StructureSpot

THE SPROCKET FISH SPAWNING ROCKET

The Sprocket Fish Spawning Rocket is the only, multi-species, artificial spawning structure, designed exclusively for nest protection and fry survival.

Self weighted and fully assembled, this 14 pound spawning rocket, can be installed directly from the box into shallow spawning water.

Three individual compartments provide fish a choice to bed in any direction with three sided protection, each measuring approx. 15″x72″ with an overall diameter of over seven feet!.  More habitat models at fishiding.com

ARTIFICIAL FISH HABITAT OR FISH ATTRACTORS, WHICH DO THE FISH NEED AND WHY?

First off, let’s not continue to confuse fish habitat with fish attractors. There are many substabtial differences between the two and what each product is intended for. Both products attract fish, but only habitat holds the future of fishing.

Log Fish Attractor   Bass on Artificial habitat

Under the Fisheries Act, fish habitat is defined as: “Spawning grounds and nursery, rearing, food supply and migration areas on which fish depend directly or indirectly in order to carry out their life process. (Fisheries Act Section 34(1))”.

Artificial fish habitat as defined above, is simply habitat that is man made with materials not found in nature. Although made from mainly plastics, the intended goal is absolutely the same. Reproduction and protection of more fish.

Fishiding Starter Pack

The planting of native aquatic plants, installing brush, rock, deadfalls and timber would be considered supplemental natural habitat. These types of materials succeed in replacing natural materials that have decayed or have been lost to siltation, erosion and development, but were once present.

Artificial fish attractors attract larger fish and little more, accomplishing the intended task as designed. Open in design and able to see through, generally tubes and sticks that are easy to get fishing lures around, they attract larger fish to a designated area for a short time in transition between cover, made for fisherman to enjoy. One job well done when placed and designed in such a manner that the desired species of fish feel comfortable using it. More at fishiding.com

Read the full story here……….

The unexpected consequences of fighting Eurasian Watermilfoil, preventing fish from successfully reproducing?

Lake on the Brink:

The unexpected consequences of fighting Eurasian Watermilfoil

By Eric Engbretson

 

 

In 2012, Greg Matzke, a fisheries biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, made a startling discovery on Florence County’s Lake Ellwood. During a comprehensive fish survey which included spring, summer and fall netting and electrofishing surveys, Matzke discovered that all of the lake’s largemouth bass were older than 5 years of age, with approximately 91% of the largemouth bass population being at least seven years old.  The absence of younger fish indicated a recruitment failure for a number of years.  Such failures in largemouth bass recruitment over multiple years are unprecedented in the state of Wisconsin.

 

“The current largemouth bass population is in serious trouble,” Matzke reported. “It appears that natural reproduction of largemouth bass has not occurred since 2007. As these older/larger fish move through the population, a significant reduction in largemouth bass abundance will take place, with the potential for the complete loss of this species of fish unless the current situation changes.”

 

Matzke next began looking at the lake’s panfish population.  What he found was stunning. Overall, the lake’s panfish abundance had fallen an estimated 75% in just the last 10 years, with bluegill and rock bass abundance down an estimated 65% and 89% respectively, showing that these populations also appear to be collapsing. Intense sampling throughout 2012 found only a single black crappie under six years of age, showing another alarming recruitment failure in several consecutive years. When Matzke analyzed the ages of Lake Ellwood’s northern pike population, the results were even more disappointing: There were no pike under the age of eight!

 

Matzke stared at the data he had collected. His department had never seen a mystery like the absolute and complete recruitment failures of native northern pike, black crappie, and largemouth bass (along with significant reductions in recruitment of other panfish populations). He shared his findings with other fisheries professionals across the state and they all said the same thing.  They had never seen a collapse like this in their careers. Matzke and his team scrambled to collect more data and tried to find a cause that could have brought the fish to the brink of extirpation in Lake Ellwood. Surveys from 2002 had shown normal abundance, size structure, growth, and recruitment in all of these species. What had happened in the last ten years that was preventing fish from successfully reproducing?

 

The only thriving species of game fish in the lake were smallmouth bass. Their abundance and size structure had grown in the last decade and recruitment was high.  This suggested that the problem was targeting specific species of fish. Because Lake Ellwood’s smallmouth bass were doing so well while the other species were collapsing, the focus turned to the lake’s historically sparse but important aquatic plant community. All the species showing recruitment failures are highly dependent on aquatic vegetation for spawning as well as cover and food for their young. Matzke observed that smallmouth bass seem to be different. “The fact that this species was not affected by the reduction in plant life,” he said, “is not a major surprise since as a species smallmouth bass are less dependent on aquatic vegetation.”

 

The Smoking Gun

 

Eurasian Water Milfoil was discovered in Lake Ellwood in 2002. Herbicide treatments began in 2003 and increased every year. By 2007 recruitment of northern pike, largemouth bass and black crappie had come to an end. “When I started to analyze the data it was strikingly obvious to me that there are some problems associated with the herbicide”, said Matzke. When he graphed the fish abundance (by year class) over the last decade and overlaid it with a graph showing yearly herbicide treatments, he found what he believed was a critical connection.  Fish numbers fell as the amount of herbicide increased.  Interestingly, in the year following a relatively low application of herbicide, young bluegill (and black crappie to a much smaller degree) began to appear again, but their numbers are still very low and they will likely disappear before they reach age 2.

 

 

 

Year class strength, indexed using age estimation to determine number of individuals of each year class captured during a 2012 comprehensive survey, for northern pike, black crappie, largemouth bass and bluegill plotted against the number of pounds of 2,4-D (not acid equivalent) used to treat aquatic plants in Lake Ellwood, Florence County, 2003-2012.

 

 

 

“We still wonder which stage of reproduction has failed in these species”, says Matzke. “Aquatic vegetation plays a major role in spawning site selection and in the survival of eggs and fry. Plants are also the source of primary production providing food and habitat for young fish and prey items, including invertebrates and minnows. It seems likely that one or all of these important phases of reproduction are dwindling in Lake Ellwood.”

 

On April 17, 2013 Matzke met with the Lake Ellwood Association to reveal his data and conclusions. He told the group, “The main cause for failed northern pike, largemouth bass and black crappie recruitment (along with the massive reduction in panfish abundance) appears to be the loss of aquatic vegetation.” The 2-4-D herbicide used on Eurasian watermilfoil had been successful in reducing the abundance of this invasive species significantly. Conversely, other native plants were also harmed by years of chemical treatment. Matzke said he has no reason to believe the chemicals have directly caused a failure in reproduction of any species of fish in Lake Ellwood. However, Matzke does believe that the chemicals have indirectly caused recruitment failure by eliminating too many of the aquatic plants young fish need in order to survive.  Matzke has called for a change in the way the Lake Ellwood Association has been managing the lakes aquatic plants.  He recommended that further chemical treatments for milfoil be stopped.

 

“First and foremost,” says Matzke, “we need to promote and strengthen aquatic vegetation in Lake Ellwood.” He stresses the role of aquatic vegetation in spawning and concludes that the loss of vegetation (including the invasive milfoil) has almost certainly wiped out a great deal of forage for young fish.

 

It seems that milfoil treatments controlled the invasive plant but also jeopardized the health of the lakes fishery. Today the lake contains a dwindling and rapidly aging population of largemouth bass, black crappie, northern pike, and bluegill. Matzke hopes the plants will come back in time for the remaining old fish to produce at least one year class before they die. If that doesn’t happen, many fish populations will likely be extirpated from Lake Ellwood. New fish can be stocked, of course, but the lake would lose the unique genetic lineage of the fish that have lived there for thousands of years.

 

 

The Future

 

Could chemical herbicide treatments for Eurasian watermilfoil be reducing fish recruitment in other lakes? None of the other lakes that have been receiving chemical treatments have had their fish populations surveyed this intensely. Large scale recruitment problems due to loss of important plant cover could be taking place throughout the region where the invasive plant is now being fought. There is no way to know if this is happening, and frankly, up until now, there has been no reason to find out.  Fisheries experts around the state are only now learning of Matzke’s findings on Lake Ellwood. In the future, they will likely start paying more attention to fish recruitment on lakes treated for Eurasian watermilfoil which would allow the Department of Natural Resources to determine whether this crisis is an isolated instance or a more widespread problem.

 

In the meantime, it’s a race against time for Lake Ellwood’s native fish. The question remains: Will the plants come back in time to save these fish populations?

Non-Profit Group Creating Fish Habiat

Non-Profit Group Creating Fish Habiat for the Cape Fear River

A project to help restore declining fish populations is underway along the Cape Fear River.  We’ll explain how crushed granite will be the basis for a new fish habitat. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Trade practices around the port city of Wilmington over the past century have caused a significant decline in the number of fish in the Cape Fear River.  But thanks to the efforts of a local non-profit, their populations are staging a comeback.  Cape Fear River Watch Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette says there are several reasons why the fish numbers have dropped, but main reason is the construction of three dams on Cape Fear River in the early 1900’s.  The dams were originally built to facilitate trade and commerce along Cape Fear River between Wilmington to Fayetteville.

“Barges would approach the dam and would move into a lock chamber adjacent to the dam and that lock chamber would be flooded or drained depending on which way they were going and those boats would continue upstream.”

While the dams were beneficial for navigating barges and vessels, they prevented migrating fish species like striped bass, American shad, as well as the endangered Atlantic sturgeon and short nose sturgeon from swimming upstream to spawn during the spring.

“The American shad for instance, we are basically at 10 percent of what historic levels were. Nine out of every ten fish that used to be in the Cape Fear River are not there now. But none of these fish, none of these migratory species are even approaching the population numbers that would be considered healthy.  So, they all need help.”

To help restore the natural migration of fish in the Cape Fear River, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed of a fish ladder at Lock and Dam one in Reigelwood last year. It’s the first one of its kind on the east coast of the United States.  Fish climb the stair-step like structure made from carefully placed rocks by leaping out of the water, level by level, until they’re over the twelve foot high dam.  It’s the first migrating season since the fish ladder has been in place, and Burdette says it’s being used.

“The Division of Marine Fisheries has tagged fish with sonic tags then they’ve gone out and collected this data and these studies show these fish are using these fish passages, striped bass and shad are both using these fish passages, they’re both moving upstream unassisted for basically the first time in one hundred years so it’s really a significant breakthrough for the Cape Fear River and the migratory fish in the Cape Fear River.”

Now two more Cape Fear fish ladders are in the planning phase. Two grant applications were recently submitted to the National and Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to fund the design, construct, and monitor rock ramp fish ladders at the other dams on the Cape Fear River.

While one project focuses on helping migrating fish travel upstream, another project in the works will help restore breeding habitat.  Coastal Scientist Dawn York explains the project.

“Basically, the premise is to design a site where we can place about 1,000 tons of rocks down in an area that will help enhance spawning habitat for American shad.”

York is with Dial Cordy and Associates, an independent environmental consulting firm working with the Cape Fear River Watch as well as state and federal agencies on creating the fish habitat. She says the rocks will be placed at a half-acre area downstream of lock and dam 2.  An exact location for the habitat hasn’t been decided.  Crushed granite, ranging in size from 2 to 10 inches, will be set at the bottom of the Cape Fear River providing a safe place for striped bass, herring, and sturgeon to lay their eggs.  York says a dredging company in Wilmington will help facilitate the construction.

“They’ll travel up river it’ll take about 4-5 days to mobilize to lock and dam 2. They’ll use their excavator and smaller equipment to get the material onto a barge and they can handle about 90 tons per day. So we’re anticipating the construction of the restoration of habitat will take about 4 to 6 weeks.”

York says they want the first and last ton of granite material to be hand tossed into the water by volunteers.

“The rest of it would then be handled by the barge and mechanical means, basically an arm that will come down and grab large handfuls of material and place it into the river.  It’s going to be sort of spaced out over a half acre, so it’s sort of a flat area.

Construction should take place between December of this year and February 2014. The project can’t begin sooner because of a moratorium banning the placement of material in the water due to fish migration.  Cape Fear River Watch Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette says the next several months will be spent finding the best location for the new fish habitat.

“It’s not nearly as simple as taking rock out there and dumping it off.  What we’re really going to do is side scan assessments of the riverbed and what we’re trying to do there is understand what the riverbed looks like and what the substrate looks like and identify the best places to put the granite.”

Even with the project wrapping up in early 2014, Burdette says their work repopulating the waters of Cape Fear River with migrating fish species is far from over.

“The project at lock and dam number one was a huge first step, but it’s not the last step.  We still have two more dams we need to have fish passage around because we really need these fish to get up into the fall line, that’s the area where they want to spawn, that’s the area where spawning would be most successful and so that’s where we need to go.”

Even though the construction isn’t underway, the project is already receiving national attention.  The National Fish Habitat Partnership has listed the Cape Fear River as one of the “10 Waters to Watch,” for its locally driven conservation areas and ongoing efforts.

Fishing is permitted at all three lock and dam sites, however, there is a moratorium on keeping striped bass.  It is illegal to keep sturgeon because they are an endangered species.  A dock was recently installed at lock and dam number one downstream from the dam structure and Burdette says it’s a popular fishing site for shad.   If you’d like to see a picture of the fish ladder in place at lock and dam one in Reigelwood, go to publicradioeast.org.

For more on Cape Fear River Watches fishery restoration efforts, click here: http://www.capefearriverwatch.org/advocacy/fish-restorationBy JARED BRUMBAUGH

B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Improves Habitat with long Term Advantages

Artificial Habitat Benefits Bass Fisheries

DateFriday, March 8, 2013 at 9:21AM  ActivistAngler.com

Fisheries in West Virginia and New Mexico are showcasing a new generation of manmade habitat, thanks to innovative state conservation directors in the B.A.S.S. Nation (BN).

Both Jerod Harman and Earl Conway saw the need for effective and long-lasting habitat in reservoirs that endure huge water fluctuations on a regular basis. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

“Climate change is already impacting the Southwest,” said New Mexico’s Conway. “Over-allocation of water rights and drought have drained many reservoirs in New Mexico and west Texas. Shoreline and aquatic vegetation is gone and replanting is futile when lake levels fluctuate 20 feet or so every year.

“That’s where floating islands come to the rescue.”

In West Virginia, meanwhile, the West Virginia BN has teamed with a company that makes fish habitat from recycled vinyl and reclaimed PVC to build an “oasis for bass” in Sutton Lake, according to Jerod Harman.

It consists of pea gravel, spider blocks, artificial structures fromFishiding, and vegetation growing in a 5,000-square-foot cage on a mud flat, with a creek channel nearby.

“The artificial structures attract the bass looking for a place to spawn,” Harman explained. “The pea gravel provides the correct bottom structure for bedding.

“When the young bass hatch, the artificial structures help provide a protective environment. The periphyton (mixture of algae, microbes, and bacteria that forms the base of food chain) will provide nutrients for growth, and, later on, the small bass fry can relocate to inside of the vegetation cage for protection from predators.

“This is something that I am really excited about!”

Harman added that he believes the habitat made by Dave Ewald’s Illinois company, which features vinyl strips attached to a heavy base, will greatly enhance periphyton growth, as well as provide better cover for survival of young bass than will the spider blocks alone.

“The structures are ready for installation right out of the box, and David was great to work with,” the conservation director said. “I would definitely recommend these, especially for a small group of volunteers who need to complete a larger-scale project in a limited amount of time.”

Conway and the New Mexico BN also are growing periphyton, but on floating islands instead of vinyl strips. One of those islands, complete with spawning platform, won the 2010 Berkley Conservation Award and was the first step in what the conservation director hopes will be a major habitat restoration project for Elephant Butte.

Bruce Kania’s Floating Island International, a Montana company, has provided the New Mexico BN with prototypes and expertise.

“Floating islands aren’t new,” Conway said. “They occur in nature and have a proven track record for improving water quality and enhancing fish production, but I think that we are just beginning to realize how they can add an entirely new dimension to habitat restoration options.

“My experience is that the shade and food they provide makes them better fish attractors than boat docks or tire water breaks. They are being used more often in public waters and it is just a matter of time until someone wins a major tournament or catches a monster bass off a floating island.”

(This article appeared originally in B.A.S.S. Times.)

Fish Habitat Structures built for fish to live at Lake Julia

HERMITAGE — With the dredging of Lake Julia just about complete and the lake bed for the most part frozen, park personnel, consultants and volunteers took to the mud and muck Saturday building and placing fish habitat structures.

The structures, built at Buhl Farm park, Hermitage, will give fish a place to nest and lay eggs and escape their larger enemies, but also will help anglers know where to cast their lines.Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

Volunteers from Shenango River Watchers and Farrell Area High School; workers from dredging contractor Kirila Contractors Inc., Brookfield; park personnel; and agents of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission built and placed four kinds of structures out of rock and wood boards or posts – rock stars, spider humps, rock clusters and rock rubble humps.

While some of the structures are just piles of rocks or posts sunk into the lake bed, others are more elaborately constructed.

Spider humps are made of treated posts as a foundation, with hemlock posts secured to the treated posts, emanating outward like spider legs, and sandstone rocks piled on top.

Another kind, porcupine crib juniors – boxes built of hemlock boards arranged in the manner of Lincoln logs with gaps to allow the fish to enter – were assembled by fifth-graders from the Shenango Valley schools who participated in the last Outdoor Environmental Education Day at the park.

The structures with wood stimulate the natural food chain by giving  algae something to grow on. Invertebrates will feed on the algae and fish will eat the invertebrates, said Keith Beamer, lake habitat manager for the fish commission.

“It’s sort of like a coral reef out in the ocean,” said Jeff McDowell, who works for the maintenance department of the park.

The lake was drawn down last year to improve the dam outflow structures and officials decided to have the lake dredged while the water level was reduced to that of a stream.

The process killed all the fish that lived in the lake, but park officials and the fish commission came up with a plan to restock it with bluegill, crappie, bass and catfish. Officials plan to have local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts help with the stocking.

Posts made of alkaline copper quaternary treated wood will stick out of the surface of the water, giving anglers a guide for casting.

“The fishermen like it because they know where the fish are more likely to be,” Beamer said.

Although the wood is treated, it is not supposed to harm the lake’s water quality or any of the creatures that live in the water, Beamer said.

The boards are made of hemlock, which are expected to have a 50-year underwater life.

The restocked fish will be fingerlings, but officials are talking about putting in trout to give anglers something to cast for this year.

Park officials are not in a hurry to refill the lake as ice on the structures could damage them, but believe it will fill quickly once the outflow is closed.

“Some places, it’s going to be 18, 20 feet deep,” said Thomas W. Kuster, park board member and trustee.

Kirila workers, who used heavy equipment to dig holes for the treated posts and move around the 15 tons of rock used to build the structures, stayed on after the structures were placed to smooth out the lake bed.

“They’ve really gone the extra mile,” Kuster said of Kirila workers. “They’ve taken pride in the project.”By Joe PinchotHerald Staff Writer

CDM Smith Engineers Recommend Fishiding Habitat for California’s Machado Lake Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project

Machado Lake and its surrounding environment are in need of a major recovery effort. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has identified the lake as an impaired water body for DDT, PCBs, pesticides, ammonia, algae, eutrophic conditions, trash, and odor, all of which have negatively affected human as well as aquatic health. This restoration project needs the support of the community to meet the goals of clean water, wildlife improvements, and healthy parks for Los Angeles.

Engineers for the project CDM Smith, specifiy artificial products from Fishiding.com  for numerous reasons. The inert, reclaimed PVC limbs will last for decades or more underwater. The PVC material attracts bio-film and peripyton growth excessively, superior to other products. The ability to bend to shape and drop in the water landing upright, is another key feature.

American made from post consumer materials with no manufacturing process, these multi-faceted and species specific habitat units excell in developing protection and food, in the purest and natural form. Leading the Nation and the World  in cutting edge design and engineering experience, CDM Smith is the firm, policy makers look to for advice and decisions utilizing BMP’s for our Nation and beyond.

Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

Non native turtles such as red eared sliders as well as snapping turtles have been found, all dumped by people. Essentially, Lake Machado has turned into a repository for unwanted non native aquatic pets. Which is a shame considering the fact long ago , the lake was a natural body of water supporting indigenous species that no longer reside there.

Not everything about the lake is unpleasant. Amazingly, it attracts a wide variety of wading and aquatic bird species: snowy egrets, blue herons, green herons, black crowned night herons, cormorants, coots, ducks, bitterns, Caspian terns and least terns.

Driving by Harbor City’s 231-acre regional park, Machado Lake looks to be a serene and picturesque oasis. Close up, the reality is harsh.

For years the lake, which holds runoff storm water from the area, has collected everything from pesticides to swarms of mosquitoes and piles of trash.

What once was a pristine spot for bird watchers has deteriorated through the decades. The park now draws homeless encampments and has become a haven for lewd activity.

Habitat products both natural and artificial, are designed throughout the lake, creating a perfect environment for aqautic development and health.  Hundreds of  Fishiding Keeper and Safehouse models will be installed in clusters of five. These models allow engineers to place the habitat structures on ranging degrees of slopes, overseeing detailed specifications regarding spacing, type and texture.

The plan looks like a well designed landscape, only to be submerged for the fish. Large tree trunks, boulders and native plants will also be installed in abundance. Spawning gravels and aggregates will be spread in key areas to promote a yearly, healthy spawn of native fish and aquatic life.

Laddie Flock, owner of Floating Islands West, will be a key player in the installation and maintainence of the Floating Islands.

Floating islands will be created for nesting areas to support native habitat, as well as providing support for additional  habitat products to be suspended from the islands, which act as floating treatment wetlands. These magical islands not only provide habitat for fish, birds, bugs etc. , but even more amazing, they remove unwanted, over abundant nutrients and convert them back to food for the fish, naturally without chemicals. Fishing will be fantastic and the water quality will impress anyone and all that enjoy it’s surroundings.

Benches and other park amenities also will be added to the 231-acre Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park that surrounds the body of water.

“There are four goals: water quality improvements, recreational enhancements, wildlife habitat improvements and flood control,” said Michelle Vargas, public information officer for the city of Los Angeles.

“Clearly this will be a major improvement over what we’ve seen in decades of neglect,” said Jess Morton, also of the Audubon Society.

“You won’t see the summertime die-off of fish and birds caused by nutrient loads,” Morton said.

Algae, pesticides and pollutants such as metals from area industry are likely to be found in the sediment at the bottom of the lake once dredging begins and safely removed.

Once known by locals as “the slough,” the area was owned by the Dominguez family in the 1700s and American Indians remained prevalent around the lake. The property later went to the Sepulveda family.

It was annexed in 1906 to the city of Los Angeles and eventually was designated as a regional park.

In the 1990s, the park was named for Ken Malloy, a San Pedro environmentalist who died in 1991 at the age of 78.

Malloy came upon the undeveloped area in the 1930s when his car bumped into some cows grazing on the property and spent years nurturing it.

Convinced it could someday become a grand regional park, Malloy later formed the 62-acre Machado Youth Campground within the park. He was instrumental in planting hundreds of trees in the park as well, working with the California Conservation Corps.

Much more information coming soon as this 2-1/2 year projects begins this spring. For questions about fishing habitat products call 815-693-0894 or e-mail david@fishiding.com

STORY UPDATE: HERE

Students turn Christmas trees into fish habitat

Snowflakes painted a picturesque winter scene Thursday morning throughout Demopolis.

However, the cold weather didn’t stop eager Demopolis High students, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, from working to create fish habitats along the river.

“The snow is not going to stop us,” Anne Cross, ranger said. “We are excited to come together as a community to create fish habitat.”

The students and USACE workers bundled old Christmas trees that will soon be sunk in different areas along the river. The trees make great habitats for fish like crappie.

Pieces of iron will be tied to the trees that will sink them about 10 feet or so, according to Brandon Smith from USACE.

Various participants helped to band trees together to create fish habitats. Shown in the picture are Jason Cassity, Austin Thornbough, Brandon Smith, Marshall Thomas, Joy Snellgrove, Dakota Cunningham, Blake Bowden, Ben Sherrod and Anne Cross (kneeling).

Demopolis High school FFA club and agriculture department worked on the project.

Students in the high school FFA club and agriculture department worked on the project.

Teacher Joy Snellgrove said experience teaches students several valuable skills by granting them this hands-on experience.

“It teaches them more about conservation efforts,” she said. “Also they learn job skills and get to see other job opportunities out there.”

Students thought the project was very fun, despite Thursday’s cold weather.

“It’s fun to do something like this and help,” Dakota Cunningham, a junior said.

Cunningham said students have been learning more about reusing items in class and this project gave them a chance to get help in the community.

Later this month, there will be three boats that will go out on the river to drop the trees. The trees were all donated from people throughout Demopolis. Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

Also partnering with DHS and the USACE for the project is Alabama Power, the city of Demopolis, Tractor Supply, the U.S. Coast Guard and volunteers of Foscue Park.By Brittney Knox

Artificial fish habitat programs boost reputation of GRDA lakes

Professional Angler sees the benefits of GRDA programs …

Langley – Although February 2013 will mark the first time that the Bass Master Classic tournament has visited Grand Lake, that does not mean participating fishermen will be unfamiliar with the popular fishing waters. Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

Grand Lake is always among the most popular angler destinations in Oklahoma and the surrounding region. Its 46,500 acres of water offer plenty of locations and plenty of room for landing the big one or just passing the time and wetting a hook.

Volunteers gather for instructions from the GRDA Ecosystems Management Department during a “Rush For Brush” event held in the Spring of 2012. Local anglers – both casual and professional – have seen the benefits of this GRDA program and other fisheries enhancement efforts on Grand and Hudson lakes.Volunteers gather for instructions from the GRDA Ecosystems Management Department during a “Rush For Brush” event held in the Spring of 2012. Local anglers – both casual and professional – have seen the benefits of this GRDA program and other fisheries enhancement efforts on Grand and Hudson lakes.

Still, in recent years, the Grand River Dam Authority Ecosystems Management Department has been very active in lake-enhancement programs designed to both protect and preserve the waters of Oklahoma’s third-largest reservoir. The department was established in 2004 and has stayed busy with efforts like aquatic plant transplant programs, new oversight efforts for fishing tournaments and the very popular “Rush For Brush” artificial fish habitat effort. In late November the department also announced the first annual “Crappie Christmas” program to collect used live Christmas trees after the holidays for use at fish habitats.

“Our ‘Rush For Brush’ program is one of the most popular things we do,” said GRDA Fisheries Coordinator Brent Davis. “We seem to get more and more volunteer interest every year and it’s been very successful.”

GRDA’s efforts at fisheries enhancement have not been lost fishing enthusiasts – even those who do it professionally. Edwin Evers (Talala, Oklahoma), who will compete in the upcoming Bassmaster Classic knows the waters of Grand Lake well and also knows what it’s like to help with the GRDA’s artificial fish habitat efforts.

“The coolest thing they do to manage these lakes is they have this Rush For Brush,” said Evers. “This where volunteers come out and build habitats with materials supplied by GRDA, then fishermen can put them where they want to in the water. It’s just another thing GRDA does to make our lakes so great.”

All that habitat does make a difference in angler success. Each year, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) releases an Oklahoma Bass Tournaments Annual Report. In the most recent report, with numbers from 2010, Grand Lake ranks third to continue “its annual showing at or near the top of our list,” states the ODWC report. In past years, GRDA’s Lake Hudson has also been a frequent visitor to the top 10 list. In other words, a standard answer to the age-old question “where are they biting?” can almost always be “Grand and Hudson.”

Meanwhile, GRDA’s efforts to help manage catches at all those tournaments are also good for the lakes, said Evers.

“The other thing I think makes a big difference in why Grand Lake is so good is how GRDA manages the summer months,” said Evers. “During those times when fish are caught deep and water temperatures are really high, they limit the amount of fish that can come in during a tournament. They go from a five fish limit to a four fish limit in June and July. Then, they take it to a three fish limit in August when it’s the absolute hottest. When you do that, there is a lot less stress on the fish.”

All those efforts help GRDA to meet not only its ecosystems management mission but they also aid the economic development mission. A good tournament reputation helps bring in more tournaments, which bring in more dollars to the lake area. Of course, the upcoming Bassmaster Classic has the reputation as the biggest and most prestigious of all.

Davis, who works closely with tournament officials on GRDA lakes, said larger, more prestigious tournaments like the Classic equal even more money spent per angler, per day.

“I am going to say $300 to $400 per day,” he said, pointing out that those numbers are just for the anglers themselves, and do not include the dollars spent by the fans who attend the events.

All those people will get to experience one of the best lakes to be found, said Evers.

“When I think of Grand, what pops in my mind is one of the premier lakes in the country,” he said. “It’s as good as it possibly gets.”

With a continued focus on good management practices, and ongoing programs that involve lake-area stakeholders, GRDA is working to keep it that way.
Headquartered in Vinita, GRDA is Oklahoma’s state-owned electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes.

Directly or indirectly, GRDA’s low-cost, reliable; electricity serves nearly 500,000 homes in Oklahoma and stretches into 75 of 77 counties in the state. At no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers, GRDA also manages 70,000 surface acres of lakes in the state, including Grand Lake, Lake Hudson and the W.R. Holway Reservoir. Today, GRDA’s 500 employees continue to produce the same “power for progress” that has benefited the state for 75-plus years.

Wisconsin’s Vilas County “Lake Leaders” enhance lake stewardship getting attention

Photo Caption: Oneida and Vilas County graduates of Crew 9 of the Lake Leaders Institute at Aldo Leopold’s Shack.  From left to right are Quita Sheehan, Dave Blunk, Kathy Noel, Laura Herman, Dennis Burg, Carol Warden, and Steve Budnik.Photo Caption: Oneida and Vilas County graduates of Crew 9 of the Lake Leaders Institute at Aldo Leopold’s Shack. From left to right are Quita Sheehan, Dave Blunk, Kathy Noel, Laura Herman, Dennis Burg, Carol Warden, and Steve Budnik.

Oneida, Vilas County residents recognized as Lake Leaders

Seven Oneida and Vilas County residents recently graduated from the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute.  The Lake Leaders Institute is a statewide leadership program aimed at helping lake stewards gain a better understanding of lake ecology and how to work with state and local governments to assure lakes get the attention they need.  Through a combination of reading, classroom activities, and field experiences, participants learned about lake management, local and state government, and leadership skills.
The Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute draws participants from across the state to take part in a series of three two-day seminars.   Participants demonstrate a commitment to protecting the integrity of the lakes in Wisconsin with an investment of their time and a $300 tuition fee.   Carol Warden, one of the recent graduates, reflects their passion “I’ve found nothing on earth more calming, life-giving, satisfying, and exhilarating than time spent on a lake.  And therefore, I can find nothing more on earth that I want to work harder to protect and keep than our lakes.” 
Local members participating as part of “Crew 9” Lake Leaders include Dave Blunk of Squaw Lake in Vilas and Oneida counties; Steven Budnik of the Turtle Lakes Chain in Winchester; Dennis Burg of the Eagle River Chain of Lakes; Laura Herman, Statewide Citizen Lake Monitoring network Coordinator with UWEX; Katherine Noel from Indian Lake in Oneida County; Quita Sheehan, Vilas County Conservation Specialist; and Carol Warden, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist with the UW Center for Limnology at Trout Lake Station.  The graduation ceremony took place at the Aldo Leopold Shack near Baraboo, a fitting setting for celebrating the lake leaders accomplishments and looking ahead to their conservation journeys in the world of lakes.
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“This is the most complete lake ecology course I’ve ever been involved in,” commented Dave Blunk.  Professional lake workers agreed.  “I have worked with lake issues for years and I still learned so much from the Lake Leaders Institute.  The sessions covered topics ranging from leadership, values, and environmental ethics to lake ecology and human impacts to lake advocacy and citizen involvement.  It was an “A to Z” lake learning experience,” said Laura Herman.
All this passion and commitment benefits Wisconsin taxpayers and lake users.  “With over 15,000 lakes statewide and a modest number of state staff in service to protect them, it is clear that no one state agency or unit of government can independently provide the attention that each lake deserves” explained Patrick Goggin, UW-Extension Lake Specialist.  “This leadership program provides local lake leaders with effective tools and resources to assist them as they volunteer their skills and talents to the stewardship of our lakes”.
The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership is a team made up of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the citizen advocacy organization Wisconsin Lakes.  Together they recognized the need for new and on-going leadership in the management of our lakes and created the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute in 1996.  The mission of the Institute is to assist citizen lake leaders or “crew members,” in developing and enhancing both their technical and people skills, ultimately enriching their communities and the waters within them.  Since its inception, 200+ participants have graduated from the Institute and have made significant contributions in addressing a host of diverse water management challenges. The program has received national attention as an effective strategy to enhance lake stewardship and protection. Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com
For more information about the Lakes Leadership program contact Quita Sheehan at (715) 479-3646  mashee@co.vilas.wi.us , UW-Extension Lakes staff at (715)-346-2116,  uwexlakes@uwsp.edu  or visit their website  http://www4.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/lakeleaders/ .
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