Creating Artificial Structure

[livemusic]

Another thread reminded me of this -- creating artificial structure. People sink discarded Christmas trees around here for crappie. In the other thread, somebody mentioned a guy sinking gutted old appliances. I guess that means stoves, washers, dryers?

 

I recently came across a link to pvc "trees" that you can purchase. They are not cheap but I guess if you were building a pond, what's a few more thousand bucks for a lifetime of fishing.

 

Know anything that works?

[Danturner]

Crates, wooden pyramids, wire spools all do work however their life can be limited and they can play havoc into your retrieve if skimming the deep water. The pvc structures are great and last forever, however they are pricey. You can make your own with some basic purchases at lowes, Home Depot, or any hardware store all you need is pvc glue, fittings, and sticks of pvc. If that is still a little over the budget ask around a lot of people have old pvc they tore out that you can use. Depending on the size of your pond it doesn't have to be too huge or too many.

[Fisherman)]

I was thinking about getting a bucket and putting concrete in the bottom and having polyethylene hose stick out of the top. Here's where a picture of one is ---> http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/08/man-made_structures_create_fis.html

[Danturner]

That's a great idea I never thought of it. Actually looks natural

[00 mod]

Here are some threads that might help!

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/128444-xmas-tree-brush-piles/?hl=%20brush%20%20piles

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/109401-fishing-in-the-middle-of-brush-pilesupdated1111/?hl=%2Bfish+%2Battractors#entry1193188

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/111205-a-little-work-ahead-of-me/?hl=%2Bfish+%2Battractors#entry1212520

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/128428-pvc-trees-do-they-hold-largemouth/?hl=%2Bfish+%2Battractors#entry1417020

 

Jeff

[Senko lover]

I created a little structure of my own in one of my ponds. Essentially criss-crossed two logs, creating an open triange in the middle, in which I propped/sunk an old christmas tree. I put more branches on top of everything, and weighted down the ends of the logs with rocks. Caught a couple of bass off of it, but it's chock full of bluegill now, and that's a good thing, because it attracts bass to the area. Took about an hour to make and it has improved the fishing, if not drastically. 

[Bruce424]

When the lakes around me get low for the winter. I go to the riprap sides and build rock mounds a couple feet high close to the lakes edge. Then springtime they covered with water for the baitfish to gather and attract bass.

[Master Bait'r]

I would do the following:

 

Take a black plastic 55gallon drum and use a 2" hole saw to punch a bunch of 2" holes in it all over the top half.  Now take a bunch of sections of 2" PVC and stick them through the holes and out both sides like branches of a tree.  Might want to throw a screw into each one so it stays put.  Now use a smaller drill and blast tons and tons of small holes in the 2" PVC to give room for fry and baitfish to move in and out of the 2" PVC (actually this may be easier to do first).  Now use a jigsaw to cut some big 12"-18"ish holes lower down on the side of the barrel and in the top to allow places for big fish to move in & out (and panfish to move around the tangle of tubes up top).  Now fill the bottom 12" or so of the barrel with cement, allow to dry and sink it in your favorite place.  It will support literally any size fish from fry to lunker and last forever.     

 

 

Please forgive the crude visual aid that lacks detail but perhaps it will help to see what I'm talking about.  

 

[the reel ess]

Another thread reminded me of this -- creating artificial structure. People sink discarded Christmas trees around here for crappie. In the other thread, somebody mentioned a guy sinking gutted old appliances. I guess that means stoves, washers, dryers?

 

I recently came across a link to pvc "trees" that you can purchase. They are not cheap but I guess if you were building a pond, what's a few more thousand bucks for a lifetime of fishing.

 

Know anything that works?

Yeah, that was me who mentioned that. Specifically, he got scrapped washing machines and gutted them. Supposedly it make a tunnel for bass to hide in and ambush prey as well as get shade. Great cover I guess. I can tell you the places we thought he did this were productive for years. And you wouldn't get hung up on them because it wasn't brush piles. It got so that you'd have to "stage" for your turn to fish these spots on weekends. But mid-week was the ticket. Carolina rigged magnum worms did the trick. Fat offshore fish in June-July.

[the reel ess]

I also know a guy who used to take broken cinder blocks on every fishing trip and drop them in a particular place. He called it the "rock pile". He told me about it and I fished it and it usually holds a fish or two. This should keep working for a long time.

[Choporoz]

I've read and/or heard of pros talking about 'tire patterns'.  I'm assuming they meant sunk vehicle tires.  Are tires an 'environmentally satisfactory' alternative for creating structure?  If so, it sounds like a match made in heaven.

[BigSkyBasser]

If you fish many of the Northern lakes on reservation you'll find custom brush piles made out of old and stolen shopping carts and milk crates. They hold bass like crazy! There is a guy we fish tournaments with that throws them by boat launches in case he needs to finish his limit off at the end of the day.

[OkobojiEagle]

"cover"

 

 

oe

[the reel ess]

I've read and/or heard of pros talking about 'tire patterns'.  I'm assuming they meant sunk vehicle tires.  Are tires an 'environmentally satisfactory' alternative for creating structure?  If so, it sounds like a match made in heaven.

I have seen Denny Brauer pitching to tires that are used as a jetty around marinas. I guess fish suspend under them.

[Master Bait'r]

There is a guy we fish tournaments with that throws them by boat launches in case he needs to finish his limit off at the end of the day.

 

 

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I hate people.  

[Senko lover]

I've read and/or heard of pros talking about 'tire patterns'.  I'm assuming they meant sunk vehicle tires.  Are tires an 'environmentally satisfactory' alternative for creating structure?  If so, it sounds like a match made in heaven.

 

There's quite a few tires in my ponds, and believe me, they hold fish. 

[RoLo]

I would do the following:

 

Take a black plastic 55gallon drum and use a 2" hole saw to punch a bunch of 2" holes in it all over the top half.  Now take a bunch of sections of 2" PVC and stick them through the holes and out both sides like branches of a tree.  Might want to throw a screw into each one so it stays put.  Now use a smaller drill and blast tons and tons of small holes in the 2" PVC to give room for fry and baitfish to move in and out of the 2" PVC (actually this may be easier to do first).  Now use a jigsaw to cut some big 12"-18"ish holes lower down on the side of the barrel and in the top to allow places for big fish to move in & out (and panfish to move around the tangle of tubes up top).  Now fill the bottom 12" or so of the barrel with cement, allow to dry and sink it in your favorite place.  It will support literally any size fish from fry to lunker and last forever.     

 

 

Please forgive the crude visual aid that lacks detail but perhaps it will help to see what I'm talking about.  

 

 

KOOL   Looks a lot like my house  

 

Roger

[BASSPATROL247]

When game and fish build new lakes around here ive seen them use cinder blocks and build pretty much a 6x6 foot box 4 feet high with no roof, ive had some luck on them but theres one lake thats about 200 acres that probably has about 100 tire piles and let me tell you they flat out hold fish around here. Most of the lakes by me were built for flood control back in the early 70's and were not intended for fishing so most of them have little to no structure/cover in them. Theres been a few built in the last 10 years or so that have so muchan made structure in them that it can be intimidating for most guys. In the older lakes ive gone out at night and cut trees down and drug them out and made brush piles that hold lots of fish but with modern SI they are no longer a secret and gwt fished hard. Tires tend to hold fish better than brush and other stuff and they will last forever..