up by actual observation or will be mired in long winded technical postulations…in other words, they will be guessing. So what are we likely to see as the calendar plods its way toward the opening of the season? We are likely to get a fair amount of rain this spring and with the ice already out what can we expect? During rainy seasons, oxygen concentrations tend to be higher in the water because the rain interacts with oxygen in the air as it falls. Also, runoff tends to mix the water column as it enters a body of water adding to the overall distribution of oxygen in the water. It should also be noted that the colder the water, the more oxygen can be dissolved in the water. Bottom line here is that the early ice out should give rise to well oxygenated water making the likelihood of a fish kill minimal this year. It also bears noting that because they are cold blooded, fish need less oxygen when the water is cold. Aquatic plants also contribute to oxygen in the water. Since there is likely to be an early weed growth, additional oxygen will be dissolved in the water. Obviously, the effect on a fishery of high oxygen content should support some aggressive early fish activity.
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