Agree with skipping the aeration on this one. My bait pond is only slightly larger than the pond described here, and about 4' max depth - no aeration.
The BG/HBG in there came out from under ~8 weeks of ice cover with no apparent ill effects.
I do feed my bait pond, for the sole reason of growing the fish to appropriate size to use as catfish bait.
I have no intention to do any hook and line fishing in that pond, and will be removing 50-100 fish on a weekend that I'm running lines on the Missouri River.
Augie, what kind of catfish do you usually catch? I've heard flatheads are the very best eating, does that accord with your experience?
