Maple harvested from a boat landing

[ConorDash]

Hell yeah, that thing is cool AF.

And that rock it has under it, was it living on that before? if so, keep it.
Completely agree with @Leo in N E Illinois you want to display the oddities about it. Its a yamadori, we don't grab them to remove and train out the unique features.. they are grabbed and make some of the best bonsai in the world, FOR the oddities and uniqueness.

But overall, if it was just dug up and you have no bonsai practice, just keep it alive... Keeping a yamadori alive is the biggest problem. Just because it has sprouted leaves now, do not assume the rough patch is over. Don't stress the tree, keep it happy and healthy.

 

[Michael P]

AlainK's suggestion about penjing is great, the Japanese styles are not going to give you models for this tree. And for some more ideas about stones, Google gongshi or Chinese scholar's stones.

 

[Melendwyr]

Consider this a crazy experiment, and don't try to conform to traditional styles, would be my advice. There's a time for convention, and a time for defying it. As long as you're aware that you're trying something non-standard and are happy, go for it!

 

[JoeH]

I have a similiar aqua maple, not with the crazy roots tho. Don't know your location, but I keep my two maples in light shade as the intense sun in FLA tends to burn new growth