Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Too much feed?

I have a 1.5 acre pond that was stocked a little over a year ago with largemouth, hybrid stripers and hybrid bluegill as the target species. Also has golden shiners, fathead minnows, coppernose, rio grande cichlids and redears. I am feeding via a Texas Hunter feeder times a day for around 3-4 seconds each throw per the recommendation of the hatchery. My problem is that these fish are tough as crap to catch and just seem to not have a lot of interest in a lure. Maybe i just need to turn the feeder down to twice a day and less feed. I am trying to grow these guys out as big as possible so I hate to cut out the protein pellets too much. Thoughts?

You could try dialing back the feed a bit. Also, Stubby Steve lures, a food pellet imitator, could be worth a try.

I read about those. May have to give them a try if I can find them. I just ordered some trout pellet flies to see if that will work. Crazy thing is that I have stocked this pond before and used a feeder and did not have any problems catching the fish. I had to restock it this time because it went dry and I now have a liner installed.

I had a similar issue with the trout in our pond. Up until recently I was feeding twice a day - morning and evening. Cut back to just a morning feeding and things picked up within a couple days.

Leave it be at 3 times a day, that will keep your fish used to full bellies. The turn it off a day or two before you plan on fishing they will be biting!

Did you stock the Rio Grande Cichlids as a forage fish? I know they're popular for aquariums but hadn't heard of them in ponds.

+1

Just for something else to catch. Those fish live in a lot of the rivers here in the Texas hill country. I always thought they were a cool looking fish. Probably not the best forage fish. My hatchery sells them so I thought what the heck, let's see how they do. I have not seen one in the pond this spring yet so we'll see.

Good deal. If you catch some post up some pictures.