I feel so defeated :-(

[LynneNY]

Yesterday, I could not see my beautiful blue koi anywhere. I was out at the pond at 6:15 this morning looking for it - nowhere to be seen. After looking for quite a while, I came back inside to try to get a little more sleep. One last look out the back window, and there is the F'N HERON FLYING UP FROM THE POND!!! OH MY GOD!!! I didn't even see him at first - they are excellent camoflaugers! Chased him off by yelling out, ran back outside. Now I cannot see my other 2 koi!!! Please hope they are just hiding? This has got to stop. I feel so defeated. :_ _ (

It's too much sadness just a month after my mom passed away.

[Esther]

I suspect that most of us have taken a hit by a heron at one time or another or had a bad experience with our fish. I had never lost a fish to illness but the heron has taken a few from time to time during the 11 years with a pond. I also lost ALL my fish 3 winters ago. We still aren't sure why. Husband thinks they were just so big and there wasn't enough oxygen for them. It was a very hard winter with no ice thaws. I did have a functioning deicer floating and it never quit. I could see the bodies of the fish through the ice for probably a month or more as the dead bodies would float up and lay under the ice. SICK. When it finally thawed, I picked out the biggest one and it was 4 pounds and 24" from nose to tail tip. He was a little maybe 4" cheapy from Meijer grocery store so you can see he had grown well over the years.

Sorry to hear of your upset. I put a low fence around my pond and also planted stuff that grows maybe 12-16" high around the edges. I don't think we've had any heron visit since. The fence by the way, was just leftover deck spindles, cut in half, and then I drilled two holes, one near the top and one down, 8" or so and then ran clothesline rope through it. I sharpened the  other end with the chop saw and just shoved it into the ground about every 3'. I don't think the heron likes to climb fences or walk through a tangle of plants.

[Kat]

So sorry to hear about your fish & that your mom passed away.

As suggested, try getting some fencing or plants around the pond.  Put out some metallic pinwheels, string fishing line, etc.  If you can tag it with one of those airsoft pistols or rifles I think that would discourage it considerably.  I would love to keep my watonai pond uncovered but it is permanently netted now.

[LynneNY]

Thankfully, I did catch a glance of my youngest koi a short while ago. I'm afraid the blue is probably gone, and hopefully the larger yellow is just hiding.

I have lots of  pinwheels around the pond, and other moving windchimes, etc, which I think look a bit cheesy, but I have them anyway because of the heron. Also plants on the shelves that I hoped would help deter.  As soon as it stops raining, I am going to string fishline across once again - it came down during winter, but then we won't be able to get into the pond to deadhead the numerous water lily pads unfortunately.

 As for trying to shoot it with anything at all, it usually comes when we are not here, of course. When we do see it, it's usually too late and it's flying off.

I understand your need for netting, but I just feel that it takes the joy out of ponding altogether.  I guess I will resort back to the cheapo 27 cent feeder fish if it comes to that.  Most of my 6 inch goldies started out that way a few years ago, but they are the ones that are desirable to the heron now. 

HUMPH! :-P

[tootsie]

I know that defeated feeling ;(  Many people will tell you  thats what heron's do!  Last year I was standing at the shallow end of my pond when an officer from fish and wild game walked up to me.   As we walked and talked about pond fish I glanced around only to see a heron standing about 5 ft. away, just standing there like a statue   I just kept my eye on him, my mind was going nuts just thinking of many ways to let the heron know it would not end well . I wish the darn herons would eat all the bullheads and minnows! The pond measures  150 X 80 ft., so trying to put up nets  is out:( What gets me  after the herons have  their belly full, they then poke holes in and kill the rest of our wonderful fin kids ;( I am so sorry to learn of your Mother passing .
Tootsie

[Kittyzee]

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear of your mother's passing, then compounded by the loss of fish to the heron! 

I only have cheap little goldies, but I love them just the same.  I have relocated frogs when I have seen them with my fish in their mouths.  Yes, it's what frogs do, but not in my little world!  I would become a crackshot with a pellet gun too, even though they come when you are away,,,just for the heck of it.  And yes, I would do all you are doing to keep them away with plants and fishing line. 

But I think I would be like an old mountain woman sitting in a rocking chair with my gun across my lap waiting for that stinkin' heron--wait:  I AM an old mountain woman!   

[Indiana Karen]

Oh Lynne.........I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom.

I know the defeated feeling regarding the heron.  All I have now are goldies and a few small koi mutts.  I don't like the look of nets, lines, fences, spinners, etc.  You gotta do what works for you.  I gave up on having koi........don't really like it.....but its what I had to do. 

[Pam]

I really hope your babies are just hiding from the ugly bird. I'm sorry to hear about your Mom, too.

[Lynne22]

Thankfully, I did catch a glance of my youngest koi a short while ago. I'm afraid the blue is probably gone, and hopefully the larger yellow is just hiding.

I have lots of  pinwheels around the pond, and other moving windchimes, etc, which I think look a bit cheesy, but I have them anyway because of the heron. Also plants on the shelves that I hoped would help deter.  As soon as it stops raining, I am going to string fishline across once again - it came down during winter, but then we won't be able to get into the pond to deadhead the numerous water lily pads unfortunately.

 As for trying to shoot it with anything at all, it usually comes when we are not here, of course. When we do see it, it's usually too late and it's flying off.

I understand your need for netting, but I just feel that it takes the joy out of ponding altogether.  I guess I will resort back to the cheapo 27 cent feeder fish if it comes to that.  Most of my 6 inch goldies started out that way a few years ago, but they are the ones that are desirable to the heron now. 

HUMPH! :-P

Hi Lynne, have you tried a floating alligator? I would......put it smack dab in the center....

[reddad35]

 So sorry in regards to your losses and strife lately. I hope you can get back on your feet soon.

  My father-in-law passed a few years back. Before he did he gave me a 2 foot painted statue of a bald eagle.  I was appreciative but not a fan of it's looks. I did however set it on my deck right next to my pond because he gave it to me for that reason. I have never lost a fish due to a heron, hawk, or raccoon . I have 2 friends within a half mile of my house that have ponds. Both have lost fish to herons, hawks and raccoons. They do not have an Eagle. coincidence? not sure

[Marie Fisher]

Lynne, so sorry to hear about your Mom and then your fish.

I'm not sorry, but I'm not as mild mannered as some of the ladies in here.  Shoot that blasted heron with
a 22 rifle.  Don't make lots of noise, rat shot in it would even do, and that wouldn't kill it, make sting tho.
Don't point toward any house or any people tho, 22 shot goes a long ways.

Like one of other ladies said, i have feeder goldies, and they've really  grown up.Being sentimental, they're
named, and are very tame towards me.    Just a good idea I think.

Marie Fisher

[ThornyGardener]

I am so sorry for your loss, Lynn.  And then the one thing that should provide peace and relaxation is a source of sorrow as well thanks to the feathered fiend.

I have a heron this season too. As far as I can tell, he has only managed to eat a sarassa comet from the lily pond. (My ponds are straight sided so fish have to swim to edge for heron to spear them.) I would be happy to shoot it with pellet gun, but no way could I grab the gun, get outside, take aim and fire before the heron flew away. My husband wanted to place pigeon spikes around the pond edge but I fear my little dogs' paws will end up impaled. When I read about different deterrents (water jets, sparkly things, decoys), it seems that all too soon the smart herons realize they're nothing to fear. I refuse to put an ugly net over my pond. I think the only answer is making sure there is plenty of cover for the fish -- in my koi pond I am now floating a foam pool pad since I do not have plants in it. In the end, though, I'm trying to accept that I cannot control nature.

[LynneNY]

Thank you all for your kind words.   

ThornyGardener hit the nail on the head when she said "the one thing that should provide peace and relaxation is a source of sorrow as well thanks to the feathered fiend."

Also - "I would be happy to shoot it with pellet gun, but no way could I grab the gun, get outside, take aim and fire before the heron flew away... I refuse to put an ugly net over my pond."  EXACTLY!!!


We do have plenty of cover for the fish - a large 1/2 clay pot on its side, several large black PVC pipes, some metal baskets that the fish can swim in and out of, but the bird's beak cannot pierce, lots of lily pads when they fill in as summer goes on. I also stuck tomato stakes around the perimeter of the pond, but am going to get some other stakes to tie the fishline onto tomorrow.

I'm also planning a trip to the pond store tomorrow if it's not raining, to see if they have any more blue koi.  It's exactly 2 years since I got the first two. The first 1 went missing about a month after we got him, and now the second just a few days ago.  I will try one more time, and then it's just more cheaper koi from Petsmart if the blues are taken.

[Pam]

My favorite nursery has a flagstone bridge supported by either rocks or blocks under water for their huge koi. I'm not sure how deep the pond or how high the bridge is, but I have seen really large koi disappear under it. I plan one of those for my pond. Honestly when you look at the pond, it just looks like it has a large flagstone on bottom, then you see the 'submarine' dive under...brilliant design, IMO 

[frogman3]

  I'm sorry to hear about your loss of  fish to the Heron.
 I have had to deal with Herons and Raccoons for years and use nets on my smaller ponds to protect frogs and fish but for my 16 x 19 ft pond with straight sides with no water less than 3ft deep a net is not practical especially since this is pond has 13 lily pots that I have to get in the pond to add fertilizer tabs through the growing season.
    I use a fido type electric fence purchased from Tractor Supply for around 50 bucks. This is a high voltage, low amp pulsing system requiring and electric outlet that is perfectly safe but will give you a jolt, believe me I know from experience.  I use very thin bamboo stakes with two wires circumventing the pond at a 9" and 20" height. Small Birds set on the wire but do not get shocked since you have to be in contact with the ground for it to work. I have had no losses from Herons or Raccoons. They occasionally stop by but for the most part just fly on by, easier picking elsewhere I suppose.
As far as adding hiding places for your fish I don't have much faith in this being much help in saving your fish. Herons are just incredibly patient in waiting for your fish to make a fatal mistake and they will. The hiding places are where the remaining fish take shelter once they have been attacked. After a few days they forget, return to their normal behavior and once again are venerable to attack.

   I watch them daily Monday through Friday wade the shallows of the the pond at my work feeding on small Bluegill and Bass. They are very efficient and if the fish happen to be in the shallows when they visit they are toast. Thought I would add my 2 cents.