"Keep 'em peeled......"

.....to coin a catch phrase used by Shaw Taylor, presenter of Police 5.

For those of you who have no idea who Shaw Taylor is or what Police 5 was visit http://www.shawtaylor.com/pages/1/index.htm

Anyway, 'keeping 'em peeled' is something that I've learnt of enormous value here in Ojiya and Yamakoshi to get an idea of what's coming up in the future days.

I mentioned a while back that Isa Koi Farm has acquired a new male oyagoi - http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/node/279.  A couple of weeks back I stopped by and confirmed when they would be spawning with him, Mitsunori confirming it would be 'June' and he'd give me a call.

As I passed Isa this morning I noticed that Mrs Isa had been doing some preparation for the forthcoming days of culling and spawning, washing towels and cushions.

Followers of last year's blog may recall that Isa set up these temporary 'shelters' at their various complexes of fry ponds.  This particular one is set up at the area where spawning of all their oyagoi takes place and, subsequently, all the culling of the week old kego, this is where Mrs Isa was readying the cushions for, days upon end will be sat cross legged on the floor sorting through potentially millions of fry a few milimeters long.

Inside all the spawning equipment was laid out ready.

In the white net you can see above the unmistakable sight of the new male Koi, among 4-5 others.  This Koi, somewhere around 80cm, was dwarfed by the females.

I caught up with Mitsunori san who advised he was going to call me, when spawning started, as he did last year! 

Thankfully I'd kept 'em peeled, and have had chance to do a little equipment prepping in advance.  I now await a call in the early hours of the morning.