Scotjute,

I had a 1/4 acre pond dry up or actually dry to just a very small puddle of water a few years ago. I also never noticed dead fish. Presumably natures clean-up crew including turtles, birds, and raccoons did their magic.

The only fish that survived to that puddle of water stage were native BG...everything else was gone. In just a very small puddle of water, there were visible native BG. They are survivors.