Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Smallmouth bass & feed

I was feeding my bluegills this morning and I noticed one of the SMB that I stocked last summer was eating the food pellets. At first I thought that he was eating some kind of insect from the surface of the water. But I watched closely and he was actually feeding on the Game Fish Chow. I had never seen any of my bass eating fish feed before and this really surprised me.
The SMB that I stocked were all caught locally and stocked in the pond. None of them could have been exposed to fish food before being stocked in my pond. He was about 14" long. Just wondered how often it occurs that an adult bass learns to feed on fish food. Anyone else ever seen this happen?

Larry

A few bass will resort to eating pellets. Even fewer bass will continue eating the Pond Fish Chow. It is a poor bass food due to its lower protein & fish meal content and less flavor. The older the bass are, the less likely they will start eating pellets, thus smaller bass train easier. Also smallmouth train easier to eat pellets than LMB. I haven't figured out what it is about the older bass that causes them to start eating pellets. I don't know it if is that they are lazy and smart or lazy and stupid. Eating pellets is for sure less work/effort than chasing elusive food.