Anybody ever put structure into a pond like this?

[Guest muddy]

Hey Fellas: we have a couple of unposted ponds and deserted strippin pits, that have very little structure . When the ice really sets up in the dead of winter, we drag stumps, large rocks and weighted pallets so when the ice melts  WE HAVE SOME COVER to attract bait fish and Bass. Anyone else ever try this?

[cart7t]

I used to go to the local city christmas tree recycling location and pick up a bunch, drag them down to Lake of the Ozarks and drop them with blocks in selected locations.

Christmas trees aren't exactly the best for cover but the supply was rather unlimited at the end of December.  

[RobbyZ5001]

I hate how people put trees and pallets then make it on there GPS then fish it during tournaments. It feels too much like cheating. I got away from trout fishing and into bass fishing because I thought there would be less cheating. I used to get so ticked off when I would go first day to a spot I KNEW had lunkers then I went the first morning and found out someone caught them out the night before.... Or when I fish for a 22+ inch trout for a couple days then someone snags him out. >  Well that is my rant!

[kms399]

if you do it while fishing tourny's then that is a form of cheating if you do it just so you have better luck on your sunday outing (catch and release) then more power to you.

[Guest muddy]

I hate how people put trees and pallets then make it on there GPS then fish it during tournaments. It feels too much like cheating. I got away from trout fishing and into bass fishing because I thought there would be less cheating. I used to get so ticked off when I would go first day to a spot I KNEW had lunkers then I went the first morning and found out someone caught them out the night before.... Or when I fish for a 22+ inch trout for a couple days then someone snags him out. > Well that is my rant!

WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT CHEATING IN TOURNAMENTS, READ THE QUESTION, It's about lesiure fishing , from shore on small ponds and stripping pits GEEZZZZZZ!!!!

[cart7t]

Cheating?    :  Good grief.

If the Dept of natural resources in your state plants brush piles as part of a plan to improve the fish enviroment,  is it cheating if you fish those during a tournament?

If I plant brush the same way is it also cheating to fish it during a tournament?

Of course not.  

You guys better read the rules of a typical tournament series before you go start making accusations on a public forum like this..  

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Hey Muddy,I believe there are some articles on this site somewhere(dont have time now) that tell a few ways to build some structures,Like using concrete and pvc pipes,to make better fish attracting and more snag resistant cover.One thing I hate about pallets and trees sometimes is you better have a lure retriver handy.

I really like the ice idea.Really never thought about it before  .Now I live in FL,so I wont be doing that anytime soon. You could make a really large structure and slide it out on the ice with a few sleds or use a amall vehicle such as an atv or snowmobile.

[Sam]

Simple question with some heavy answers.

I always wondered if it was OK to put various structure in the water for both pleasure and tournament fishing and here is what I was told:

When fishing a tournament it is OK to fish any man-made structure or items that are placed within the body of water as long as the items are placed prior to the tournament and not placed in the water just for the tournament.

On the Chickhomony River and Kerr Lake (Buggs Island) there are small trees, brush and other items that other fishermen have placed in the water that can be fished by others anytime during the year.  Once you find them they are your "secret" and very few people share this knowledge with others.

In other words, you can fish any structure or underwater cover as long as it was placed in the water for non-tournament reasons and is to remain in the water and not be removed after the tournament.

Second,  I have placed Christmas trees and cinder blocks in ponds where no tournament fishing will ever take place.

The Christmas trees have seemed to disappear but their concrete blocks are still there.  

The rocks and dowels are still there, too.

I do not see any problems with fishing structure or cover that is "man made or placed structure" that is placed in the body of water.  

Of course, anything you put in a tidal river will probably be washed away, like my attempts on the James River, so I would think you would find more "man made or placed strucutre" in creeks, ponds and lakes.

So go for it on your pond but be ready to get wet and dirty and frustrated and cold as the Christmas trees seem to have a mind of their own when you place them in the water.

[Jig Man]

The lakes I fish have brush piles on every point and most banks.  Some put in by agencies and some by individuals.  One guy at Bull Shoals has 800 brush piles (I'd really like to get hold of his gps sd card).

Sycamore trees will sink without any additional weight.  They are the cover of choice in my neck of the woods.

[RobbyZ5001]

First off muddy I know your not talking about the tournament sitiuation. I just brought up the tournament sitiuation because I remembered people doing that and then plotting on GPS and later fishing it in the tournament later that week. I said it FEELS like cheating! I'm not saying it IS cheating. If it is fishing for leisure in a place that doesnt contain much cover like a strip mine or a pond I see that as being ok. I just feel that in tournaments that making your own hot spots is an unfair advantage. If the state drops in cover that is fair because they arn't benifiting in monetary gains from the cover they dropped in. I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers but I should of known that comment would have started an argument.

[Bassnajr]

Great question muddy!!!

I have a small pond near my house that is a great little gem. Problem... A LOT of the bottom is sand, shells, and muck. I think a pond like this would benefit all around from some cover. I was going to down some trees (Dying trees on the shore line) but I like your idea better. The fish on this pond are DYING for cover. I see where some trees (small) have ended up in the water, and for sure, you'll catch a couple near eveyone of them. Problem is everyone knows where they are. My problem/question is...can you get in trouble with your local DEM (game warden, tree huggers, etc.) for doing this? Would they see it as "modifying the existing ecosystem!!!" Fishing yes...fines NO!! (the bait monkey would be very upset if I I had to gave his money to the State!!!)

bassinajr

AND OF COURSE, NOT IN TOURNAMENTS!!!!

[Guest muddy]

We just thought about the legality issue, because of ther pallets, which went into a strippin pit, that had a shallow side. On the ponds we just "help" what is on the shore make it to center of the ice, but now maybe we should ask!

[Tokyo Tony]

Mind you, I'm not a tournament fisherman, but I don't see how planting your own brushpiles would be cheating in a tournament, unless it's not allowed by the tournament or it's illegal to do so.  IMHO, if you're gonna go through the trouble of planting brushpiles and plotting them, you're putting in hours of work for that advantage, so why not?  Am I wrong?

[Guest muddy]

This issue has NOTHING, to do with TOURNAMENT fishing at all. I am looking for suggestions and experience ON PONDS AND SMALL BODIES OF WATER. Things like the legality issue, items used, how they are weighted down and if this has helped fishing , mostly off the bank on barren bottomed ponds, that have bass in them,

[foul hooked]

Hey RobbyZ -

This place has always welcomed everyones opinions even if they are unpopular. Keep them coming. I understand your point and somewhat agree on the tourny end of it. But rules are rules.

Who cares what muddy thinks, heck he fishes with Pfluegers.

[Guest muddy]

ACCORDING TO BURLEY THAT"S SPELLED FLOOGERS

[Tin]

Used to do it all the time when I was younger. We would sink big stumps, or when they would draw the lake down we would make rockwalls and rockpiles. Little did we know it is illegal in the state of RI  :. We did most of it in the winter of 02' and in the spring the fish were there and they still are. It is always the first place I hit when I fish that lake.

Anyone ever try the PVC Trees?

[Guest muddy]

Looks like before I do anymore of this I have to contact DNR, It is Illegal in DNR waters to do without a permit in PA. OOPPSS!!!!!

[Big T]

I used to go to the local city christmas tree recycling location and pick up a bunch, drag them down to Lake of the Ozarks and drop them with blocks in selected locations.

Christmas trees aren't exactly the best for cover but the supply was rather unlimited at the end of December.

Progress Enegry did that with Sutton Lake, and marked it with bouys like they use offshore for the artificial reefs, the beach communites have also use Chritmas trees to build up the dunes as well.

[surfer]

I think it is illegal in Fl too.  I took a large tree from an unkept empty lot on the edge of my local lake.  The neighboring house came out and tried to grumpily persuade me not to.  He said he had that same idea, but found it was illegal to dump debris in to the lake.  I think he was grumpy because I took his plan out from under him and now he wouldn't know the GPS coordinates to the tree.  

[Bassnajr]

Hey all......

I am not a big fan of the DNR's and DEM's of the world. many times their employees have a SMALL chip on their shoulders. I don't see why depositing natural items, (trees, boulders, brush, etc.) that have a good chance of ending up in the pond ANYWAY is illegal. As long as your placing them in areas where they will not harm boaters, jet skiers, swimmers etc. I can see them MAYBE busting your chops for PVC, pallets, etc. (they have chemicals in them blah! blah! blah!) but natural stuff ??????

PS Where was the DEM when I was getting buzzed by jet skiers this past summer, while they were ripping up all the grass and lily pads....why I ought ta!!! (OK I vented...) >

bassinajr

[Long Mike]

I see nothing wrong with placing natural items, such as boulders, trees and barbed-wire, in areas where the Lake Lice (jet-skiers) chew up fishing habitat.

[luckyinkentucky]

I think it's ok to put brush piles where you see fit.  Although, I prefer the PVC versions of cover.  Many a lure have been snagged on an old potato sack or cinder block someone dropped with cover attached.  Have you ever tried getting a $20 Megabass lure out of a potato sack?   ;D  Good luck with that!!!

I prefer the PVC versions, but will fish the others if I see an advantage.  

I think strip pits can be improved by brush piles.  I wouldn't hesitate to drop a few in.  

[Guest muddy]

I wrote the DNR to check on the legality. If I hold myself to obeying the law, then i can conduct myself correctly in the outodoors< This project is on hold until i get some claification, i never considered putting whats around a pond into it an illegal act, until that was raised here. In some cases it is illegal in PA so i have to find out what is leagal and how to do it right

[RobbyZ5001]

Muddy I personally know the DNR people in our area. Good luck half of them are a bunch of jerks....Not even remotely joking good luck...