Just a follow up: In early spring, I found four dead large bg after heavy rain that finally filled the pond after a very dry winter. Not sure if they died under the snow covered ice or from the rain rapidly changing the water chemistry. Was concerned about a wider fish kill, but my neighbor recently fished the pond and caught a bunch of large bg and some eating sized lmb. Looks like the good advice here about trying to clear snow from a small percentage of the ice likely did the job. The snow was on the ice for a couple weeks so we dodged a bullet. Thanks to the experts here!
