same #s of fish as you (different combo though). At that time I had forage of 3,000 ea fathead minnows. There wasn't any acitivity in the winter; nothing happened until the temperatures warmed up in the spring. At that time I added more fish, more forage fish, and an automatic feed. Have experienced awesome results. My understanding is that bigger fish will need bigger forage (i.e. bass eat blue gill etc.) so fatheads may get a little expensive to keep putting in. To give the fatheads a chance of reproducing I've adding some hiding places, placed a pallet upside down tied off in low areas. I'm in my full second year, so it'll be interesting to see new results. My two cents.

I have just stocked my 3 acre pond in December also. I stocked 3" bass. 1-2" bluegill, coppernose and redears. I have also stocked way more fatheads than you guys. I'm not sure the exact total now, doesn't really matter because you can't over do fatheads, but it has to be about 40 - 45 pounds. I have built minnow beds with tires, chicken wire, pvc pipe, and quick crete. If they don't have the cover to protect them the bass will scarf them you faster them you can put them in. I also threw out a couple hundred pounds of cotton seed meal to feed the fish.
I'm like you guys in that I see absolutely no fish activity and even the kingfishers are gone. I hope like you guys that they are just deep and inactive. Maybe a senior pondmaster will enlighten our fears.

I'm not a senior pondmaster, but I play one on the Internet.

1) Don't sweat the lack of apparent activity when the water's cold.

2) Keith, you shouldn't have a serious threat to your FHM until you stock bass UNLESS the HBG and/or CC are real big. Fish sizes stocked?

1-3" bream and 4-6" catfish.

Just worried that since I have the muddy water, the presence of phytoplankton will be minimal giving the fish very little to feed on.

They don't need much to eat in the Winter as their metabolism drops way off in cold temps.

Bream & CC those sizes shouldn't be a threat to FHM. Come Spring, watch everything take off growing.

Thanks Theo....I feel somewhat better now. Can't wait til spring.