One of the best means of increasing the enjoyment of a lake or pond is the addition of a fish feeder. Watching the water surface explode with fish activity when a feeder turns on is enjoyable for kids up to seasoned fishermen.
Our supplemental fish feeding programs are typically designed to feed bluegill, trout, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, and feed trained largemouth bass. In ponds and lakes that do not contain feed trained largemouth bass, the largemouth bass will still benefit from a supplemental feeding program. Creating a supplemental feeding program for the bluegill population will create a healthier bluegill population, thus creating a healthier forage base for the largemouth population.
Most fish species, especially bluegill, benefit from multiple feedings throughout the day which is why fish feeders are more superior than trying to feed by hand. To maximize fish growth and production, AES recommends multiple feeders on lakes greater than 1/2 acre. All lakes are shaped differently, but typically a minimum of one feeder per acre is necessary. For lakes greater than ten acres one feeder per three acres is sufficient.
Feeding can occur year-round in some areas but generally begins in March and continues into December in much of the Southeast.
Purina AquaMax Fish Foods
AES utilizes Purina AquaMax fish food which is far superior to the generic fish food often found at your local co-op. The Purina AquaMax fish foods are designed to feed a variety of species and are formulated for optimal nutrient delivery. The Purina AquaMax fish foods are 100% nutritionally complete and were developed by professional nutritionists and fish management biologists. Formulated as easily digestible, high-energy, nutrient-dense diets with excellent conversion rates, Purina AquaMax has superior feed efficiency and rate of gain.
AES conducted a research project comparing the growth of bluegill with several formulations of fish food. In short, with higher quality fish food such as AquaMax Sportfish, fewer pounds of food is needed to achieve significantly greater growth rates. Though higher quality food is more expensive per pound, it is cheaper to use because fewer pounds of the higher quality food is needed. The bluegill growth research project showed a feed conversion of 1.86 for AquaMax 500 and 3.3 for a 32% protein fish food. With these conversions we compared cost: cheaper feed is $2.90/lb. of weight gain compared to Purina AquaMax $2.53/lb. of weight gain. This is a significant cost savings over the course of a year, and you will have much larger fish to catch as a result.
