We have a blasted KingFisher that is visiting our pond and had taken
a couple of our goldfish I actually saw him take one of them and this
morning I heard him chattering as he attempted to get another. He failed
cause all the fish are hiding in the 'koi castle' (a net on aluminum frame
in the shape of a tunnel). They are still spooked by his attack Friday.
I saw on the internet these fake gold fish, that are weighted or tied down,
that are used as
decoys. Do they work? Read one story where a kingfisher got so frustrated
at trying to get the fake goldfish that he gave up. My thought is the
kingfisher
could go for the fake fish, make enough of a scene that all my fish could
hide
before being taken. Would that work? Has anyone tried it? Any other ideas?
It is so weird to be stalked by a kingfisher now. We have had fish in our
pond
for three years and never had anything bother our fish.

"Goldlexus" wrote in message
news:wk%2k.2237$1x.1708@trndny06...
We have a blasted KingFisher that is visiting our pond and had taken
a couple of our goldfish I actually saw him take one of them and this
morning I heard him chattering as he attempted to get another. He failed
cause all the fish are hiding in the 'koi castle' (a net on aluminum
frame
in the shape of a tunnel). They are still spooked by his attack Friday.
I saw on the internet these fake gold fish, that are weighted or tied
down, that are used as
decoys. Do they work? Read one story where a kingfisher got so frustrated
at trying to get the fake goldfish that he gave up. My thought is the
kingfisher
could go for the fake fish, make enough of a scene that all my fish could
hide
before being taken. Would that work? Has anyone tried it? Any other ideas?
It is so weird to be stalked by a kingfisher now. We have had fish in our
pond
for three years and never had anything bother our fish.
===========================
I tried them before netting my ponds without success. The fish eating birds
quickly learn they're not real and go after the real fish.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

I had success with a fake goldfish. Kingfisher dove in six
times trying to get that dratted fake fish. Almost felt sorry
for him. I think it all depends on the bird and the other available
food. Where I live, on the delta of one river that empties into
another major
river, there is a lot of food available.

k :-)

We are about a mile from a major river which makes me wonder why this silly
bird wants
MY fish.
I guess a fake fish would be worth a try. Netting isn't an option due to how
our pond configured.
We have fishing line strung accross it isn't work much and the koi tunnel is
better than nothing at this point.
"kathy" wrote in message
...
I had success with a fake goldfish. Kingfisher dove in six
times trying to get that dratted fake fish. Almost felt sorry
for him. I think it all depends on the bird and the other available
food. Where I live, on the delta of one river that empties into
another major
river, there is a lot of food available.

k :-)

"kathy" wrote in message
...
I had success with a fake goldfish. Kingfisher dove in six
times trying to get that dratted fake fish. Almost felt sorry
for him. I think it all depends on the bird and the other available
food. Where I live, on the delta of one river that empties into
another major
river, there is a lot of food available.

k :-)
========================
I'm not far from a lake. They should have had no problem finding food there
but kept fishing my ponds.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Yup, depends on your bird, your pond, your location.
Lots of variables in every situation.
k :-)

I've use fake fish with success here. We are talking about the small thin
orange ones, about 5 inches long? I put a school of them in the pond in the
spring, haven't lost a fish to a kingfisher (or heron) and I'm only 5
minutes from Kathy, and within walking distance of where 2 rivers
meet. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

"~ jan" wrote in message
...

I've use fake fish with success here. We are talking about the small thin
orange ones, about 5 inches long? I put a school of them in the pond in
the
spring, haven't lost a fish to a kingfisher (or heron) and I'm only 5
minutes from Kathy, and within walking distance of where 2 rivers
meet. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
===========================
Mine are (I still have them) two 5 or 6" rubber koi and a few rubber
goldfish (which I seem to have lost). I found them in a store down in
Atlanta when visiting my cousin. The birds smartened up pretty fast and
ignored them. There was no way in hell I would have netted these ponds if
something actually worked to keep the herons, kingfishers, large snakes and
bullfrogs and snapping turtles out of them. Nets are a real PIA but the only
way to have fish here.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

where do you get those?

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:44:16 EDT, ~ jan wrote:


I've use fake fish with success here. We are talking about the small thin
orange ones, about 5 inches long? I put a school of them in the pond in the
spring, haven't lost a fish to a kingfisher (or heron) and I'm only 5
minutes from Kathy, and within walking distance of where 2 rivers
meet. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Searching I don't see the one I got. Skinny, gold, plastic,
had fishing line attached to the bottom which I tied to a rock.
Found this page
http://www.pondarama.com/showcase/prods/CPP023.html

k :-)

Mine are (I still have them) two 5 or 6" rubber koi and a few rubber
goldfish (which I seem to have lost).

Mine aren't rubber, but hard plastic.

I found them in a store down in
Atlanta when visiting my cousin. The birds smartened up pretty fast and
ignored them. There was no way in hell I would have netted these ponds if
something actually worked to keep the herons, kingfishers, large snakes and
bullfrogs and snapping turtles out of them. Nets are a real PIA but the only
way to have fish here.

Well, we've always said your area is unique, not the norm, imo. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:10:52 EDT, kathy wrote:

Searching I don't see the one I got. Skinny, gold, plastic,
had fishing line attached to the bottom which I tied to a rock.
Found this page
http://www.pondarama.com/showcase/prods/CPP023.html

k :-)

I don't think those will work in the same way.

When I got mine they were called Heron Scarers, but googling that didn't
get me anywhere. I suggest searching your favorite pond websites, catalogs
or local. I'm sure I ordered mine from one of the usual places. Either
Thatfishplace, or Dr. Foster's, Aqua-mart, etc. Since they were cheap, I'm
sure I was ordering other stuff at the time and noticed that they had those
at the same time. Sorry I'm not more help.

Perhaps everyone can take the time when ordering stuff to note if the place
they're ordering from might have these little plastic fish. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

"kathy" wrote in message
...
Searching I don't see the one I got. Skinny, gold, plastic,
had fishing line attached to the bottom which I tied to a rock.
Found this page
http://www.pondarama.com/showcase/prods/CPP023.html

k :-)
===================================
Those curved ones are the ones I have.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Here are the ones I was looking at. They are not rubber but hard plastic.
http://www.aqua-mart.com/lpt1031.html

wrote in message
.com...
where do you get those?

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:44:16 EDT, ~ jan wrote:


I've use fake fish with success here. We are talking about the small thin
orange ones, about 5 inches long? I put a school of them in the pond in
the
spring, haven't lost a fish to a kingfisher (or heron) and I'm only 5
minutes from Kathy, and within walking distance of where 2 rivers
meet. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Here is another link where they are a bit cheaper:
http://www.neeps.com/835071.html?pro...hannelid=BCOME


wrote in message
.com...
where do you get those?

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:44:16 EDT, ~ jan wrote:


I've use fake fish with success here. We are talking about the small thin
orange ones, about 5 inches long? I put a school of them in the pond in
the
spring, haven't lost a fish to a kingfisher (or heron) and I'm only 5
minutes from Kathy, and within walking distance of where 2 rivers
meet. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us