Photos: At peace with his fish

A koi fish swims in the upper pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. Koi are largely social and collective creatures, and some even develop distinct “personalities” within their school such as a leader or a loner. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A small fish statue sits atop a fountain within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. In addition to being an aesthetic addition, a running fountain helps promote aeration within a koi pond, which helps to ensure the health of the koi within. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A small fish statue sits atop a fountain within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. In addition to being an aesthetic addition, a running fountain helps promote aeration within a koi pond, which helps to ensure the health of the koi within. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A painted koi fish swims along the surface of a small decoration within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. Gabriel’s back porch resembles a hobbyist’s shrine to koi, complete with decoration, statuary, and imagery of the Japanese carp. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A small decorative pagoda sits across the koi pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. Roughly a year ago, Gabriel took his first trip to Japan in order to more fully immerse himself in the koi buying process. He most recently went again this past February. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Four koi swim together in the upper pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. The distinct patterns along a koi’s scales are largely genetic, but can be selectively brought out through intentional breeding practices. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Sheriff David Gabriel poses for a portrait in front of the upper koi pond with his backyard on Monday, March 17, 2025. Even as a child, Gabriel had a love of observing fish and wildlife. “We had a creek we’d stop up, dam the creek up. We’d get brim and catfish and stuff and put it in the creek, you know, and then a storm would come through and blow the dam out, and that would be that,” Gabriel said. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Sheriff David Gabriel shows a photo of a koi fish with distinct Sumi markings along its side within his backyard on Monday, March 17, 2025. In addition to genetics, the Sumi of a koi fish can be influenced and developed due to water conditions such as mineral content and temperature. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A koi fish swims beneath the bubbly surface of the upper pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. “Koi fish grow 50% of all they're going to grow in the first year. The second year, they go 25%. The following year, it goes down every year," Gabriel said. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A number of koi swim together in the upper pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. The distinct patterns along a koi’s scales are largely genetic, but can be selectively brought out through intentional breeding practices. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Sheriff David Gabriel stares out over his koi ponds within his backyard on Monday, March 17, 2025. In addition to being Sheriff of Oglethorpe County, Gabriel is also a koi judge with the American Koi Judge Association. When evaluating a fish, there are many factors at play. “Everybody thinks it's color and stuff like that. Body is 40% of the score. Then you start looking at quality and things like that, and that's 30% and then you have things like pattern. So you might have a fish that looks pretty but the
Sheriff David Gabriel poses for a portrait in front of the upper koi pond with his backyard on Monday, March 17, 2025. Even as a child, Gabriel had a love of observing fish and wildlife. “We had a creek we’d stop up, dam the creek up. We’d get brim and catfish and stuff and put it in the creek, you know, and then a storm would come through and blow the dam out, and that would be that,” Gabriel said. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A school of koi in the lower pond fight over food within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. Though typically tranquil and docile, koi are known to get quite aggressive when attempting to find and eat food. Especially when there’s competition. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Sheriff David Gabriel stares out over the lower pond within his backyard on Monday, March 17, 2025. For someone with such a high-stress occupation, a relaxing environment to come home to is essential. “Listen to the water, breeze blowing. The breeze always blows here, you know. Sit there and watch the fish, you know. Just watch them move around the water. It's just natural, you know,” Gabriel said. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A shot an interior pond within The Koi Store in Watkinsville, Georgia on Monday, March 17, 2025. The Koi Store only gets one shipment of fish per year. This year’s shipment, which was delayed, was set to contain over 2,200 fish, 66 of which were purchased by Sheriff Gabriel. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A koi fish swims away from the group in the upper pond within the backyard of Sheriff David Gabriel on Monday, March 17, 2025. Koi are largely social and collective creatures, and some even develop distinct “personalities” within their school such as a leader or a loner. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Sheriff David Gabriel tosses koi food out onto the koi mud ponds behind The Koi Store in Watkinsville, Georgia on Monday, March 17, 2025. Presently, The Koi Store has roughly 1,000 koi, spread throughout its mudponds, quarantine ponds, and the main building. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)
A series of photos showing koi fish swimming within the pond of Sheriff David Gabriel’s father in Winterville, Georgia, on Monday, March 17, 2025. Though most koi fish are not show-worthy, that does not stop Gabriel or his father from simply enjoying how they look. “I have a fish in here that's a really nice fish, but the body confirmation is not the best. But I like the fish, right? That’s a really pretty fish, and I enjoy the fish, just looking at it,” Gabriel said. (Photo/Felix Scheyer)

In addition to being the sheriff of Oglethorpe County, David Gabriel is an avid koi enthusiast whose love for koi began nearly 30 years ago when he helped his father build a koi pond outside of his childhood home.

When Gabriel and his wife purchased their home, Gabriel built a small pond, which contained three koi purchased from the pet store.

Over the past 17 years, this humble pond has grown into two 8,000-gallon ponds that include more than 30 fish.

Gabriel has made multiple trips to Japan, been accepted into the American Koi Judges Association and the vibrant community of koi enthusiasts, locally and around the globe.

“Everyone needs a hobby,” Gabriel said.