Today is National Catfish Day! There are many great places in Missouri and Illinois to catch catfish but why not fish for them in your own stocked pond.
Before we talked about how to stock your pond, now we’ll talk about feeding your fish to get the best carrying capacity in your pond.
Feeding your fish is about the only way you can increase the carrying capacity in your pond. By feeding, you can double or triple the carrying capacity of your pond. Instead of 200 pounds of bluegill per acre, if you feed you can have 400-600 pounds. Instead of 100-150 pounds of catfish per acre, 500-600 pounds is possible. Feeding can increase bass production from 75-100 pounds per acre to 200-300 pounds.
By feeding, you can stock more fish per acre, thus you can catch more fish. The fish will grow faster and stay in better condition. For every 1.25 pounds of fish food, you will have a pound of fish growth. The fish will also have a better flavor. You should only feed when the water temperature is above 60 degrees–from approximately early May through October. If you feed five pounds per acre a day from May through October, you will feed about 750 pounds per acre. This would allow the pond to double its carrying capacity. The cost of feeding will be about $275-325 per acre. The benefits will be well worth the money.
There are only four species that will eat artificial feed: bluegill, hybrid sunfish, channel catfish, and largemouth bass (only if trained–6-8” bass are trained, 3” are not). Redear and crappie will not eat artificial feed. If you feed more than five pounds per acre per day, artificial aeration should be available. Commercial fish food is the most significant way to put weight on your fish. Studies show that one to two pounds of fish food in an ideal environment will create one pound of flesh. When feeding your fish, throw some food out five to seven days after stocking (to give your fish time to settle down and adapt to their new home). If they do not eat it all in 15 minutes, cut the feed back.
Examples of Fish Food
Sportsman’s Choice Catfish Feed
• Designed primarily for catfish
• Highly palatable for maximum intake and viewing of your fish as they feed.
• Fortified with stabilized vitamins (high levels of vitamin C, E, D and B complex) to ensure fish are receiving the correct nutrient balance to support rapid growth.
• Special formula to enhance digestibility and nutrient absorption.
• 32% crude protein
Sportsman’s Choice Trophy Fish Feed
• Designed to be fed to bass, bluegill, catfish, brim, perch, and other fish species in a recreational feeding program.
• Pond Balancing Technology provides the proper nutrients to support large and small fish alike. The larger floating nugget feeds the larger fish in the pond, while the smaller sinking nugget sinks to the bottom to feed smaller fish. This promotes proper food chains and optimizes growth and production rates.
• Special formula to enhance digestibility and nutrient absorption.
• Fortified with stabilized vitamins (high levels of Vitamin C, E, D, and B complex) to ensure fish are receiving the correct nutrient balance to support rapid growth.
• 36% crude protein
Fish can be fed by hand, or by using an automatic feeder. An automatic fish feeder is a great investment and provides a number of benefits to your pond. The automatic feeder guarantees your fish will be fed a certain amount at the same time every day, which will help you grow bigger fish and create a concentrated area where catching fish becomes easier. However, if you plan to use an automatic feeder, be sure not to overfeed your fish. This can create imbalances in your pond’s ecosystem and can cause problems with bacteria.
Shop for Sportsman’s Choice feed or any other fish and pond products at your local Buchheit!
