When the water was clear and I could see the SMB feeding mid day when the sun was overhead I saw the selectivity first hand of pellet size. I was observing SMB from about 3.5" to about 6" in length.
Sometimes they would just race to a pellet and eat it. Other times they would race to a pellet, stop, and look at it then either eat it or pass. Then sometimes I would see them race to a pellet then at the last moment veer off their path and select a different size pellet near the original one they started after.
I could observe they definitely had a preference for larger pellets as the fish size was bigger.
The #4 Optimal starter works fine for the 3-4" SMB but much bigger and they prefer something larger. By the time they reach 6" they will already sometimes take the Optimal Bass pellets which are just slightly larger than AM600.
I feed some of the #4 starter (last year I used AM400) most of the year in my main pond. Just a couple of cups mixed in with my larger pellets. As I throw them out by hand as I am driving along in my UTV the larger pellets will naturally go out further and the small light pellets will land very near the shore line. Small 2-4" BG just gobble the starter pellets up right up next to shore. A few of the larger fish will get some and CC will Hoover up anything they can, but if the fish have a choice they will always eat up the pellets of their choice size then go after something larger or smaller than their choice.
BG will hammer an Optimal Hand Toss till either a big enough HBG comes along to eat it, it softens so they can tear it up and eat it, or the most likely a CC will come along and it is gone. A 12" CC can swallow an Optimal Hand Toss or AM LMB pellet.
I have been feeding whole 3-5" GSF live with tails cut off to my pet 2-4# CC along side my dock. I have seen the big boys hammer a 7" GSF as I toss it in. I cut off the tail clear into the meat so it is bleeding and can not swim faster than the CC. The CC will chase it down if they to not catch it when it first hits the water. Bamm!
Also have one or more 3-4# LMB that will get one if they get there early. Usually be the first or second fish I toss into the water. After that the CC pretty much dominate the scene and it is rare for a LMB to get a chance at a meal.
