It's not so much a question of whether or not they will eat, as much as what will eating the pellets do to them? That's where the debate lies....what problems, if anything, will eating the unhydrated feed cause?
Your fish are new, as in this is their first winter, aren't they Jason007? How do you know what the repercussions may be?
Well, I don't know the repercussions may be. This is what I do know though. I have had several hard freezes here. Several sub 40 and 50 nights. I'm pretty sure the water temp is below 55 degrees because I fish 15 minutes from my house out of the bass boat pictured below. The water temp on a 10.5 mile, long, by 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide lake. My electronics tell me that the water temp there is 53 degrees as of over a month ago. My temp should be lower in a smaller body of water. OR at least the same.
I have been feeding my fish nearly daily, twice per day, in fact just got finished feeding them. They are fat, healthy and not a hint of a problem. No dead fish......no fish act like they are sick.....and they tear it up out there. And we can't argue with growth rates. Yes you are correct, the bream will be 7 months old on he 17th of December. I can guarantee that there are some closing in on a pound.
The one below was caught in a cast net a few days ago.....and I have caught some larger than this within the last week, but just didn't have my phone on me. Caught 3 in one cast yesterday, all of them larger than the fish below.
Does this look like a sickly fish?
And here's my rig.
