Channel Cat advice needed. - 07/04/11 03:54 PM
IO have a 3/4 acre pond...spring fed Nov-May. Pond is at least 25 years old and was previously stocked with LM Bass, Bream, and channel Cats. We suspect the pond was shocked and all Cats poached 3 or 4 years ago. Looks like they took any sizeable bass as well, Still plenty of Bream (some good size) and Bass (small to medium).
I restocked last year with 400 6-8" channels. I feed during the warmer months. The cats came up to eat the first year but never very aggressively and it sure didn't appear to be near the 400 I initially stocked.
I'm assuming they may not have fed well the first year because there may have been an abundance of food existing since there were no cats in the pond for a few years.
This year the cats came up to feed better but still seems to be a small quantity. They've grown nicely and average 1.5 lbs, some up to 2 lbs and look healthy. The past two evenings I'm not seeing any catfish come up to feed, however the Bream are having a feast.
Why would they stop coming up to feed?
Does it have anything to do with spawning?
Why does it appear there are far less cats than I put in there? Haven't had any floaters or any washed up on the bank and we're not fishing them.
I've seen others who have cats that aggressively feed bringing the water to a "boil". Mine don't and I'm wondering why.
Thanks for any advice.
Danno
I restocked last year with 400 6-8" channels. I feed during the warmer months. The cats came up to eat the first year but never very aggressively and it sure didn't appear to be near the 400 I initially stocked.
I'm assuming they may not have fed well the first year because there may have been an abundance of food existing since there were no cats in the pond for a few years.
This year the cats came up to feed better but still seems to be a small quantity. They've grown nicely and average 1.5 lbs, some up to 2 lbs and look healthy. The past two evenings I'm not seeing any catfish come up to feed, however the Bream are having a feast.
Why would they stop coming up to feed?
Does it have anything to do with spawning?
Why does it appear there are far less cats than I put in there? Haven't had any floaters or any washed up on the bank and we're not fishing them.
I've seen others who have cats that aggressively feed bringing the water to a "boil". Mine don't and I'm wondering why.
Thanks for any advice.
Danno