As koiguy stated, get as low as possible. laying down near the pond is less threatening than standing up. feed very small amounts. trick: feed less pellets than you have fish. Example; you have 6 fish, put in four pellets at a time. this make the more dominate fish rush up for feeding time faster, always let them see the pellets come from your hand. that is key later on as they relate your hand as the food source. last, always move slow and be very quite while getting them started. just a bump near the pond can spook them.
Once you get them started if you slightly splash a little water with your hand just before feeding you can train them to come to it. A friend of mine doesn't like splashing water because he thinks raccoons may learn they can get the fish come up by doing that. ?? I don't know but his idea worked pretty good, he takes two rocks and rubs them at the pond edge. His koi and goldfish will come up to the rocks edge and feed out of his hands very well. It's all about being patient, quite, moving slow and getting them use to you.
), I did hand feed, not fishies, but squirrels in New York City Central Park a few days ago. As I fed squirrels, some tourists took some pics of me and the animals like the ones below. Try feed them; they don't bit next time when you guys drop in the Big Apple.
