IMO, the extent to which feed-trained fish might express consequential negative feedback in response to experiencing a hook and "out of body experience", all depends, like Bill Cody says.
For one, it depends on fishing pressure. Somewhere, I'm sure, there is a grey line between too much fishing pressure with pelleted lures and not "too much" fishing pressure. You've crossed that line when you can no longer catch your target species on those pelleted lures. I'm fishing my 2 acre pond every now and then with pelleted lures and I'm not worried about negative conditioning because I have been successful so far. The catfish in this pond are already old and educated and tough to catch so I think it is fair.
Two, I think the competitive nature of feed-trained fish can outweigh the negative conditioning of fishing with pelleted lures, given that fishing pressure is under that grey line and high quality pelleted fish food is offered on a regular basis.
Three, since most of us agree that fish learn, I believe that most of the time they can become aware of your presence at the pond and may avoid pellets while you are fishing or watching. Actually I witness this in my 2 acre pond all the time, the fish feed better when I am watching from a distance than they do when I am standing by the feeder, fishing or not. So this in itself introduces a challenge for the fisherman, and supports Eric's policy of not fishing near the feeders.
Last edited by overtonfisheries; 02/22/09 11:44 AM.
