70 today here. Ice off about 50% and the rest is thin. Walked around the pond and no sign of fish, living or dead. First spring for me with a pond. How long will it be before I should see minnows in the shallows, assuming some survived the winter without getting eaten?
As the water starts to warm, and the frogs start to peep and croak, you will probably start to see schools of mature bluegill and bass sunning themselves near the top of open water in all parts of the pond. Juvenile fish will begin to appear in the grasses, holes, and structure near the shoreline. If your pond has crappie, like one of my ponds, you will start to see crappie fry. Crappie typically spawn when the water gets to about 57 F degrees. A few weeks after that, you should see schools of crappie fry in the shallows.
For me, March through June is the most fun time to watch the ponds. We still don't have active peepers or frogs,but I expect they will start sometime this week.
