Hello everyone. This is my first post so I feel like I should introduce myself.
My name is Andy and I live in Seattle. I've been interested in bonsai since my teenage years with mixed results. Then I set that aside, went to college, got busy with life etc...
Now I am getting back into this wonderful art, a bit wiser a bit older and more patient. I would like some advice on a maple tree that I recently acquired.
It's a trident maple with a wonderful thick trunk and nice nebari. I have attached a photo. You can see there is a long sacrificial branch that will have to be cut back and a new apex needs to be formed I am thinking that it should be either cut at its base or perhaps above the first branch, where there is a bit of a whorl.
I would love feedback on when would be the best time to do this radical pruning. I have missed the early spring/pre leaf-out time so I was recommended to let it leaf out and then do the pruning. Is that a good plan?

I'm not going to do any root work this year.

Thanks!

Andy

When the fresh growth has hardened, sharpened and darkened and the cuticle has formed.

This is when the tree is back in an energy positive and this is when it is best to prune again.

If you prune now you will be weakening the tree. It's using its energy to push out new growth at present.

From your picture it is hard to tell what is happening with the sacrificy branch, and where it is connected to the trunk. I would not leave too much of the branch on there. In fact, typically one aims to reduce the length of each trunk segment at each cut. But as said, I cannot really tell what the trunkline looks like in the top.

Instead of just cutting it of, consider doing an airlayer and get a second tree for free.

Thank you for the advice!
I like the idea of air layering. I will also post a close up photo of the branch where it connects to the trunk.