Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Winter 100 % fish kill - aeration?

Last year's drought dropped the water level down to 3 or so feet from 9'. We had ice storms which added to the ice on the pond's surface. When the ice started melting, there were dead fish embedded in the ice and many floated to the surface once the pond was completely melted.
A fish kill happened years ago but not as complete. Part of the blame for low oxygen may have been the 4 grass carp that had grown to 8 lbs. that ate too much bottom vegetation. They of course were floating with the rest. Also, there were many spawns over a decade from bass and panfish possibly leading to overcrowding.

I don't expect those conditions of drought, too little vegetation and thick ice to exist in the near future, but is aeration an option? As is, I'm holding off on putting in grass carp unless bottom weeds get too much, but have restocked with a few bass and many panfish. A spawn did take place as evidenced by a fingerling seen yesterday..

It was so sad seeing all those dead fish, but heartening catching fish for the first time since last fall. Usually, sunnies would swim near me expecting small bits of bread thrown to them. None so far - only one small turtle (3 of 4 never returned.)

The rule of thumb I use is to blow a hole through the ice if it has been solid for a week. (YMMV - We usually have freezing and thawing multiple times here in Ohio.) I have shallow water air sources present for Winter use, so as not to eliminate the warmest 39 deg F water at the bottom of the ponds.

Dirty/snow covered ice is worse as it lets almost no light through for photosynthesis.

If you have electricity further from the pond, it is cheaper to run air to the pond than electric. I use 1" plastic water pipe to send aeration about 650ft to my second pond.

There are a great many Winter aeration threads here that can provide multiple perspectives on the subject for you to consider.

When submerged weeds regrow to low densities add just one grass carp. Then when the weeds get again overgrown to what the 1 GC can keep reduced add the 2nd GC. Use just enough GC to allow 15%-35% of the weeds to be present. Do no eliminate them just keep them trimmed to an acceptable density.