An electric fence would stop herons and raccoons and look nicer than a net and won't hurt snakes.

You can modify the fence with bamboo or wood posts instead of the plastic ones that come with it. You can also use copper tubing instead of wire.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fishock

Keep in mind that garter snakes love to each both fish and frogs, so if you have as many around as it seems, you really might want to exclude them from the pond.

Perhaps there's a larger mesh size that would work well but still let the snakes through? There's some stretch netting that aviary folks use that might fill the bill (and keep the snakes out). That or a fairly fine mesh might work. It sounds like the one you have is just the wrong size for the snakes.

Any way to raise the lower edge of the net an inch or two?

I'm not a fan of snakes, so don't really want them IN my pond, but I've only had to deal with a couple garter snakes in 3 years. But I don't wish them trapped or dead either. Good luck!

I'll bet there is a height for the net that would be low enough to keep the herons and raccoons from causing trouble but still high enough for the snakes to slither under it without being aware of it at all. I'm guessing six inches would be a good starting point. You could make it about six inches around the perimeter, but I would think it could be a lot higher in the interior. I don't think the height would matter much at all except for the perimeter. All you would need to do is keep the net out of the water in the interior.

Can you get a net with bigger spaces? I don't have one over my pond, but I do have a 2" spaced holes net over my chicken run. Could you use something like that?

Thank you all for your responses. I really don't want the snakes in my pond. I have a feeling they would eat my frogs and especially my goldfish if they get in the pond. I want to keep them out. I think I'll go with drygulch's idea and see if I can find a net with smaller holes if possible. Or I may have to get a bigger pond and put really large koi that garter snakes can't fit into their mouths.

Dasheen

www.thatpetplace.com has them on sale. Glenda

LOL! I like that last option. Sandy

I would be absolutely thrilled if some garter snakes would come along and eat my excess goldfish fry!

That height is 12 inches. I've fine tuned that over the years. Frogs, birds, snakes, squirrels and what not can move in and out under the net but herons cannnot figure it out. They are too tall to go under it and if pulled firmly they cannot spear the fish through it. No sagging. Attach the net to a framework built for it rather than hodgepodge use of bricks, sticks, etc. The net is the only thing that will keep a heron out 100%. In the fall, when leaves fall lower the net a bit on the prevaling winds side of your pond to keep leaves out if that is a problem in your location. If pulled snugly leaves that land on the top will blow away.

I will warn you that I do get the occasional bird (Grackles do this and not others) that will walk under the net and then panic to flight if something scares it and it will hit the net and not take off. 99% of the time after a few attempts they make their way out unharmed, but I did have one drowning in the past year of a young Grackle (but not a baby).