Herons in my koi pond

by Lisa
(Roanoke Rapids, NC)

Hi everyone,

I've had problems with herons coming in to feed in my koi pond for the last three years. I hand-dug my pond about ten years ago. It's 12'x24' and about 3-1/2' deep. It does have a ledge, 1' deep, around the pond for marginal plants.


Back to my pond. I tried putting a pond net over it to keep out the herons. Didn't work - they ripped through it to get to the fish. They also stood on the floating plant containters and the koi tunnels to get to my fish. They'd poke through the net and injure the fish without eating them. I lost tons of goldfish, lots of 6" baby koi and 4 18"-22" koi. (I now use a thick inground pool net for the fall leaves)

I tried the decoys (heron, owls, alligators) I've also tried pie tins, dogs, loud noises, motion sensor scarecrows. None of them worked.

What did work was stringing up a fence around the pond. I got the green metal garden fence posts (3' tall) and strung up XXX spider braided fishing line around the pond. I doubled it for strength. Then I put the line, zig-zagged, on the top of the fence.

I did this because they fly into the pond too!

They even walked down the waterfall to see if they could get in that way. Be sure to fence in that area too. Fishing line is almost invisible so it doesn't look bad or ruin the effects of your garden.

Just wanted to share a successful story without harming federal protected birds.

LiLyn