Bob, I think you would work yourself silly using a pool skimmer net...removing one square foot at at time would be a test in patience and backbone.

Rusto's landscaping rake looks to be a long handled version and could remove many square feet per pull. Mine was a short handled one that I adapted to throw out into the pond. It works well. Here is how I have done it in the past...

The FA rake made from a landscaping rake, pool noodles, and some rope is the best way have have found to remove it from the pond. Throw the rake out into the FA mats with the rope around your wrist or ankle and then pull it back. There is no sense throwing really far, just 20 feet or so. As you drag the rake back in (rather slow), the FA further out will kinda follow the rake in so that it will be closer for the next throw. Also, take some 5 gallon buckets and drill about twenty 1/2" holes in the bottom. I used this to put the FA in at the shore, squish it down to de-water it so that it can be taken elsewhere. It's amazing how much surface coverage fits in a bucket. I utilize the wind to push the FA to one side and get what I can, then check daily for it to congregate again. Of course my BOW is small and I've only had a couple small outbreaks.

Here's my rake that I bought from Menards (the angle of the photo makes the handle look really short - It's probably 6-7 feet long)...

[Linked Image]

Fish on!,
Noel