Hi-I’m new to aquarium advice and love the site. Anyways, my question involves how to catch koi. My house is on a huge piece of property which has a large lake. A few years ago, I released a few small koi into the lake. It turns out that they thrived and grew into 24 inch beauties. Now that I have built a large koi pond, I want to transfer the koi from the lake to the pond so that they are more visible. However, I have no idea how to catch them. They aren’t used to receiving pellet food, so I have to way to make them come up to me. Generally, the koi all stay in a cove that juts 50 feet into land and is about 70 feet wide. The water there is about 5 feet deep, and the koi almost always stay near the surface. So, besides using an ordinary fishnet, does anyone have any ideas as to how I can catch them? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
How to catch koi in a lake?
- Thread starter Cdfortin
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
How big is this pond you're talking about? It would have to be pretty big to accomodate 24 inch fish.
As far as catching goes.. I've never done, nor could I explain it, but you could get one of those nets you leave in there and drage it out later on or something. When I was on lake victoria in Uganda some local fisherman did that on the property we were staying at. They tied a Large net off and came back later in the evening and started dragging it in. That's really the only thing I can think of.
As far as catching goes.. I've never done, nor could I explain it, but you could get one of those nets you leave in there and drage it out later on or something. When I was on lake victoria in Uganda some local fisherman did that on the property we were staying at. They tied a Large net off and came back later in the evening and started dragging it in. That's really the only thing I can think of.
RogerMcAllen
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree with millipede, dragging a large net sounds like the best idea.
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
yeah have to people on each side with a really large net. put weights on the bottom and drag it along the lake until you reach eachother (if its round) and you probally will catch some crayfish frogs turtles etc. gl 
Well firstly my pond is over 2 thousand gallons (the one i'm moving the fish to), so no problems there. The net idea sounds probably but keep in mind that this is a real 1 acre lake. In the cove where the fish hang out there are lots of logs, rocks, ect. on the bottom to the net would probably get caught. Plus, I really would end up with about a million other turtles and frogs and fish if i did that-the lake is full to the brim with that stuff. Any other ideas?
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cast net 
Thanks for bringing that up reefrunner! I looked into that extensively on the internet but it seems that they can only be used for fish as small as bait-i couldn't really figure out if that's really true or not. The thing is that a cast net would be absolutely perfect for what i need 2 do except I think that my koi would just slip right out once i pulled the net in. Does it close around the bottom once you cast it? Do you think it will work? Any advice or any more ideas would be greatly appreciated-thanks!
mhaynes01
Aquarium Advice Freak
i agree with kevin a cast net woudl work best get in a boat or the shore adn throw it at them, large koi are nto too terribly fast so i think that will work
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
If it's oly 5 foot deep, I wouldn't try to real them in, I would throw it (possily add extra weights) and then go get them
I understand that-but do you know enough about cast nets to know if they would really catch a large koi? The place where they hang is absolutely perfect to to use a cast net around, and yes, the fish move very slowly. But, i don't really know exactly how a cast net works. Does anyone know if, after i cast the net and pull it in, it will still hold the koi? Any advice would be appreciated-Thanks!!
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
The wieghts will close together on the bottom, for a large fish, no I do not think you could reel it in, that's why I would cast the net, let it sink to the bottom with the koi and then go out to them and get them. It is not the best option, but I think it's doable. Also, living in GA your bound to have a few friends that have and know how to use some decent sized cast nets, so you wouldn't necessarily have to buy one and learn how to use it
mhaynes01
Aquarium Advice Freak
yeah it should but when you cast and catch them make sure you have a big fish net(liek the ones you use for a aquarium after you real them in) so they dotn get away
also when you cast the net,pull in slowly adn watch very carefully if it starts to swim away stay firm and make sure ti does not get away
also when you cast the net,pull in slowly adn watch very carefully if it starts to swim away stay firm and make sure ti does not get away
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
turtles i luv turtles. there was someone else who wanted a turtle tank maybe you could send em some.
i luv turtles. there was someone else who wanted a turtle tank maybe you could send em some. blcmounthood
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Buy new fish.
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
thats another option.
i know how we done this before back home...First see where they like to hank out...then use bread mix with your fish food and feeding them at the same time..doing this for week see if they start to come up to eat your bait..then use small thin hook...with a big line..and use the same bail that you feeded them..when you hooked try to bring it up as frast as prossible..if you want to do this and cough 1 take some pic.
i know how we done this before back home...First see where they like to hank out...then use bread mix with your fish food and feeding them at the same time..doing this for week see if they start to come up to eat your bait..then use small thin hook...with a big line..and use the same bail that you feeded them..when you hooked try to bring it up as frast as prossible..if you want to do this and cough 1 take some pic.
G
Guest
Guest
Yeah, a cast net will work, it is weighted on the edges, and is designed to pull the bottom edges together when you retrieve it, thus capturing the fish inside it. They are tricky to learn to throw, I'm not all that good at it myself. practice on land first, learn to get a good spread out of it before tryin it in the lake. you miss the koi more than once or twice, and they will be smart enough to stay away.
However, time to tell it like it is: You should have NEVER released those koi into a lake in the first place. Domestic fish such as Koi have no place in a wild (or even man-made) lake (unless you own the entire lake, and know what you are doing). If they haven't already, they will throw the whole lake ecosystem out of whack. Check with your state's department of fish and game, and I'll bet you you were illegal in doing so.
I'm honestly sorry if that was rough, but it is the truth.
However, time to tell it like it is: You should have NEVER released those koi into a lake in the first place. Domestic fish such as Koi have no place in a wild (or even man-made) lake (unless you own the entire lake, and know what you are doing). If they haven't already, they will throw the whole lake ecosystem out of whack. Check with your state's department of fish and game, and I'll bet you you were illegal in doing so.
I'm honestly sorry if that was rough, but it is the truth.
SquishyFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
First, I agree...domestics in wild environment are generally bad. But...question. Koi are basically carp right. We have all kinds of carp in the lake as is. How are they so different that they will effect the eco system that much? Its not like it was pirana.
G
Guest
Guest
You have a point Squishy, it's not like the fools in my state (Maryland) who have released Northern Snakeheads into the wild. I was short on info (are there existing carp in that lake?), and long on principle (Never release domestics). More or less I was just trying to make my point.
Back to catching them. 24 inch fish, I'd maybe even try to hook and line them. Seriously, use a circle hook (designed to be very hard to swallow) and crimp the barb off the hook with a pair of pliers. Use whatever your favorit carp bait is in that area: canned corn, doughballs, etc.. If caught quickly, handled properly, and moved to your garden pond promptly, a hook wound will heal very fast.
Back to catching them. 24 inch fish, I'd maybe even try to hook and line them. Seriously, use a circle hook (designed to be very hard to swallow) and crimp the barb off the hook with a pair of pliers. Use whatever your favorit carp bait is in that area: canned corn, doughballs, etc.. If caught quickly, handled properly, and moved to your garden pond promptly, a hook wound will heal very fast.
