Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Brrrrrrrr - looks like fall is over

I bought a pair of CA made Baffin Titans last year for ice fishing - I think they are similar to the Artic Pros but half the price. I have not worn them on the ice yet - bought them near the end of the season to replace a pair of leaky Ice Armor boots.

I hear great things about the Arctic Pros though for those who must earn a living in the cold - I don't think you can go wrong with them. The absolute warmest I've ever read about is the Cabelas Saskatchewans - but they are pretty pricey. Hell Al, if I lived in TX I'd be in flip flops year round!

I may fill it back up if the scooping doesn't work, but it will mean the fish will loose out on 3 or 4 inches of growth over the winter if I don't get them inside. I've done the drain and scoop before and if I can salvage at least a thousand I'll call it good.

I'm a girl, I've admitted it. I actually wore socks with my Berks this week. That's what made me decide to get some more arctic friendly slides.

I have a pair of authentic white Mickey's. And an Air Force parka and parka pants. The Air Force spoiled me!

You can actually get ice water in a pair of Mickey's and your feet will warm up the water. Been there done that.

I hope they were black dress socks, and you were mowing the lawn, and a car full of teenaged girls drove by laughing their arses off?

No mowing or black socks. I leave my one pair of black socks in a sandwich bag for emergencies.

Actually, this cold snap hit us at a perfect time. The oaks will start changing color in mass, and it's beautiful down here when they do.

Weather service says it's 11°F where I'll be sitting in a tree in 1/2 hr. Good practice for Wi. I guess! Supposed to get 1"-2" of snow this afternoon too. I just wish the wind would slow down.

Then they are saying it's supposed to get cold next week, with the cold temps reaching all the way down to Texas and Florida.

Multiple reports at first light. Deermageddon 2014 is under way.

10 degrees this morning. Pond has skin of ice. Time to turn on the aerator.

Why so soon? Or are you wanting to keep the pond open for another reason? Fish wise, they should be doing fine right now.

Its so cold the deer are wearing bear skin coats. 21 degrees here now with "yuck" predicted to start falling tomorrow through Tuesday morning.

I have zero vegetation and worried about dropping DO. How thick of ice will a aerator open up?

I suppose it depends upon the aerator, but I can open a hole in 4" in just a few hours.

In my opinion, If you have no vegetation and the pond locks up, then I believe it would be a matter of how much O2 was present in the water, Vs. the biomass that depended upon it for survival, as to how long it could go before bad things began to happen. The first skim ice wouldn't bother me, but I personally see nothing wrong with aeration all through the winter, as long as you have shallow water diffusers.

Ditto. One sounded close enough to be on my property.

Thanks sparkplug. My aerator can pump 4.5 CFM. My winter diffuser is in one end of the pond in 4 feet of water. The pond is only 1/4 acre and I just stocked 10 pounds FHM, 25 YP 5 to 7 and 100 PS 2 to 3 a couple weeks ago. I already had FHM, BG, CC and SMB. I am guessing I am around 75 pounds.

There should be a very good winter aeration article by 'esshup' (Scott) and Cody in the Jan-Feb 2015 Pond Boss magazine. The magazine has the article waiting for editorial proofing.

I'll be out in the wood's shortly doing other things. Glad the tractor is Orange.

Not a flake of snow on the ground up there, but it's coming tonight.

Apparently they're not paying attention to the calendar

Sparkplug,

Found this from Ted Lea in an old thread

Move one station into approx 4 ft of water this fall, continue to run the system until average daily highs are apprx 40 ish for a week (could be Thanksgiving timeframe) and then shut off. If thin ice is ever a concern then leave shut down until 1st of April.If ice and snow cover with snow being the deciding factor go for 3-4 weeks without a problem as mentioned before as your fish will require smaller amounts of oxygen at that time and your supply will be high from colder temps.If you clear snow for skating your O2 will be fine as even without many plants yet you will have planktonic algae that will produce favorable levels of oxygen.If you need to blow a hole in the ice then figure the shallow diffuser will melt approx 6 inches per 24 hours at the 4 ft depth.Be sure the deeper station is shut off.

With this input, along with your advice, I am leaving the aerator off for now. I can see the pond from my office and if I get a lot of snow this winter or really thick ice on the pond I can turn it on by just flipping a switch here in the house.

Please post some photos of the oaks as they turn...

I was at my place all day outside working on stuff, even thru prime time till dark, and didn't even hear one shot.

This is North of M46 and all rifle territory, but was totally silent, which is quite unusual. You could hear any decent rifle you're allowed to hunt with for miles around here, but nothing.

Pretty strange this year for opening day of firearms.

Yep, 3/4 acre pond right out my back door is all iced over.

Don't know what that plow jockey is doing in the parking lot tho. Scraping his blade on asphalt

You'll have to understand that people who plow snow, get the itch and just have to get out, and some people who plow snow charge for every time they show up, even if there is no snow. Oh yes, it happens!!!

Temps warmed by the end of the day to the high 20's. It started snowing here about an hour ago and everything has about 1/2" on it. I took a button buck to the check station (shot it because someone wounded it during archery season) and he said that 49 deer were checked, and mine was the only one done on-line. He processes deer too. Usually he'll have 100 deer thru there opening day.

From what I am hearing, it seems a tad light on takes.

Pretty sure the boss will have a story that develops over a weeks time. What I mean by that is initially he will say I got one, but it takes about a week to get the real story out of him

"mine was the only done on line" What does that mean?