Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Rainbow Trout not feeding

Stocked rainbows the beginning of October. They fed great right away on AM500 that was still in the feeder for the HSB and HBG. That has run out and started throwing AM600. The rainbows where feeding lackluster up to about 7 to 10 days ago. By that I mean they where just barely sucking the pellets off the surface. Now there is no noticeable feeding occurring. I feed everyday at 2PM. Yesterday with the temps in the 50s I decided to fish for the rainbows with a small mepps. I caught one on my third cast into the area where the uneaten AM600 was blown to. The fish was healthy (thick) and weight of 1 lb 7 oz. So it appears that it may have put on some weight (the trout where 1 to 1 1/2 pounds rought at planting). There has been ice on the pond for this same period but shallow water aerator is on and has a nice hole that the feed is thrown into. Yesterday the pond was clear of ice. Could it be the trout are waiting for the feed to sink and then eating it?

Oh and yes the rainbow was great on an alder plank and a little lemon pepper seasoning.

Their metabolism is slower due to lower water temps. For every 10 degree F. drop in temp their metabolism can drop about 50 percent. You can actually stress them if you get too much dry feed in them in cold water temps below the 40's. I know one fish farmer that says you can kill them but I'm not sure I buy it.

I only feed my trout once every four or five days this time of year. I've even stopped feeding them after the pond mostly ices over and they come out of winter just fine.

Thanks for the input Cecil. So it is time to put the texas hunter away for the winter and just feed them every couple of days. I better do this today as it is the last day above freezing for a long time.

I still feed thru the winter every day, but set the feeder on the smallest amount of feed that it will throw.

When I had goldens in the pond, I'd see them picking up feed as it sunk.

I quit feeding my trout when the temps get into the mid- to lower-50s. That is what our state aquaculturists suggest.

We unfortunately hit that several weeks ago, and the ponds have been frozen over for about the last 10 days. My bigger pond is partially open today, but the pond with the trout is still frozen over completely.

Wow Ken mid to lower 50's? Really? That's still prime temps for trout. I would be feeding them max feeding levels at those temps.

Fast downward changes in temps are a huge effect on fish irrespective of their temp tolerance range.

Thanks guys, I had expectations that the trout would feed all winter long and now realize that was very wrong. I going to put away the feeder and may feed just occasionally on the warmer days for grins and giggles. On spring hits and the water temps start to warm up I will crank the feeder back up.

Let them adjust for a few days and try some feed at the warmest part of the day.

My trout ate like there was no tomorrow yesterday afternoon. I had been feeding a hour before dark and they slowed down big time. I adjusted their feed time to two hours before dark while sun was still hitting pond and had great results.

Don't overfeed them to close to a cold snap.

The cold snap hit last night. 3 degrees so I skipped today. Pond never froze over though. Thanks for the advice Cecil.