🐠🐟 The 8 fishes are in!

Yes, YAM, it's truly Autumn... 🐠🐟 The 8 fishies are indoors for winter! It's too shallow a pond for them to overwinter. 

I DID IT!!! We did research, checking the forecast. The nights were getting rather close to freezing. Not good for the fishies. I wanted a warmish morning, followed by a couple of days of rain to refill the pond from the water barrel and eavestrough.  

I began around 10 a.m. Sunday, by starting to drain the goldfish pond. I counted about 8 frogs, including the bullfrog, and the fish were hiding.

After an hour draining...

By noon, I was good to net them.

Non-mental note: I have to wash the pump and put it away. 

After an hour of drainage, out I went. I snagged 2 almost immediately. They were easy. Except for the holes in the two nets. You should check your tools before you begin a project! 

It's intense work, even with a supervisor... Two of my nets had holes, the other fell apart. While I have 8 fish, I caught three of them twice, which means 11 captures!  Repairing them, just tying them up, I went back at it. I'll have to look for a new net in the spring.

Bullfrog took umbrage, and hopped away after I left. I could see he was trying.

There was way too much action for Bullfrog. I tried to tell him, there isn't much water around. Finally, at 3:30, this was the last hold out! I waited and waited. It was well-hidden in the mud. 

With great surprise, we finally had rain, as predicted. About 10 mm so far (0.38"), not much... but better than nothing. We timed it perfectly. The pond has refilled some, and my water lily will be protected.