There is this one creek that we cross with a dam on it. The dam is made in sand so it leaks all the time. This year there isn't enough water in the system to keep the levels up and I noticed from one day to the next that the water level had dropped a few inches and there was air between the ice and water around the edges. That is bad because in a month or so the water will be feet below the ice not supporting it and ol' Rich will dump a machine down the hole when the ice collapses. So I take the pre-emptive caution of draining water now so the ice collapses now and there is no future danger. While I was doing this little pike floated out from under the ice and through the breach. Perfect mature pike this is as big as they get in the little creek. Already dead with the ice on the water for less than a week. Tough winter for some fish.