Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Habitat for bream

Hey guys. As yall know, I stocked about 1200 bream and 65 bass in an acre pond about two weeks ago. My friend throws out fish feed daily next to the dam, yet he hasn't seen much action when he throws the feed out. There are other places for habitat where other trees have been downed.

Most of the bream were rather small. Are the fish just that small right now that they're not noticeably feeding on the pellets? Do I need to sink some Christmas trees next to the dam where we feed them? It's about 12-15 feet deep, but my friend is worried that we'll get stuck on anything we sink down there. Thoughts?

I would give them a little more Adj. time, continue to feed on a regular schedule, same place, they will show up. I assume the feed is small enough for the size Bream you stocked. But if the feed may be too big you can always crush or hit feed a time or two in a coffee grinder, then feed and if they start eating you will know it was a size issue. Just an Idea.

Thanks. The vast majority are probably around 2" right now, 3" at most.

If they are only 3" long they really need some very small feed like Aquamax AM400 with 3/32 pellets. Very small BB size.

Most people don't have ready access to such feed so an alternative is to crush or grind some regular size pellets down to smaller size. An alternative is to soften them. Once they get used to the feed they will peck at the larger pellets till they soften, then eat them.

You may not see much activity from newly stocked BG. If the pond is full you probably have a huge area of water for a relative small amount of fish. It will take them a while to find the feeding spot.

Keep at it though, with small amounts of feed and eventually they will get the idea. If you have FHM they likely will get feed trained first, then the BG can learn from them. When fish start hitting feed and splashing, it is kind of like the dinner bell being rang.

Based on my similar experience, mpc is giving you good advice. Smaller pellets are best when you start with 2-3 inchers.

However, I will say that my first feeder, located next to several sunken trees, was used a lot more at first. And I suspect that hiding places near the feeder will be even more important when lmb are present.

I don't know the depth of the water at your dam but, FWIW my small BG hang in shallow water and that is where I feed them. I would try feeding yours next to cover in shallow water.

+1 on small pellets. I feed 46% Skretting 3 mm (a little less than 1/8 inch) pellets in shallow water and it is hammered by small YP and BG.

I would walk around the pond and try feeding at different places. In other words, I would feed at where the fish are than having them come to me. The fish were raised on pellets so should take them. My small fish pecked at the feed when it was thrown and ate it when it was softened.

It would probably help to put in some structure for them to be near.

Thanks! Once they get bigger, will they prefer deeper or shallow water? I may want to put some Christmas trees near the dam for when they get bigger.