I can see your train of thought and I like it. I wonder what a safe Temp Minimum would be?
Surface water temps the other day was at 36 degrees...that sounds pretty cold to me. I walked out on the dock and did some bouncing to see if the ice would give and it caused some waters to push up at the shoreline where the ice had thawed which pushed some minnows up onto the ice (they managed to wiggle back into the water). This tells me that at least the forage is content with 36 degrees.
QA - I have no idea what "comfortable" minimum temp would be for Bass, etc. Someone around here has to know though. I know the fat heads do fine at our place and last year we measured water temps at 33.0 degrees IIRC. I think Bass, etc is what you'd have to protect.
