Do Herons Fish At Night? (And How To Stop Them!)

Do herons fish at night?

Herons will fish at night when there’s enough moonlight to aid in hunting fish. If there’s cloud cover, limited moonlight, and/or any other form of natural repellant, herons will wait for regular hunting hours close to dusk.

It’s essential to assume herons are going to fish at night when it comes to protecting your ponds.

This is the only way to make sure you don’t have koi fish being snapped up by herons near the pond. This is why more and more koi pond owners take the time to set up heron repellents around the pond.

The reasons include:

  • Keep the Fish Safe
  • Peace of Mind
  • Stopping Other Predators

Herons aren’t the only thing you are going to have to worry about as a koi fish pond owner, but it’s definitely a concern that you need to keep in mind.

Otherwise, you are not going to enjoy how things work out.

It’s best to assume the answer to “Do herons fish at night?” is yes and that it happens all the time. With this mindset, you are going to have a much better opportunity of keeping the fish safe in your pond.

This guide is going to help answer the question “Do herons fish at night?” along with figuring out how to repel herons near your fish pond at home.

Best Heron Repellent for Koi Fish Pond (EDITOR’S CHOICE)

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Tips On Helping Keep Koi Fish Safe From Herons

Tip #1: Use a Sound Sensor Repellent

A sound-based repellent for herons is good.

You will know it’s going to activate as soon as the predator is near and it will deter them immediately. Herons aren’t going to take kindly to these sounds and will assume there’s danger lurking near the pond.

As a result, they prefer to find other watering holes to go fishing in.

It’s the best way to make sure you are keeping herons away from your pond at night. Otherwise, they are going to enjoy what the pond has to offer.

The benefits include:

  • Takes Minutes to Set Up
  • Ideal for Different Predators
  • Doesn’t Harm the Fish

When asking, “Do herons fish at night?” you have to think about how to push them away at all times of the day. Don’t just think about when they are hunting.

You want to make sure there is a 24/7 safety net around your koi fish pond or they are going to end up taking a dip at one point or another!

This is why more and more people are starting to look at sound-based sensors to repel herons. Using sound to keep heron away is a must.

Do herons fish at night

Tip #2: Set Up Reflective Tape

Another option is to use reflective tape around the koi fish pond.

Why does this work well?

The idea is to have light shine up at the herons as soon as they are near the pond. This tends to get in their eye line and that is more than enough to deter them.

Testing the pH level is essential as it needs to be stable for your koi fish to remain calm throughout the year.

The average heron is going to preserve itself when it comes to sticky situations.

This is what the reflective tape near the koi fish pond is going to help with. The herons won’t want to go near the pond when the tape is set up.

Tip #3: Use Netting

Yes, if you are looking to save a bit of money, netting is more than enough to get the job done.

Netting around the koi fish pond is going to be affordable and easy to set up. You can make sure the herons don’t come anywhere near the pond when there is netting in the way.

An increase in nitrates will cause the koi fish to panic and start flashing even if you move forward with a water change.

If you are asking, “Do herons fish at night?” it might be time to think about using safety netting.

This is a clear-cut solution that is not only going to stop herons but also other predators in the area too. It’s a great, well-rounded solution for a problem that isn’t going away anytime soon unless you do something about it!

Do herons fish at night

Tip #4: Create a Small Barrier

For those asking, “Do herons fish at night?” it might be time to think about a full-sized barrier near the koi fish pond.

This can be anything that is solid and is going to get in between the heron and the fish.

Yes, you may want to use standard netting and that’s okay, but a solid barrier does well with other types of predators in the area.

Final Thoughts

Do heron fish at night?

Indeed, herons are more than capable of fishing at night, which is why you have to prepare well in advance. They are going to want to take advantage of the koi fish in your pond since they can’t easily swim away.

To protect your koi fish, it’s highly recommended to create a barrier and use a sound-based repellent. It’s the best way to keep them safe at all times of the day and not just at night.

Here are more articles on how to care for your koi fish at home – Helping koi fish that are flashing, how to stop a koi fish from dying, how to add more water to a koi fish pond, and how to add another fish to your pond.