Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Feed question/advise

...when in doubt, hit the archives, page 3 .
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one for the hotdog lady!

Thanks Brett - sometimes it's kinda hard to wade thru and find just what you are looking for but you do learn an awful lot on the journey though I must say. Guess my mission this morning, if I choose to undertake it, will be to find out if the big feed LMB chunks are now available and also how many fish I should have and how big in my pond. Not that I'm taking out anyone I have named... I hope I can keep at least ten of my 15 inch plus bass. I think that's about all I have that large - maybe not that many. And I only have ONE that's real big - well at least big to me! I don't really know how big she is but she's a lot longer than a cement block! She almost never comes up close though I see her almost ever day from a distance and I only have one decent photo of her. She does look right up at me though and check me out. She's also the only one that eats the commercial food without any tricks. If I throw anything else (like hot dogs)in her direction she runs off. Bet she won't ever be caught with a lure! I named her La Torpeda because she looks like a big ole torpedo out there shooting thru the water. She kinda makes my heart jump a bit - well not kinda - she DOES. Too bad I can't tame her. She's the Queen of the pond! This is La Torpeda - isn't she magnificent?

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Bill, I thought you'd like this updated photo of Meanandlean I took today. I was just taking photos today but when I came in and hooked the stick thing up to the computer and saw this one I had to add the caption. I'd definitely say it qualifies as feeding... Those little bluegill don't look fooled at all do they?

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BP, the largemouth food is called 'Aquamax Largemouth'. It is aobut 18mm in size and my bass have taken to it pretty well. Although not as well as the Hybrid Striped Bass. They are beginning to destroy it. Just contact a local Purina dealer and he should be able to special order you some if he tries hard enough. Of course, the fish feeding will begin to slow soon, so you may want to wait til spring.

Thanks. You are right of course and I'll wait until Spring to order. When should I quit feeding this winter - gosh I'm going to feel bad about that.

Is there anything I need to do to get ready for winter? Should I stock some more minnows or is it too late? Yesterday I saw a new batch of tiny baby fish around the edge of the pond and was wondering what they could be this late in the season?

I also caught two snapping turtles that I'm going to take and release this morning. This is the smaller one - isn't he too cute? Look how cute his little hands are. I didn't catch the turtles on purpose. I'm trying to catch something else and I hate it that they got on the lines but I may as well relocate them while I have them.

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They might be BG. My nephew netted a couple about 3/4" long on Saturday.

Yes he is cute Cam. Your fingers are cute also, do you still have 10?

Your fish will probably slow down and stop feeding as the water temp drops from 60 to 50 deg F. You should reduce the amount you are feeding when this happens and then stop at maybe 50 degrees. Stoppiong earlier is OK, too. Remember fish metabolism slows way down when it cools off (for LMB, a 50% drop for every 8 degree cooler), so they will need MUCH less to eat in the Winter.

My only concern was having my overdue manicure photo posted on the internet but, of course, I suppose it shouldn't be much of a worry with black pond scum, turtle poo, and stinky muck all over my hands...

I really should get down to the nail place today... I'll take a good photo of the larger one before I release him this morning. I ain't 'fraid of no snapping turtle! I'm an old lady and I didn't get this old and mean being afraid of every little creature that crossed my path. They aren't so bad - they just try to bite because they are afraid. I think I'd try to bite to if I were in his place

I haven't seen my BG on the nests in some time so I was real surprised to see these. They must have been hiding!

Thanks Theo - so what do they eat in winter down in there? I won't be able to feed at all from Dec thru Mar which is why I was asking about maybe stocking fatheads. Is it too late?

Cam

BP - they really shouldn't need much to eat from Dec thru Mar. There metabolism is so slow that they will get by on very little natural food. I wouldn't worry about it at all. I would be willing to bet the fish will quit feeding within the next month. Although my catfish seem to feed at any temp., which is not how it should be according to the text book.

Cam, the fish will tell you when they start slowing down on feeding requirements. They feed voraciously in warmer water, slow down in the Fall and quit during the winter. Listen real closely and back off on the hot dogs.

does anyone have a sweeney fish feeder and feed the aquamax? What is the largest size that will go through it? 400,500,600?

Do I detect pink nail polish on one hand and coral on the other? That's one of the most commonly committed faux pas here at the forum.

P.S. For DD's benefit, faux pas is not what dogs have.

[quote=Theo GallusDo I detect pink nail polish on one hand and coral on the other? That's one of the most commonly committed faux pas here at the forum.. P.S. For DD's benefit, faux pas is not what dogs have. [/quote][/quote]



Certainly NOT Theo! It MUST be a shadow! If I did my own nails there would be a 75% chance at some sort of wacky error but I do go the parlor.

The larger turtle I caught yesterday I had in a cooler on the edge of the woods intending to take him to the lake this morning. When I went to get him this morning he was GONE! Flew the coop! Climbed out! Adios! The great escape! He's probably made his way back to the pond by now. So I had only one to take down to the lake.

I had another one on a hook this morning and cut him off before I left but he's a keeper (Rocky). I've caught that turtle 3 times now and this will be the 3rd time to send him back. Maybe he wants to leave the pond... Now I've got him in the cooler on the porch and there he will stay until I can get the creature out of my pond. I don't want to catch that poor turtle again. Just how many hooks can he possibly pass? Anyone know how long it takes for them to dissplve or whatever they do? And why am I supposed to cut the line off 6 inches from his face and not flush? He looks pathetic with that line hanging out of his mouth like that.

Cam

It probably has something to do with the afore mentioned fingers.

Oh silly it does not They tell you to do that when a fish swallows the hook too. lol

Cam

"Maybe so" (as my Grandma always used to say), but I think I'll pay more attention to that 6" recommendation with a Snapping turtle than with a bluegill.

My turtle that I like, Rocky, I put in the kitchen last night because we have had a cold spell come thru. This morning I looked in the cooler and he has pooped a couple of weird "things" I thought maybe some of you would know a bit about anatomy. I am hoping these aren't innards... It certainly doesn't look like turtle poo or poo at all. I hope Rocky is OK. I might have to ditch the plans to catch the creature in the pond and pull in the baited lines and just throw him back. He hasn't eaten anything since I have taken him out. The line in his mouth has shortened considerably though and is now only about a couple inches hanging out of his mouth. Poor thing still has the hook digesting or whatever it does.

I sent the photo of what I thought were intestines to turtle experts and I'm pleased to report it is, indeed, turtle poo. Whew.

I can't catch the giant catfish using liver wrapped in pantyhose on lines thrown into the pond here and there evidently as I've been trying for days. I'll pull them all out today and put Rocky, with his new paint job, back into the pond. Hope the hook passes or dissolves or whatever. He hasn't eaten anything at all.

I don't know what I'll do about the huge catfish and I don't know how I could have ever missed him in there. He really must be hiding well from me. I want him out of there.

Have you tried using shrimp for bait?

No.

Please give me more info. What size hook? How deep? How big of a shrimp? Just regular shrimp from the grocery? I don't want to just throw it in and leave it anymore because I put Rocky (the turtle) back in the pond today and I'm not going to leave lines in over night. I can't take the chance I might catch that poor turtle again.

Thanks

Cam

Turtle recipes... Now tell me the truth. Would you eat this rare Snapper Painteramous Turtle? I think not.



Besides, he left this morning:



Now what about the shrimp? Just the ones from the grocery to catch the catfish?