I've seen others on this site mention having RES in northern ponds, but I just completed reading my copy of "Perfect Pond...Want One?" and it says RES don't do well in northern climates. I live in Iowa and we have pretty harsh winters (2 feet of ice this past winter on most waters).
This fall I'll start my pond and it will be about 1 acre, though it will be pretty deep. I mainly want to manage for bass but I also love catching bluegills during ice fishing season and from what I've read these angry little RES would be fun to have alongside traditional BG. If RES wouldn't be suited to this climate, I also thought about yellow perch as an ice fishing bonus assuming they'd be more food than competition for the bass???
