Originally Posted by Bill Cody
Trout staying higher in the water column indicates lower DO than 5ppm deeper. Tannin stained water does reduce sunlight penetration and less natural DO production. The thick layer of cloudy ice inhibits sunlight penetration and DO production. Small area of open water with diffuser action should help add some DO but not a lot. Apparently the fish have found the diffuser boil area with water having some higher DO. If you did not have the diffuser operating I think there would be a noticeable fish winter kill. IMO if you can keep an aeration diffuser area ice free the trout should survive this winter.

Makes lots of sense thanks for the info, we have a stretch of warm wx coming for the next 2 weeks so I'm engaging operation "remove the ice" with my aerators and water pump. Ive always considered the specks to be the "canaries" of a lake or pond and honestly I cant believe they made if the 3 weeks since I put them in. When I put them in I opened that boil hole about 3 times that size so that must have helped.

Ill be speaking to my solar guy tomorrow to set up my new large solar aerator system as well...that should do the trick