Foods to try with a picky bass

[FuriousFish]

I have 3 bass, I got them off craigslist of all places for next to nothing, they were in sort of rough shape when I got them but have cleared up nicely and are totally settled in. 2 are between 14-16 inches and the third one is a bit smaller at around 10-11 inches if I had to guess. The small bass and the middle sized bass eat pellets fine but the biggest one refuses to eat them, he only seems to like frozen silversides and feeders. I’ve seen him eat a pellet or 2 as soon as it hits the water in sort of a reaction bite but that is it. I don’t like doing feeders at all and feeding a diet of only silversides doesn’t seem very healthy so I’m looking for other options. I have heard of feeding tilapia and shrimp from the grocery store so I think I am going to try that next, do I just buy the frozen ones cut them up and throw it in? And are there any other foods you guys would recommend trying?

 

[Blakewater]

Shrimp is my go to for picky bass. But tilapia is also a commonly used cichla food. Personally if he's not too worn out I'd starve him until he took the pellets if hes already mouthing them. Once he see's the others eating and gets hungry enough he'll hop on the train too. I'd also recommend you stop using feeders because they're counter productive to your goal.

 

[tcav88]

I have 3 bass, I got them off craigslist of all places for next to nothing, they were in sort of rough shape when I got them but have cleared up nicely and are totally settled in. 2 are between 14-16 inches and the third one is a bit smaller at around 10-11 inches if I had to guess. The small bass and the middle sized bass eat pellets fine but the biggest one refuses to eat them, he only seems to like frozen silversides and feeders. I’ve seen him eat a pellet or 2 as soon as it hits the water in sort of a reaction bite but that is it. I don’t like doing feeders at all and feeding a diet of only silversides doesn’t seem very healthy so I’m looking for other options. I have heard of feeding tilapia and shrimp from the grocery store so I think I am going to try that next, do I just buy the frozen ones cut them up and throw it in? And are there any other foods you guys would recommend trying?

If your feeding frozen use a vitamin supplement such as boyds vita chem. My method over the last 5 years has always been pellets or die and has never failed over that duration. bigger bass are gonna take longer to break, but eventually as Blake said once you starve it long enough and it sees the others eating pellets it should take, just be persistent and don’t give in.

 

[krichardson]

I would stop giving the bass anything but pellets until it starts taking them regularly.It should not take very long between the fish getting hungry and watching the other two gobble up pellets and it is already somewhat familiar with eating them.When you observed it eating a few should have marked the end of feeding it anything else for a good while.

 

[TheWolfman]

If he is taking frozen silversides then all you have to do is stuff them with pellets. He will start eating pellets and not even know it. Eventually he will develop a taste for them and take straight pellets. This is how I've converted all my bass to pellets.

 

[Tony A.]

He will eat pellets he's waiting for the fish lol. Don't feed anything but pellets . And he will come around. Then you can start feeding shrimp and frozen fish and earth worms. Good luck Never feed live or fresh fish or shrimp.