I have both smallmouth and largemouth in my pond that were not pellet trained (to small to be the ones I planted) but are feeding on the pellets. Same goes with some yellow perch. Fish sometimes learn by association.

Also the longer your bass have been domesticated (feed trained on pellets generation after generation) the more likely it is their offspring will take to pellets. Growers are seeing this with their bass.

These fish you speak of as Dave suggests may not stay on the pellets if enough live feed is available. It also may be a case of not enough live feed in the pond or they eat both.

However, I wouldn't count on there being that high of a number that learn this way. Just a few here and there unless you purposely try and train them as in a cage or in isolated area.

If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.