Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations The winter, pellet feeding debate! Results are in!

Beautiful fish, Jason. And your pond looks great, too!

Sprkplug, thanks so much for the link to the article. I was not aware that too much of the wrong kind of fat could be harmful for fish in cold water. Since carbs seem to be the culprit (as is the case with humans, too!), this would argue for a high protein, low carb feed.

Another variable to consider is pond depth. Rapid cooling of the water is dangerous in winter, so shallow ponds would likely be most at risk. Deep water is more stable and likely protective. Or maybe I'm wrong, does anybody know?

Another interesting article about winter feeding bluegill is on the American Sportsfish site. They make the point that cold water feeding increases body weight more efficiently than feeding when the fish are spawning, since so much energy goes into the spawn.

http://www.americansportfish.com/?option...8&Itemid=45

They also argue for sinking pellets, as the unconsumed portion will add to pond nutrients. They are not endorsing summer feeding quantities, mind you, just reassuring that some uneaten feed on the bottom is no big deal in most instances.

Some questions: If feeding happens during a sudden cold snap, are we endangering the fish by bringing them up to the surface? Or does one exposure to chilly surface water for 10 minutes really make much difference? Can the risk be minimized by sinking pellets in, say, 4 to 8 feet of water with greater temperature stability?