Sinking structure......

[BucketmouthAngler13]

Over the past week my local lake froze over, and over the past weekend I've been working on some new structure. Me and my friends make a small rockpile and gathered logs and branches and dragged them to one spot on the ice. Today I chained cinder blocks to the wooden structure so it will sink once the ice melts. It took me 2.5 hours attach to blocks to the structure, becuase I had to bring them one at a time on the handle bars of my bike. (that was a chore :)

Some of the logs/branches are chained to lay on the bottom of the lake, and others are chained so they will spread out towards the surface. If it sinks within 20ft of where it was put, it will be within casting distance from shore (which will allow me to fish it more often) and be in around 4ft of water.

Hopefully the rockpile (not visible in the picture) will atract some crawfish, the brush atract some small fish, and the larger logs give the bass some cover themselves. It will be the only structure for several hundred feet bolth up and down lake, and the only structure of it's size for a good 1/2 mile in each direction. I've got high hopes and cant wait to fish it.

Anyone have any tips? I attached 6 cinder blocks, do you think that is enough? The ice is melting fast, but I can probaly add some more blocks or brush tomorrow.

Thanks

Matt

[NEBassMan]

Great job.  Just hope too many people don't see it before it drops.  When you show up to fish it, you'll be shoulder to shoulder with 10 other guys! ;D

Jason

[Raul]

How well you know your lake ? what you dump in is as important as WHERE you dump it, a bunch of cinder blocks that are going to fall on a bunch of boulders isn 't going to do much of a difference, but a bunch of cinderblocks on a coverless flat is a completely different story.

[KenDammit28]

the one thing I'd say about cover like what you've created is just to make sure that there are some good "holes" for the fish to hide in and move through...kinda bush it out a little, if you know what I mean.  

Anyway, I threw a few small nuisance trees that I had cut down in my pond last year...didn't need to sink them with anything...they went down on their own.  I haven't noticed a big difference in the fish coming to them, but am hoping that changes this coming season.

[clipper]

I'd say you've got the right idea, especially if  you put it in an area where it is the only cover.  I've caught fish off smaller brush piles before.  Bigger rocks would be better, but that's probably the only size you had available.  You are really dedicated to haul concrete blocks on your bike.  If you try it again, you might ask the local block company if they will give you a few of their broken blocks for free.  Tell them what  you plan to do with them.  Sometimes that works.  BE CAREFUL on that ice if it has started to melt and don't go by yourself!  Hope your hard work pays off this spring .

[BucketmouthAngler13]

How well you know your lake ? what you dump in is as important as WHERE you dump it, a bunch of cinder blocks that are going to fall on a bunch of boulders isn 't going to do much of a difference, but a bunch of cinderblocks on a coverless flat is a completely different story.

I've fished and swam in this lake for years and I can say I know every sunken log and limb. I doubt there is a snag or structure that I dont know of. It isn't very big, just 24 acres. The place this pile will drop is a completely structureless area with a level mud/sand bottom. (as is most of the lake) There is no plants, just slime from rotting leave gunk.

I figured since there is no structure around that adding structure to the area would be good for bolth catching fish and the fish themselves. Am I right or wrong?

If you try it again, you might ask the local block company if they will give you a few of their broken blocks for free.  Tell them what  you plan to do with them.  Sometimes that works.  BE CAREFUL on that ice if it has started to melt and don't go by yourself!  Hope your hard work pays off this spring .

I'll keep the block company in mind. I'm not sure if there is one ouround here but I'll check.

And far be it from me to go out on risky ice. I checked it yesterday and it was about 4" in the middle and over 10" by the shore. The pile is in ice around 6-8" deep. It was warmer today, but tonight and tomorrow will be colder, so I should be ok tomorrow. I'll check first though and bring a friend.

Thanks

Matt

[John J.]

Over the past week my local lake froze over, and over the past weekend I've been working on some new structure. Me and my friends make a small rockpile and gathered logs and branches and dragged them to one spot on the ice. Today I chained cinder blocks to the wooden structure so it will sink once the ice melts. It took me 2.5 hours attach to blocks to the structure, becuase I had to bring them one at a time on the handle bars of my bike. (that was a chore :)

Some of the logs/branches are chained to lay on the bottom of the lake, and others are chained so they will spread out towards the surface. If it sinks within 20ft of where it was put, it will be within casting distance from shore (which will allow me to fish it more often) and be in around 4ft of water.

Hopefully the rockpile (not visible in the picture) will atract some crawfish, the brush atract some small fish, and the larger logs give the bass some cover themselves. It will be the only structure for several hundred feet bolth up and down lake, and the only structure of it's size for a good 1/2 mile in each direction. I've got high hopes and cant wait to fish it.

Anyone have any tips? I attached 6 cinder blocks, do you think that is enough? The ice is melting fast, but I can probaly add some more blocks or brush tomorrow.

Thanks

Matt

Along with what Clipper said about being careful on the Lake while it is frozen, my pond is frozen and has 5" of ice in some areas but some areas (near the dam) has not even an inch thick. Word of caution (which I am sure you are already aware) be sure to not go out alone and watch your step on that ice! Especially when carrying heavy items that increase your weight!

That is a good brush pile...I took a few wooden pallets and screwed and nailed them together and then screwed and nailed a bunch of limbs, branches and stuff on the top and left the bottom untouched. That way it sits right and has the brush stuff on top. I will post pictures tomorrow of my progress.

Try adding some pallets and screw them together and do like I did, that way the fish can hide up in the holes of the pallet (especially if you screw a few together) and they can also hide around the brush and everything.

Good luck and hopefully your brush pile will be successful! (Same with mine lol! )

[Jnamo]

Not to sound pompous but what you are doing is creating cover.  Structure refers to contour change (depth) or something on a much larger scale, rock shoal,  large weed bed transitions into an open flat, etc...

Cover is a more individual type of reference- rock, log, brush pile, etc...

Jeff

[BucketmouthAngler13]

Not to sound pompous but what you are doing is creating cover.  Structure refers to contour change (depth) or something on a much larger scale, rock shoal,  large weed bed transitions into an open flat, etc...

Cover is a more individual type of reference- rock, log, brush pile, etc...

Jeff

Well regardless what you call it, a pile of rocks, several big logs, and brush sunk in the same spot will create cover for fish, there for atracting them. I always called any obstructing object in the water structure. And I dont think there is a difference between "cover" and "structure", atleast that is what I've read...

Matt

[KenDammit28]

there really is a big difference between the two.

"Also remember the difference between structure and cover. Cover is some physical object separate from the actual bottom contour. It is often mistaken for structure.

  Structure is the actual bottom contour (breaks, drops, humps, etc.) Think of structure as the highways and roads bass use to travel and migrate from one place to another. Think of the cover as rest stops or restaurants between these highways."

"Structure - Changes in the shape of the bottom of lakes, rivers, or impoundments, especially those that influence fish behavior. This is probably the most misunderstood word in bass fishing. Structure is a feature on the bottom of the lake. Some examples of structure are creeks, humps, depressions, sandbars, roadbeds, ledges, and drop-offs. Some examples that are not structure: a stump, tree, or brush pile (these are cover). "

"Cover - Natural or manmade objects on the bottom of lakes, rivers, or impoundments, especially those that influence fish behavior. Anything a fish can use to conceal itself. Examples include stick-ups, tree lines, stumps, rocks, logs, pilings, docks, weeds, boathouses, duck blinds, bushes, etc. (not to be confused with structure)."

those are all quoted from here at BR.

[BucketmouthAngler13]

I stand corrrected.

[Wayne P.]

Structure: is the bottom of the lake from the deepest part to the shore.

Breaklines: is a change in the bottom--humps, roadbeds, ditches, dropoffs, creekchannels, etc.

Cover: is fish hiding objects such as logs, rocks, trees, placed objects such as brush piles

Thank you Buck Perry

[Guest the_muddy_man]

WHAT NO SHOPPING CART???????

Great Idea just make sure none of that is going to leak out any pollutants I have done the same in a few stripping pits with oinly rocks,brush and treelimbs growing around it

[hitormiss]

My nephew used to take Christmas trees every year and tie a gallon milk jug full of sand to them. Then he would row them out and dump them. You would be surprised the number of fish they attracted.

[bassboy1]

Are there any restrictions on what can be sunk?  Since we restore boats, we occasionally find one that is complete junk.  Is it legal to sink it?  There would be nothing but a fiberglass hull.  No motor, gas tank or anything else that is valuable or dangerous.

[KenDammit28]

Are there any restrictions on what can be sunk? Since we restore boats, we occasionally find one that is complete junk. Is it legal to sink it? There would be nothing but a fiberglass hull. No motor, gas tank or anything else that is valuable or dangerous.

Sinking something in ANYTHING that you don't personally own needs to be given permission.  

In public waters, the authorities of the lake can be anywhere from real particular about what goes in the water to very non-chalant.  In private waters...its the same situation.

In your own waters, just make sure that nothing toxic or harmful can come from what you're putting in, and you should be good.

[RoLo]

First off, I like what you're doing

The most important feature of any artificial reef is "location", and to that end, your Depth Sounder is the No-1 tool.

Above all, manmade cover should be placed at the base or crest of a steep slope (depending on depth).

In other words, you'll be creating a holding site that will merge Cover with Structure.

A pile of stuff lying on a flat will attract an occasional bass, but when it's placed on a drop-off it will be a true Fish Magnet.

Finally, it should honor the 'priority of poverty' law, which is to say, introduce cover only where there is no cover.

Roger

[Pond Hopper]

Take a xmas tree, cut some holes in the branches to give the fish some places to hide, then put it in a 5 gallon bucket and fill the bucket with quickrete then take it out on the ice and leave it.  Or just attach a cinder block to the base but the 5 gallon bucket keeps the tree upright most of the time.