Our pond (30 x 65 x 7 feet deep stillwater) is starting to finally break
open too. The trout came up and ate yesterday for the first time in
over a month. Water is 1 degrees Celsius and filter is down to prevent
freezing damage for awhile yet, but the pond's big enough (I hope) to
withstand a light feeding once in a while. We're in the snow melt
period and the pond's getting a lot of fresh input from what flows down
from the lawns anyway. I had to find out how they looked! :O)

They were a little lean and one was sporting what looked like an
infection near the tail (but not a lot of damage yet). Now if the
remainding ice can go and the iris and arrowheads (not to speak of the
waterlilies) come up! Also would like to set up some filtration so I
can feed a bit heavier and fatten them up. Unfortunately (fortunately?)
our (now) 1 foot speckled trout are for more than decorative purposes -
even though they do well at that too....

All that aside, I'm sooooo happy they made it through the iced-up phase.
First overwintering with fish and I wondered if the "stream" and falls
were going to be enough.... Having grown up on a small farm, I have an
unusual and setimental attachment to my animals - even the ones I envite
to supper!


Clurrie
(New Brunswick)
"A pond is a pool of water in which you can see your soul"

Owen wrote:
The boys were up and feeding on Thursday - all 18 of them. It's the first
spring we've had a pond, and it was wonderful !

John
Victoria BC