Two notes of personal experience with my put and take RBT pond. Last year with the very cold start and slow warm up of spring we put off our harvest party planned for memorial day until the second week of June. Day time temps had finally reached 80's but night time temps were still cool. Pond temp at about four feet was teasing the 70's at high noon. The trout had begun to show signs of heat stress by reduced feeding and less agressive fight on hook and line so I know we pushed it but the party was a success with all but one harvested. The last one showed up two week later as a floater.
On the note of my local Blue enemy. I had thought I had him scared off good with starter pistol shots within feet of his lounging ugly self. Then one night I the hot peppers on my pizza at dinner got me out of bed unexpectedly at around 3:00am. As I fumbled around towards the fridge for water I was alarmed to realize the motion senseor light on the back patio was on. I grabbed my trusty hole punch concerned at the thought of a human idiot up to no good and began to sneak around the front of the house to the back to find that Big Bule pain in my back side standing on my patio wathcing my pond with intent. Be forewarned they are very cunning and will adjust their air raids to a time when you won't be waiting for them.
