Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Ice finally gone

Went up north to my pond friday, ice must have just gone out the day before. I thru out some pellets saturday,and today, but no sign of my trout. Paddled around in the canoe, but found no dead fish. Keeping my fingers crossed.

No dead fish is good. My ice just went out today while I watched. I usually have 3 or 4 floaters, this year I had 6. It was a harder winter than the last few so I'm glad I had that few. My water temps hit 40 deg. today after the last ice melted and the BG started feeding. They do that every year. They won't bite a hook or rise for food at all until the last chunk of ice is gone and then they start feeding lightly the same day. They probably just need the water to be a touch higher than what it is while ice is present.

Your right BZ it was a long hard winter, and the first one for my trout, so I'm not sure what to expect when the trout will start feeding.

Adack, If the trout are present they should be willing to feed on pellets as soon as all the ice is gone. If fish died due to an early to mid-winterkill then there can easily be no evidence of dead fish when ice goes out. Trout have relatively soft flesh and bones thus they decompose pretty quickly.

Bill, I hope your wrong, but I guess i'll know for sure in a couple of weeks. I did'nt think fish could decompose that fast in such cold water.

One thing I've noticed about dead trout is most tend to decompose and stay on the bottom and never float up. If some did float up under the ice they may have gone back down again.

I wouldn't worry yet though. If you don't get any feeding in a week or so then I would.

Cecil, I paddled around the pond for an hour looking at the bottom, which I could see about 5 ft. , I could'nt see in the deeper areas, so I used the long kayak paddle to dig around, but nothing.
I still have hope, but when I go up there next weekend, with this warm weather if nothing shows I guess it'll be another trip to the hatchery, and some changes to the pond.

AP, I certainly wish you the best. Over here in NH my trout did not start hitting feed real well until about a week after ice out. And then they started smacking it hard. Don't know why - just my experience this year.

Not to steal AP's thread but how did the seining go Mason??

Well, I see that last year my ice went out on 4/20 if I'm reading the dates on these posts correct. This year the fish started feeding yesterday and the ice completely melted today on the 9th. Not a single floater to be found. I'm really surprised after this tough winter. I started catching BG and crappie last weekend already. I've never caught fish before ice out before. I hope that means a good growing year.

Sometimes the bows and browns will not feed right away while the brooks that are more cold blooded will. Let's hope for the best AP and keep us posted.

Hey Cecil, my post was from last year.
Just got back from the cabin, ice went out at 5pm yesterday, no fish yet but the frogs are moving around, water temp at 5 ft 39.4.

Congrats AP, glad to hear the ice has finally broke! Only what, 3 weeks into spring?

Yea CJ, it was a brutal winter, I should know by next week if any of the trout survived.
I've got lots of work to do, I ordered a 20 mile electric fence charger and will start putting up wires next week, this should keep the otters away.
Also have to put in a pump and insulated water line to keep the pond level up during the winter, the pond dropped 3 ft from jan 8th to feb 15th, so with my aerator bubble hose at 4ft depth it didn't help much.
It's a good thing I love the pond, but I'm tired of the winter killing it. The frogs seemed happy though.

It would be a shame if you trout died again... The trout in the creek behind my cabin are doing well. I just fished it today and did good, doesn't seem the locals have caught on there are trout in there to pillage! HAHA

CJ, that giant creek at your camp sounds like a winner, now just teach the fish to stay within your property lines.
If my trout didn't make it I'll try once more with some tigers, brookies (which I get free from my stream), and maybe some HSB.
If the improvements I make this year don't help next winter I might just try female only YP, which can take lower DO and PH.
The GSH and PS's do ok, so I'll keep shooting for 12" PS's.

Sounds like a plan...