I've heard from ice fishers more experienced than I that the distribution and quantity of oxygen under the ice changes throughout the winter, and that places where the fish congregated during early ice may be low or even devoid of oxygen later in the season. I'll bet Bill Cody would know more about this, but it would stand to reason as rooted plant colonies stress from long exposure to cold and low light.

Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.