Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations How do you feed one type of fish and not the other

Stocked my BG and RES last year and just stocked my LMB and HSB. I want to add trout this fall. I know I'm supposed to stop feeding my BG when the temps get to 55 this fall, but I need the trout and HSB to feed all winter, I believe so how do I keep my BG from feeding or is it not that big of a deal?

I wouldn't worry about it. BG will taper off feeding when the water gets cool enough. I had a few who fed all winter except for the few days we had ice cover but they don't hit the feed nearly as aggressively as in warm weather. Of course they do feed some or people wouldn't catch them through the ice.

In a mixed population, I don't know how you'd selectively feed.

I do agree with Poppy that the bluegill will shutdown at some point.

Do you have any idea in how low of a water temp your HSB will still feed?

Completely agree. HSB will shut off after the BG, when temps get into the 40s; trout will feed all winter but will slow down a lot when water gets into the low 30s, at least as far as taking floating food goes. I've wondered if using sinking pellets would be more effective when the water gets coldest; there certainly seems to be a lot less surface activity then. I don't see any HSB activity at all once temps are down into the low 40's or 30s during the depths of winter, but feeding activity seems to pick up in the spring as much in response to longer daylight periods as much as water temp, at least at first..

The only way I know how to selectively feed the fish is by pellet size. I would still use floating feed, at least until you get a feel for what the fish are actually consuming.

Yes, even trout will slow down feeding in the winter, but they will still feed.

My feeling is that if a sinking feed was used and the pond owner didn't have a good handle on how much to feed, a lot of the sinking feed could end up just sitting on the bottom, waiting to grow a good crop of algae in the Spring.

Instead of feeding a sinking feed, just hydrate the floating feed.