If ponds are heavily stocked and fish not fed during the winter, catfish may become emaciated and be more susceptible to disease and parasite problems. To much feed may cause a fish kill Largemouth bass fingerlings should be stocked at approximately 40 per surface acre into such ponds. They also hide most of the time only coming out for feedings. During initial 10 days of period,20 to 25 % of feed should be provided. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, Publication No. Factors affecting feeding practices Feeding catfish is far from an exact science. fish for signs of disease and general well being. Reply. This is why farmers may consider feeding their catfish pet food for dogs and cats. Such advanced fingerling catfish generally grow to edible size after one growing season. To catch a pond catfish, use a smelly bait and cast your line in the deepest part of the pond. You bet. The channel catfish is rarely bought for the purpose of adding beauty to the pond because they don’t have great coloring, typically grey or “gold”. However, it is important that your catfish feeds on live baits as a normal feeding routine at least twice in a week. growth and maintenance of good health. Everything will work well when fishing for catfish in ponds. A catfish pond can provide outdoor recreation as well as a steady supply of fresh fish for eating. Compare the recommended stocking rates when feeding to that of not feeding. One of my favorite baits is the King Kat Chicken Blood. In this video a couple big channel catfish show up to eat and I rig up big shad to feed them. These pellets will remain on the bottom and allow the bluegill to feed slowly on the offering. But bigger isn’t always better. The average feed conversion for healthy catfish weighing about 1 pound is 1 3/4 pound of feed to 1 pound of fish gain. Overall, the best water temperature when pond fishing for catfish is going to be right in line with the best temperatures for other bodies of water. Each pond supports a limited number of catfish per acre, so channel catfish commonly becomes overpopulated without bass. Start out feeding one-half to one pound of pellets per surface acre of water, or however much the fish will eat in 5 to 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times per day. Most fish feeds have quality ingredients formulated with required vitamins and minerals to stimulate fish growth and maintenance of good health. This remarkable difference is due in part to the fact that supplemental feeding affects a pond’s entire food chain. Types of feed for Catfish. (2008) studied the effect of a floating feed ring on advanced channel catfish fingerling production in ponds. protein) available at your local feed store. There may be more food and vegetation near a creek, so catfish will congregate here in search of food. A fertilized pond, however, will support up to 200 fish per acre. More fish can be stocked in your pond/lake. This is because the water warms up faster and the catfish are drawn to the shallows where they can be more easily caught. The feeder can observe the of Not harvesting a fed, heavily stocked catfish pond can lead to low oxygen levels and fish kills. Types of Catfish Feeding. low as 50 degrees F, consumption is greatly reduced. Blue catfish will also grow much larger than their channel catfish cousins, reaching upwards of 100 pounds in some large reservoirs. Channel catfish grow fine without feeding in most ponds when stocked at 100 or fewer per acre. Food-size catfish can lose up to 10 percent of their pre-winter body weight without a winter feeding program. More fish can be stocked in your pond/lake. If hand-feeding, select a consistent location to feed. This also is an option for larger ponds when a pond manager primarily wants a channel catfish fishery. 181, Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, Stoneville, Mississippi USA. The floating feed is desired by most catfish producers because of its management value. Feeding Catfish in Commercial Ponds Edwin H. Robinson 1, Meng H. Li and Martin W. Brunson2 1Cochran Warmwater Aquaculture Center 2Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Mississippi State University. cold weather, skip feeding until the weather breaks. minutes; if fish still appear to be hungry, feed additional measured amounts This is extremely important during Bob Lusk, the Pond Boss, talks about raising healthy catfish in small ponds, and what how to stock your pond to grow catfish. You also have to be wary about what can possibly eat them, as they can be food to bigger fish species like the bass! 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