Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Feeding Largemouth in Michigan fall/winter

It seems the more I read the more mistakes I have made concerning my new pond and my largemouth bass. Had 3/4 acre pond dug last summer(2009). It is all clay bottom, and is in the shape of a semi-colon. The larger end is 15' deep, the middle is 12' and the thinner end is 10', with a sandy,swimming beach at the small end. The pond is located in a low spot and run-off comes from every direction. We did not hit any water when constructing the pond so all the water has come from the run-off. I put in 2 gallons of fathead minnows this spring and 75, 5"to 7" largemouth bass all at the same time. Yes, the minnows were gone by mid summer. So I began feeding by hand pelletted bass food. They were eating very agressively until the cooler weather hit. Now they are not eating at all. Should I continue to throw feed out risking harm to my pond or stop until next spring? I did catch several this fall and they were between 8" to 12", and yes, I did fish in the same area where I feed them, seeing I feed them all around the pond! Also, I don't see any sign of plant growth. We have had two ducks in the pond since spring and they seem to pull everything growing out. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thanks

You can feed them sinking food in small amounts and they will gobble it up in cold water.

Also remember that you have made no mistakes, just gained experiences of your own to share and learn from.

It’s all a learning experience. You can feed in winter (small amounts ) even after ice over (if you have a hole in the ice). One way is to feed softened pellets (so they will sink) or use sinking pellets. Put down a piece of tin or other barrier (on or near the bottom) so they will land on it rather than the pond bottom. You will need to fed in deeper water in winter as the fish will stay deep (warmer water). Around deep structure is best.

Thanks for the encougagement and the advice.

As an alternative the LM bass will do okay if you don't fed them in cold water. Their ample fat reserves from summer feeding will sustain them till spring. When using sinking pellets it is much harder to know if the pellets are getting eaten or just falling to the bottom and uneaten. I am pretty sure bass won't pick pellets from the bottom sediments.

Normally when the water temperature drops to below the 50F mark it is okay to quit pellet feeding esp warm water fish. Notable exceptions are cool and cold water fishes. By not feeding the LM bass during late fall and winter they will lose a little body weight / condition, yet stay relatively healthy until spring esp if they can get a small fish meal occassionally. IMO Cold water deep diffused aeration duing winter is probably harder on the LMB than lack or absence of pellet feeding.

If you go by the standard agency guidlines for pellet feeding warmwater fish, they suggest 60F is the water temperature to start (Spring) and stop (Fall) feeding the fish. Some fish farmes have had problems with fish digesting dry pellets during cold temperatures. These farmers have experienced fish deaths from feeding dry pellets in cold water. The deaths were probably from fish eating too many dry pellets in frigid water temps, the pellets did not digest fast enough, begin to mold/decay that created toxins or gas in the digestive tract. IMO most pond owners who feed pellets do not feed the warmwater fish when water temps are below 50F. For me, the fish 'pretty much' stop coming to the surface for pellets when water is below 50F. YP for me will continue to slowly feed at the surface down to 45F.

Thanks Bill, You answered all my questions. I liked the idea of sinking pellets but I can't see anything below 1 and a half feet. So can't see if they are eating them or not.