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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,387 Likes: 53
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,387 Likes: 53 |
DrLuke - I am sorry to hear about your winter kill, but very glad to hear it was not a complete kill!! I have begun to wonder if maybe more species tolerate a great range of (low) temps than previously thought? There I go guessing again. You should talk to MNFish. He has proven that what you are guessing is correct. He is running aeration 24/7 in real winter conditions and his bass are thriving under the ice!
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,387 Likes: 53 |
So, I threw caution to the wind and turned on the diffuser in the deepest part of the pond, and opened up a 30' dia hole in 10 hours through 8" ice and a foot of snow. (What ice dome?) Maybe you guys with southern ponds don't have to worry about domes. 
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Joined: May 2011
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Joined: May 2011
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We have to worry about summer kills though.
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Joined: Jun 2015
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 646 Likes: 94 |
We've caught a few more species of fish: ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/VTGFkE1.jpg) 8 inch YP, with nice fat body condition ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/kaOrzOZ.jpg) GSH (if that's the acronym for golden shiner). Probably not reproducing due to the ovarian parasite they all get, but at least there's some around for forage for our biggest LMB. ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/HNdp91M.jpg) AND...new max size LMB for our pond. 18.25", 3.52 lbs. She was spawned out but looked good. Caught by my brother-in-law, of course....
"He who thinks he can and he thinks he can't, they're both usually right." - Wyatt Hendrickson, 2025 NCAA Hwt Champion
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 646 Likes: 94
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 646 Likes: 94 |
We've seen BG fry and LMB fry and perch ribbons back in April and early May. Nature chooses from it's own I suppose. Nice to see the next generations are in the pipeline...
"He who thinks he can and he thinks he can't, they're both usually right." - Wyatt Hendrickson, 2025 NCAA Hwt Champion
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Great to see that things are rebounding!
Bob
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Joined: Jun 2015
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Joined: Jun 2015
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Bob,
It sure does lift my spirits when we see fish fry and are catching some adult fish. I think we still might get an shock survey this fall to get a more accurate idea of what sizes and classes of fish we have.
"He who thinks he can and he thinks he can't, they're both usually right." - Wyatt Hendrickson, 2025 NCAA Hwt Champion
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Joined: Dec 2018
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Joined: Dec 2018
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Bob,
It sure does lift my spirits when we see fish fry and are catching some adult fish. I think we still might get an shock survey this fall to get a more accurate idea of what sizes and classes of fish we have. It seems like the fish numbers rebound quickly if there are less adults feeding on them, nature doing its thing, they can produce a ton of fry, if a higher percentage of them make it due to less predatation it doesnt take long for numbers to be back up. I dont think we lost any fish in this area but that late extremely cold spell with a lot of snow cover I think decimated our wild turkey numbers really bad, we are not seeing 1/4th of the amounts we had, also bluebirds are extremely scarce, seldom see a few, we used to have tons of em, I found 4 dead in one drafty bluebird house this spring, likely froze to death.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Joined: Aug 2014
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thanks Esshup. I have high hopes you got through the winter ok, and think your decision to turn on the air sooner rather than later was very smart. I watch WBJr's thread all the time about aeration at high altitudes in Colorado, and the discussion about super cooling. I have begun to wonder if maybe more species tolerate a great range of (low) temps than previously thought? There I go guessing again. I trust you and the other professionals and the fisheries biologists, and make every attempt to follow the advice given. In my thread somewhere Bill Cody once said "the science of winter aeration is far from known". I can tell you there's a true North guy out there having tons of success running his diffusers 24/7 through harsh winters, even in consistent temps like -10F and as low as -30F. His LMB, CC, etc are thriving! Ice fishing action better than ever. His diffusers are suspended 12" below the water surface and he runs it 24/7. Average water depth 6'. Water temps are great and DO is off the charts. He has video'd water movement and measured DO improvement 200' away from the diffuser. Of course every pond is different and that is what works in his environment, but I'd be willing to bet it is the winter solution for you as well (diffuser depth negotiable).
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