Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Fish Feeding Plan

First, thank you everyone for continued help and imput in developing this pond. our brand new 1.25 acre Pond in Texas will be stocked with 3000 bluegill, 50 lbs golden shiners, 40 pounds fathead minnows this april. Fall will stock 50 lbs adult feed trained LMB. Need a feeding plan for all these. Have a 200+ pound sweeney feeder machine.

What brand, type of feed to stock?

How often? How much?

What is the best way to feed largemouth and bluegill out of the same feeder? Will bluegill be spooked if bass are feeding at the same time?

Want the largmouth to get off of fish food eventually so they have a normal forage diet. What is the best way to transition bass off of the food and when?

Thanks

Find out what type of food is available. Hatchery should tell you what they are on. There are several good feeds just be sure they have fish meal as the protein. Purina has good all-purpose feed (multi sized pellets). Optimal has good feeds as well. Feed an all-purpose feed with different size pellets and don't worry about what the LMB do. Grow the BG and the rest will be ok.

Based on my own findings, and I believe also aligning with ewest's suggestion, Optimal BG would be a good, maybe great choice. I also like the idea of mixing Optimal Jr with the std BG feed as well. You don't want to target just the middle of the food chain.

Start them on a mix of Aquamax 400 and Optimal bluegill jr. Everyone should eat really well.

Okay thank you veryone. I looked at optimal's brluegill feed and the protein is just 40%. It seems a bit low but maybe its not a concern.

40% protein is plenty for BG. They have been shown to do well on 32%. The key is the source (fish meal or equivalent) and the provider (maker).

Okay is optimal bluegill feed primarily fish meal protein? Would you reccomend?

Both Optimal and Purina (Gamefish and Aquamax) are fish meal and are good choices.

Agree.