The worst affected waters will be those that have a lot of detritus rotting on the bottom, and those over stuffed with fish. With snow sitting on the ice too the thawing process will take longer.

The general rule of thumb is that clear 1% of the surface area, and that is all that is needed to keep the majority of lakes sufficiently oxygenated during the winter. No need to go crazy and try to do the lot.

Ducks and the like are very good at keeping areas open but need some encouragement,however, this then becomes a double edged sword and they then become a nuisance once the ice has gone.

If you do venture out to do some breaking don’t go alone and don’t overdo it. You don’t need a xmas heart attack.