My fish died over the winter

Question
I had about 40 fish in my pond and they died over the winter.
what should I do now can I just get more fish and put in or do I have to drain my pond and find them? It is strange because they are not floating like fish do when they die.

Answer
Hello Thomas!
If all the fish have just disappeared, then it was probably a predator that took them. If there are no signs of an intruder around the pond, a predatory bird (owl, hawk, heron) is probably the culprit. This often happens because there are no plants for fish to hide under during the winter. It is best to cover the pond with netting to prevent this from happening.