Prepare everything before you catch a single koi: strong large bags or a lidded transport tank, a battery air pump or oxygen supply, bags of pond water, and a receiving system already filled, tested and temperature-matched. Stop feeding the day before the move, catch each fish calmly into shallow water, bag large koi individually with plenty of oxygen, and keep containers dark, cool and level during the journey. Koi produce waste in transit and use the oxygen in their container steadily, so journey planning is really oxygen planning: the shorter and cooler the trip, the wider your margin.
Preparation: Set Up Every Item First
Complete this preparation before any net touches the water. Fill and test the receiving system at the destination, whether that is a temporary holding vat at home or a pond elsewhere, and match its temperature to the pond the koi are leaving. Gather strong, large fish bags and sturdy bands, a lidded transport tank if you use one, a battery-powered air pump with tubing and an air stone or a supply of oxygen for filling bags, a soft knotless net, a shallow bowl or tub for lifting, and a dark cover or insulated box for each container. Charge or test the air pump, fill spare bags with pond water for the receiving end, and park the vehicle where loading will be level and shaded. Decide the route and the unloading spot now, and agree who catches, who carries, and who receives.
Catching and Bagging in Order
Work through the move in this order. First, lower the pond level slightly or guide each koi into a shallow catching area, so you lift rather than chase. Second, guide the fish into the net with slow movements and slide it into the shallow bowl under water, supporting its weight evenly, and never lift a large koi clear of the water in the net alone. Third, transfer one large fish per bag, with enough pond water to cover it comfortably and a large volume of oxygen above the water, then seal the bag, place it inside a second bag, and set it upright in its dark box. Fourth, for a transport tank, move each fish in the bowl, settle it into the tank water, fit the air stone, start the pump, and secure the lid. Work steadily and finish bagging the final fish close to departure time, so no fish waits sealed while others are caught.
The Journey and Arrival
Load containers last and drive directly, keeping the vehicle cool and the containers level, shaded and unable to slide. Bagged koi with a generous oxygen fill typically tolerate a few hours of travel, while a tank on a running air pump suits a longer move, and either way you should treat added stops as added risk and plan fuel and breaks before departure. On arrival, work in reverse order: set each bag where it can float in the receiving water, let temperatures equalise, then open it, add receiving water gradually, and release the fish quietly. For tank arrivals, move each fish in the bowl of water and release it the same way. Count the fish out of the pond and count them into the receiving system, so the tally agrees before anyone leaves the destination. Watch the koi for the rest of the day and the following days, checking that each fish swims normally and that the receiving water stays clean. Using KinsLe Messenger for the move keeps everyone involved in one thread, so the receiving system is confirmed ready before the first bag is sealed.