Bruce,
I think it would be great if you would invite the PHD that has studied this question directly to the Forum.
I'd love to ask some questions, principle of which would be the explaination for the extreme difference in fish behavior we both report. I'm referring to your past posts in which you mentioned that you fish at your feeders with pellets because that is one of the most challenging, difficult to catch fish places on your pond to fish....and I gather you fish the feeders quite often? My experience is completely opposite that and I never fish feeders except when grandchildren or other kids request it. My grandchildren catch fish on bare hooks at the feeders at certain times...of course these fish become conditioned also to bare hooks. Such radical differences in fish behavior must have a logical explaination.
Invite the PHD person on, and tell us how many ponds, what type of fish, how many feeders and what different kinds of fishing they have done over what periods of time to reach their behaviorial model. That would indeed be fascinating reading and I'm sure we could all learn a lot from a PHD that has studied this question in ponds.
