Also should have given an update on fish. I have continued to trap small 2-3" fish and removed all I can every few days. Have removed at least one and a half 5 gallon buckets worth from larger pond. Bluegill have fattened up a little. The coppernose bluegill are not very aggressive feeders and will not try to compete with CC. My hybrid sunfish/green sunfish mutts are definitely more aggressive but they will also eat much less after the CC start to feed each day.
The channel catfish are growing like weeds. They have grown an average of approx 1 1/2 to 2 inches in the month Ive been feeding. By late april/may when it is time to drain ponds I expect the cc will be plenty big enough to fry whole or possibly even filet.
