Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Tank raise bluegill

Shorty,
I have several age classes of RES in my pond and have been hand feeding Optimal. I get glimpses of the wide body and slightly colorful flash of the RES adults as they get the pellets but I've read here that the RES are 'hard' to teach to eat pellets.

I'm curious how you did it?

In the 'wild', in my pond, do you think since every other fish around them is eating pellets including their adult parents that the young ones will figure it out on their own?

I also wonder if that environmental imprint of learning to take pellets becomes inbred in the genes and passes on or if each generation has to relearn the tricks of eating pellets?