Hey, North Texas pond owners.

When will you stop feeding this year? My feeder just ran out, and I'm reluctant to buy more if it is close to the time to stop feeding.

Thanks for your help.

GaryTexas

What are your water temps ? We usually slow down in Oct and stop in Nov when the water hits 60 F. Water was 70 F last week and falling.

Gary, what species are you feeding?
Our HSB will feed actively into the upper 50’s, slowing down on a falling trend and increasing on a rising trend.
My approach to feeding is based on relative temperatures rather than absolute water temps.

“It all depends”…

Presently our near surface water temps are on the low 70’s – optimum as far as I am concerned for feeding activity, and I am increasing feed amounts.

I will reduce feed as temps drop into the 60’s and stop feeding in the 50’s on a lowering trend and turn feeders back on when warming.

I feed year long except during the coldest winter weeks, and the hottest summer weeks.

Thanks, Ewest and George.

I'm primarily feeding BG, with some LMB that have taken to the feed. HSB were stocked two years ago, but I have only caught 2 in that time... not sure if any are left?? I certainly don't see any HSB at the feeder, and the water is clear enough to easily watch the fish feed.

Looks like I need to invest in a thermometer.... I don't want my fish to be hungry if I should be feeding them. Since I installed the feeder, the BG have really taken off.

Thanks for the help, guys.

Gary, mine ate like pigs last weekend. As long as they will eat, I'll feed.

DD1 interesting to note that our pond water temps around 70 in all ponds. In one pond the fish are eating wildly and in the other 2 hardly eating pellets. I will keep feeding in those 2 ponds until the temps go to 60 even if they don't seem to be eating.

Gary I think I would get a little feed and feed for a while longer. If you have some feed left then on warm trends in winter throw some pellets out and see what happens and report the results.

In southern Mississippi my fish are still eating very good. My feeder went off this morning as I was feeding bread the neighbors had given me, the water really churned with bream and cat fish.

My new Overton super strain CNBG were splashing water when feeding yesterday in main pond.
Little Pond HSB and TAF CNBG on a feeding frenzy

I agree with George. This is one of the periods of time that my fish feed the heaviest. I have read it was due to the fish stocking up some fat for the winter. I don't know the reason for sure but from now until after Thanksgiving my fish feed very heavily even more so than when the water was in the eighties.

TO me some of the best feeding all year is the fall. It comes to a quick end with several cold days in a row. My suggestion is let the fish tell you what to do. We set feeders to go off later in the day as it cools. With an easy to use timer just keep reseeting as thigns change. Might scale from three feedings down to 2 then one.

Many of our ponds get into the 50's with some feeding on warm afternoon temps. Then once they stop feedig shutdown with that final bag. This might be in late Dec. SOme clients south of us never turn it off just turn it way down and fish feeding in coldest month of early Feb.

Greg, that is the best common sense feeding advice I have ever heard .... should be archived IMO...
Thanks

Yes, Greg has all the good ideas or at least a lot of them.

Based on all the good feedback here.... I'm going to run out to the farm on Sunday and re-load my fish feeder.

Of course, I'll have to do some weight sampling data collection with a rod and reel....

Thanks, Guys.

Hey Gary, it is always best to to do some scientific analysis to back up our wild theories.

BTW, my cats, bass and bluegills hammered the food Sunday afternoon.

I did make it out to the farm and got the feeder going again... the fish jumped all over the pellets. They still look to be fat and sassy, as well.

Unfortunately, it ended up being just a day trip on Sunday, and I had too many chores to get done to go fishing. Isn't that a shame when your weekend place has so many chores you can't do the fun things. Oh well, at least now I am ready for deer season.

GaryTexas

Greg said My suggestion is let the fish tell you what to do..................My fish told me to pour all my beer in the pond when I feed them,do you still think I should listen to the fish?

Tom you need a keen hear for the fish. If you don't watch it the fish will cost you lots of money. Do your fish ask for Michelob or Pabst?

Thanks guys just experience talking nothing special from me.

Miller Lite...in a can please.At least,they are polite about it.