Crappies most certainly can be feed trained if it's done correctly. I may try it in a year or two.
Just remember there was a time when the texts said feed training bass was almost impossible.
Thanks all, for your comments.
Well, I certainly didn't do the crappie feed training "correctly". If anything, it has been by complete accident.
I got home just after sunset this evening, after 4-days gone. To relax after another crazy week, I went down to feed the fish. It was a true feeding frenzy as soon as the first pellets hit the water.
Again, I saw what appeared to be a couple of schools of really huge "sunfish." I went back to the shed and got my 16-foot fiberglass jigging rod. I put a piece of night crawler on a #2 long shank hook. I dangled the piece of night crawler right at the water surface, in the middle of the feeding frenzy. As soon as something grabbed it, I yanked out the "perch" at the bottom of the photo -- an 11-inch crappie. As soon as I could get my line back in the water, I yanked out the "perch" that is shown in the top of the photo. That was what was feeding tonight.
I didn't want to spook them too much during feeding, so I didn't put my line back in the water after I caught Mr. Trout.
It now seems obvious that my crappie really are coming up for pellets.
I don't know if this is good or bad. All I now know is that crappies, trained or not, will take pellets. I know I've got BG, LMB, CC, and grass carp also taking pellets. I sure have a pond full of lazy moochers. That is OK though. I love seeing them all.
Interestingly, the trout and the crappie both had milt in them. The crappies, trout, and bluegill I caught last weekend all had milt or eggs in them. I've seen minimal evidence of bass or bluegill spawning in my home pond. All seems really late this year. My pond remains several inches above full pool. Tonight's water was at 63 degrees 3-foot down at the end of the dock. I don't think it has gone below full pool for more than a couple of weeks in the last two years. (. . . and the driveway is again washed out from real heavy rains -- more tractor seat time this weekend.)
Anyway, just an observation . . .
Ken
