Spring Update on my first winter aeration experiment, hope everyone had a great winter.

I ended up running my aerator all winter in the shallow end of my pond and kept the ice open for about 2to 3 feet circle for most of the winter. Our temps here got down to -40 C and lower for a few weeks and the ice formed over the air station in the shallow end. At this point I thought maybe the pond froze to the bottom in the shallow end. I switched to the air station in the deep end and ran the aerator approx. 12 hours per day for a few weeks till the shallow end would open up again. Just this last week the ice started breaking up from the edge and I seen minnows coming to the edge of the shore in a panic then the clear water turned muddy and I seen the first trout. So it seems that the trout survived the winter , how many I am not sure . I started the winter with approx 300 - 1 to 1 1/2 pounders.I tried feeding them last night and only a few came to eat. But they are jumping and getting more active very day . I was scared that maybe I ran the aerator too much this winter and superchilled the water and maybe harmed the fish but time will tell .

Next problem is now the influx of Blue Herons arriving with spring to feast on trout,I guess its time to run them off.