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Jan 10th, 2023
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After stocking my 0.2 acre pond with channel catfish, largemouth bass, and bluegills, I began to supplement the natural food source (fathead minnows) with a bagged fish food. This seems to work fine.
However, being a guy, I started catching grasshoppers and a few crickets, Japanese beetles, and caterpillars and throwing them into the pond for the fish. The bass and bluegills were usually pretty happy to attack and eat them. Now I wonder if any of these insects or others I might find in my yard and garden would be harmful to the fish. Some insects have a hard "shell" and others might be toxic. Is there any insect in Indiana I should not use as fish food? Note: I won't use praying mantids, lacewings, and other beneficial insects for fish food.
Thank you for your information.
Frederick M. Minnich
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I can't think of any insects in Indiana that would be harmful for your fish to eat. Just make sure they don't have insecticide residue on them.
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Lunker
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I have found from experimentations as a kid that catalpa worms are usually harmful to bluegill and channel cats. That is if offered with a #4 hook in them. Other than that, they're all gonna end up in there sooner or later anyway.
Modern insecticides are low level and slow acting nerve agents to insects only; but, as CN stated, try and keep the DDT laced ones outta there. I have heard that after summer rains, large amounts of fire ants can be consumed by bluegills and kill them. You may not have that problem.
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Thank God Virginia and Indiana are too far north for fire ants! Those things are nasty...
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,799 Likes: 68 |
After stocking my 0.2 acre pond with channel catfish, largemouth bass, and bluegills, I began to supplement the natural food source (fathead minnows) with a bagged fish food. This seems to work fine.
However, being a guy, I started catching grasshoppers and a few crickets, Japanese beetles, and caterpillars and throwing them into the pond for the fish. The bass and bluegills were usually pretty happy to attack and eat them. Now I wonder if any of these insects or others I might find in my yard and garden would be harmful to the fish. Some insects have a hard "shell" and others might be toxic. Is there any insect in Indiana I should not use as fish food? Note: I won't use praying mantids, lacewings, and other beneficial insects for fish food.
Thank you for your information.
Hi Fred - great post. Along with Travis I can't think of any insects I'm aware of that would cause any harm to fish. I also can't resist the tempation to capture hoppers and throw them into the ponds - it's the eternal kid in us, I think. Nothing cooler than watching fish surface feed IMO...I could, and often times do, watch for hours. If you are REALLY into it, like me, you could consider buying a BOJO fishing light and fixing it to your dock if you have a dock and power to your ponds. I know Nate Herman sells them...they sound very cool. I plan on buying a couple this Spring when I put in my dock.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau ![[Linked Image from i1261.photobucket.com]](http://i1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii582/teehjaeh57/I_subscribe_zps69249d43.gif)
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...as CN stated, try and keep the DDT laced ones outta there.
and force them to wipe off their muddy feet; I hate it when they do that
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I can't think of any insects in Indiana that would be harmful for your fish to eat. Just make sure they don't have insecticide residue on them. ....and exactly how would one go about that. Lick them? OMG, they actually have a website: http://www.insectlickers.comHA! Made you look. Oh you know you clicked on the link. Don't deny it! Bunch of freaks!
JHAP
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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."
...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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I did; and it is very informative. Thanks for the info, JHAP.
4....still counting meaningful posts.
A few years back, there was a post made of this guy attaching a piece of rain gutter on front of his ATV or UTV. He ran it thru the field and collected gobs of grasshoppers and dumped them into his pond.
I could have gotten tons of em last time I bush hogged last month.
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Speaking of DDT, I think I have a pound or so floating around here. It's amazing what you'll find when you buy an old farm!
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All of our gardening is done organically so we use no insecticides or herbicides. Our neighbor farms chemically but he is careful with his death agents. I don't think I will have to worry about this but it is good to know it can be a problem. Thanks.
Frederick M. Minnich
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Yes, I clicked on the link. Good one.
Such a site would not surprise me these days. Why don't you start one?
Frederick M. Minnich
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I can't think of any insects in Indiana that would be harmful for your fish to eat. Just make sure they don't have insecticide residue on them. ....and exactly how would one go about that. Lick them? OMG, they actually have a website: http://www.insectlickers.comHA! Made you look. Oh you know you clicked on the link. Don't deny it! Bunch of freaks! JHAP, come clean - I highly suspect you've done your fair share of toad licking
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Not that you can prove in a court of law.
What happens in the swamp, stays in the swamp.
JHAP
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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."
...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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You didnt know we had game cameras out there,did you?Uploading pics.....
I subscribe Some days you get the dog,and some days he gets you.Every dog has his day,and sometimes he has two! 
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[quote=Fred Minnich]Nothing cooler than watching fish surface feed IMO...I could, and often times do, watch for hours.
When fishing in late Summer, we stop fishing and just enjoy watching the LMB jumping to catch the dragonflies. I've actually counted 10 hits a minute when there are hundreds of dragonflies cruising the pond.
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You wonder what the % of catches are when bass are chasing dragonflies... It can't be high!
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[quote=Fred Minnich]Nothing cooler than watching fish surface feed IMO...I could, and often times do, watch for hours.
When fishing in late Summer, we stop fishing and just enjoy watching the LMB jumping to catch the dragonflies. I've actually counted 10 hits a minute when there are hundreds of dragonflies cruising the pond. You wonder what the % of catches are when bass are chasing dragonflies... It can't be high! Catch rates are high on dragon flies .... my favorite fly rod bug. All this talk about feeding insects to pond fish reminds me to remind folks that you are missing the boat if you are not feeding your fish insects – the fake ones you tie on your flyline. Get out your fly rods.
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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You must have some super acrobatic and fast LMB George. I can't remember one time seeing a LMB nail a dragon fly it was trying to catch and I have seen a lot of LMB try to catch one. Even SMB which are think would have a better chance, I can't think of one time I saw one successful catch a dragonfly. I do agree a dragonfly bug is a great summertime fly pattern...
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We must have them also CJ. I have seen LMB nail dragon flies a full foot over the water. It usually happens while the DF is laying eggs hovering around the surface dipping its tail in the water or while one is sitting on a reed or stem. I have seen a lot of misses as well.
Last edited by ewest; 11/18/09 05:47 PM.
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Catch rate high with dragonfly - hook attached C.J.  I have cleaned LMB with their bellies full of dragon flies.
Last edited by george1; 11/18/09 07:17 PM. Reason: oops
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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I can't recall a dragon fly or damsel fly hit either but wouldn't be surprised. I have seen LMB beach themselves while lunging at minnows in shallow water right at the shoreline. I also watched bluegills jump out of the water to knock grasshoppers off my fish feeding ring. I was advised to make a floating ring out of PVC about the diameter of a hoola hoop and anchor it, and then throw the fish food into it....so I did. Some of the grasshoppers I throw in swim to the ring for refuge and climb up on it. Ha! The bluegills don't mind jumping through the hoop in order to knock the grasshoppers off! That trick belongs on Leno.
Frederick M. Minnich
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Did someone say Hula Hoop? Ahhh, I know it's going to be a good day when I can start the day by posting my favorite hula hoop/pond photo. The air smells a little sweeter, the sky looks a little bluer. The birds seem to be singing a pleasant little tune. All is right with the world. Everyone take a deep breath and enjoy this moment of serenity... 
JHAP
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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."
...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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Dude...DeathStar is MO'-definitely orbiting beyond the Sun today. Not sure what possessed you to author such response, but I'm grateful. Hoop of life spinning round a bare midrif [sp?] whilst gurgling waters cascade in the background...give us a Haiku already...methinks ye be on a roll
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Bare midriff hoopstress,
Foster Grants aimed to sunset,
By falling water.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling ![[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/b5/e7/edb5e7f935843b996cf52be593c9ebd2--smoothie-smooth-collie.jpg)
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Bare midriff hoopstress,
Foster Grants aimed to sunset,
By falling water. Jeesh that's clever...and funny - Now we need a Sonnet penned by JHAP: "Ode to the Hoopstress"
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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