Farm Pond Management

Introduction   |   Managing Fish   |   Liming   |   Fertilization   |    Feeding Fish   |   Calendar   |   Drawdown   |   Calculations   |   Balance Key

Feeding Fish

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It is not necessary to feed fish in a fertilized bream and bass pond to produce good crops of fish. Natural food organisms will also be abundant enough to feed fish in fertilized bass/bream ponds. However, you can significantly enhance growth of bluegills by a supplemental feeding program. Bluegills readily accept feed and can be attracted quickly to feeding areas.

Small ponds stocked only with channel catfish or hybrid sunfish should always be fed to maximize fish growth. Not feeding will give poor results.

Here are some points to consider about feeding:

• Feed at the same time and location each day.
• Use floating feed, with a pellet size small enough to be easily eaten.
• Never feed more than the fish will eat in 5 to 10 minutes. Keep in mind that uneaten feed may pollute the water.
• If fish quit eating, stop feeding for a few days. Watch for signs of disease. Do not feed in very cold or very hot water.
• Taper the feeding rate as winter approaches to about one fourth of the feed rate of the previous summer.
• Automatic feeders will give good growth results where small ponds are unattended for long periods.
• Do not try to feed fish up to large sizes without some harvest to reduce the number of fish. Otherwise, crowded large fish may become diseased and die.