Missing fish mystery solved....

[AnthonyRibis]

So a few months ago I went back to my pond and couldn't see me fish. Concerned because they have finally started warming up to me. I ended up having to move plants around to find them stuck to the bottom afraid to come up and 1 was missing...

My wife said she seen a Heron in my neighbors tree... I just pulled in from work, look up and see a Heron just coming down into my neighbors tree. I quick get into the house and look out the back window and see the SOB creeping towards my pond, which is now covered with a net due to the fall leaves... I chased him off, was going to attempt to drill him with a ball but I couldn't get a good shot. So seems like I now know where my missing fish went....

 

[addy1]

After two years of fighting the heron with multiple methods. A net finally made them stay away. Good luck.

 

[j.w]

Me too, got a net high up on posts and all is good now. Will the net you have on there now protect the fish from stabbing at them through your net? They will still try if the net is too low to the water. If you can raise it up it would be better but make sure that darn bird can't sneak in underneath.

 

[addy1]

They will still try if the net is too low to the water.

and they can get their head or beak though the opening. My net openings are wide, 4 inches or so, but it is 3 feet over the water so the bird can not snatch a fish

 

[j.w]

I also had one area where the net hangs down where I feed the fish that looked kind of vulnerable to the heron possibly putting his head in and snatching a fish so just in that area about a 4ft square section I attached some of the smaller weave bird net over the large weave on that side just to ease my mind. All other area's are far enough away from the fish where I don't think the bird could reach. Those birds are pretty tricky tho so I'm always on the watch just in case.