Part Two: Integration There’s no such thing as a single artificial habitat that does it all. That’s why Fishiding habitat comes in various and many different design models. Each habitat model is conceived to achieve a specific purpose or to serve in a specific range of depth. In this time-lapse video, you see several of our “Bunker” models combined with two “Small Stake” units. Every Fishiding habitat is designed to mimic something in nature. When it comes to artificial habitat, our research shows that fish prefer complex designs that resemble natural elements like macrophytes or coarse woody habitat; they shy away from assemblages that look foreign and out of place. Since they mimic cattails, the “Bunker” and “Small Stake” models are best in shallow littoral zones where fish would naturally expect to find such environments. In these locations, they get plenty of sunlight and quickly grow algae. This gives them a fuller and bushier appearance and helps to create more caverns in the interior core that small fish use for concealment. Every Fishiding habitat model provides tight nooks and crannies completely inaccessible to larger fish; this feature ensures genuine protection for juvenile fish. This video shows the seamless integration of the habitat and the Chara that grows on the floor of the lake. It’s always desirable to combine artificial habitat with natural elements whenever it’s possible. When you marry the right artificial structure to natural components, it becomes part of the mosaic of the lakescape instead of intruding into or disrupting the ecology. Even in lakes devoid of aquatic vegetation, other naturally occurring elements can usually be incorporated to add dynamism to the structure. Centrachids are particular fond of these habitats and will orbit them persistently—in exactly the same way they relate to cattails in the lake. For young of the year fish, these structures are homes in a literal sense. They provide essential cover, harbor invertebrates, and give the young fish a good head start. At this time, the other types of artificial habitat available simply lack the complexity to provide these vital benefits. These habitats are often spindly exposed frames and possess nothing that can be used for concealment or refuge. Effective fish habitat must have a labyrinth of pockets and retreats that are completely inaccessible to predators. The most impressive part of this video is what you can’t see. Nearby, and just out of camera range, is a wide assortment of brush piles, coarse woody habitat, rich beds of aquatic plants, and other elements that nature abundantly provides in healthy, vibrant, natural lakes. Even with this Camelot so near, fish still deem our Fishiding artificial habitat worthy of attention. We don’t maintain that artificial habitat is better than natural habitat, but by trying to mimic nature in our designs, we demonstrate that it’s possible to create credible surrogates. Designing and building effective fish habitat is a genuine science. It’s still in its infancy, but we’re learning a great deal every day about the nuances of design and deployment. With today’s deep interest in artificial fish habitat, we’re eager to share our findings with fisheries professionals who want to learn more. We’ve come a long way since the days of throwing discarded Christmas trees into our lakes and calling it a day. Stay tuned. In this continuing series, we’ll show you more underwater video of how fish utilize artificial habitat and reveal why so many popular designs are completely ineffective. For more information contact David Ewald at https://www.fishiding.com Phone: (815) 693-0894 Email: sales@fishiding.com)
The Science Behind Fishiding Artificial Fish Habitat-Time Lapse Video (Part 2 of 10)
The Science Behind Fishiding Artificial Fish Habitat (part 1 of 10):
By David Ewald & Eric Engbretson
Part One: How They Work
Fishiding Artificial Fish Habitat isn’t designed in and of itself to attract game fish. Instead, its purpose is to provide indispensable cover for juvenile and YOY fish. It’s this congregation of juvenile and forage fish that interests game fish. Other artificial fish habitat models attempt to attract larger piscivores, but because they lack the intrinsic tight spaces and crevices to provide real protection for juvenile fish, game fish don’t develop any allegiance to these structures. Imagine an open McDonald’s restaurant with no fresh food available. Customers may stop by, but they won’t stay. Conversely, Fishiding habitat presents a perpetual 24/7 buffet of potential available forage, but they ensure that adult centrarchids still have to work to eat. If the habitat structures are designed and installed in a way that don’t reduce the attack to capture ratio, they provide no benefit for forage species and consequently won’t hold any fish at all. The key is protection. Artificial structures must be complex enough microhabitats to afford genuine fortification for small fish. In the evaluation of other types of artificial fish habitat, this is the most critical and most often overlooked aspect of design. Effective fish habitat must be constructed with a labyrinth of pockets and retreats that are completely inaccessible to larger predators.
One of the things that separate Fishiding Artificial Habitat from other designs is the amount of research that has gone into observing the units after they’ve been deployed in the lakes. We spend hundreds of hours a year photographing, filming and observing how fish respond to various designs. We’re constantly testing and discarding design aspects that serve no function or purpose while enhancing other elements that we’ve learned are preferred by the fish. Through constant observation, we can determine which features are important to fish even if we don’t yet entirely understand why. It turns out that when it comes to accepting artificial habitat, we’ve discovered that fish are much more discriminating than we would ever have imagined. Because of that, every aspect of Fishiding habitat structures has a purpose or utility that the fish have shown us they prefer. We don’t merely guess at what we think the fish will like. We actually let them tell us.
In this sixty-second time-lapse video recorded over thirty minutes of real time, you can see the abundance of life that surrounds the Fishiding habitat. Once deployed, Fishiding structures quickly become assimilated into the environment by developing thick organic growth both on the panels and in the center cores. Several units placed closely together form a complex mosaic of habitat. As you can see, location placement is also important. We didn’t just toss them into the lake. In this instance, we’ve purposefully placed the units where they can be enveloped by a colony of Chara on the lake floor—a great platform to use if you can find it—and away from any other useful, existing habitat. The synergy of this natural element and the dark center core of the structures provides authentic sanctuaries for young fish. A myriad of shady, narrow passageways and small compartments provides an abundance of additional cover. When largemouth bass approach, it’s remarkable to see how effectively and quickly the forage fish are able to employ this cover for concealment. They seem to disappear before your eyes.
Fishiding Habitat structures also include some features designed to aid predator fish. Wide panels are bent to provide both vertical and horizontal planes that are cleverly utilized by larger bass as surreptitious ambush stations. In future videos, we’ll show you how bass use these ambush planes and why their exact width and placement are vital.
Designing and building effective fish habitat really is a science, and while it’s still in its infancy, we’re learning a great deal every day about the nuances of design and deployment. With so much interest in artificial fish habitat today, we’re eager to share our research findings with fisheries professionals who want to learn more. We’ve come a long way since the days of throwing discarded Christmas trees into our lakes and calling it a day. Stay tuned. In this continuing ten-part series, we’ll show you additional underwater video of how fish utilize artificial habitat and why so many popular designs are completely ineffective.
For more information contact David Ewald at https://www.fishiding.com Phone: (815) 693-0894 Email: sales@fishiding.com
The Science Behind Fishiding Artifical Fish Habitat-Time Lapse Video (Part 1 of 10)
Silt and sedimentation are clogging our nation’s waterways and reservoirs. Years of fluctuating water levels, erosion, development, nutrient loading and decomposition of natural materials, have put these waters in dire need of improvements. Fish habitat, which includes habitat for countless other equally important aquatic organisms, lacks to the degree on many U.S, waters, that no amount of fish stocking can improve the fishery. Without adequate habitat, the fish simply cannot survive.
Sedimentation fills mouths of bays
I met Shane Titus, Seneca Nation of Indians Fishery manager over three years ago as we began to talk about fish stocking, fluctuating water levels and ways of improving overall fish habitat on the Allegany River/Reservoir. Shane contacted me directly to understand more about our artificial habitat products and working together with ways to improve his local conditions. Here is a man with a unique perspective on Tribal rights as well as American U.S./State policies. Proudly having an Indian mother and Italian father, his gentle blend of both “sides”, make it evident that he is a special and highly qualified man for this job. His utmost concern is for the land, waters and the creatures within, helping sustain this natural environment, which breathtakingly surrounds himself and his people in western New York.
Allegany River flowing into the Allegany Reservoir through western New York’s Seneca Nation of Indians Reservation land.
Shane understands the benefits of adding habitat. He has installed habitat structures in the reservoir for many years and has a quite impressive reputation as a fisherman. “Because the reservoir is so lacking of good habitat, almost anything you add will usually hold some fish.” Prime habitat for all animals, including fish, focuses around diversity. All of the same is rarely best, no different than we humans see things. A less stressful environment grows healthy beings and fish health also is directly related to the stress they encounter surviving from fry through adulthood.
Silt clogs Allegany Reservoir/ river shallows
To best understand a healthy fish habitat, imagine a large tract of mature hardwood forest, noticing the plants from tiny grasses and ferns, up to shrubs, bushes and trees. Countless shapes, textures, densities and elevations provide unlimited choices of surroundings, depending on creatures needs. Tiny bugs and insects, utilize the fine forest floor, hiding and grazing on the abundant food available. Birds eat berries and some of those bugs, from the lower branches of bushes and undergrowth, while they defensively watch for danger from above or below. Deer, rabbit, and other small game enjoy the shade from the undergrowth as they hunt or rest. The bigger the tract of forest, the more variety and abundance animals it can/will sustain. Fish habitat is no different than a mature and healthy forest, requiring infinite variety to support diversity and abundance.
Unlimited detail, textures, shapes and sizes of habitat within a forest setting.
Increasing fish habitat groupings on a large scale creates unique areas and corridors for fish to flourish and increase in numbers, not simply attracting a few fish to the area for potential fisherman/predator fish to enjoy. The surface area of the habitat grows the food (periphyton) with more area being best and essential to a healthy eco-system. Tight, dense shaded areas are essential for small fish to hide and graze within the protection the substrate offers. Dense, ultra-fine cover at the water’s edge restores the once healthy mass of roots and aquatic plants, grasses and invertebrates that young fish need. Natural weed beds and large rocks once provided this surface area for periphyton and algae to grow, but now they have been lost to sedimentation.
Fish congregate around artificial habitat with food source and cover.
Titus was instrumental in obtaining a grant to help construct a new fish hatchery on the Reservation a few years back, which is now pumping out walleye and smallmouth fry annually for the Allegany.
Seneca Nation Hatchery
His next goal was to get the financial help needed to begin to reclaim areas of the Allegany Reservoir that had been degraded. “We have almost no shallow cover left for the fry, due to erosion and siltation. Bays that lock in fish as they lower the water levels, killing everything left. We need to scoop that stuff out so they can navigate in and out like they used to be able to.”
Siltation causing trapped fish resulting in massive fish kills.
As Shane continued to follow up on applications for various grant opportunities, our plans to work together to improve conditions on the Reservoir within the Reservation began to take shape. In late summer of 2014, notification was received of a grant award to the SNI from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation being part of the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency grant funding. I got the call from Shane that his application was approved and how he was not only grateful, but quite humbled. “Our people could never have been able to afford and accomplish so much, so quickly, on a scale of this size. This will make a huge, positive impact on the fishery across miles.”
Siltation creating barren underwater landscape.
Plans were made to drive the 600 miles out to review the site, along with numerous models of our Fishiding artificial habitat. Decisions were to be made as to which artificial habitat models would be best, where the grouping would go and the overall quantities involved.
Fishiding.com produces artificial fish habitat from reclaimed PVC vinyl siding contained in a weighted base. Models from 18” tall up to 15 feet create unlimited variety, textures and densities of cover, creating a truly natural underwater landscape for aquatic life to thrive within. Over 2300 units consisting of five different models were selected totaling over 64,000 sq. ft. of surface area, ranging from 48”x84” to 18”x30” in size.
Means being used to document the habitats ability to provide sustainable habitat and deter erosion are by way of sonar equipment, water quality testing, underwater cameras and scuba certified staff. We (SNIFWD, USACE, USFS, and PAFBC) will be looking for signs of life such as invertebrates, algae growth, insect life, eggs of all life (insects, fish, amphibians, etc.) and any species of fish utilizing the habitat for shelter and food for research purposes and decision making for future habitat projects.
Fishiding habitat holding eggs
“It’s a no brainer as I see it,” said Titus. “Using this safe, durable, long-lasting material for fish habitat instead of buried in landfills, is a win for the people, fish and the environment. We can grow that stuff right into the shoreline, creating fry habitat and stabilizing the bank at the same time. We can plant them like balled bushes and watch them grow with life each year.”
Areas to be included in the Allegany Reservoir Restoration and Resiliency Project
I was welcomed by Shane and the team of conservation officers at the Fish and Wildlife Department who proudly work to sustain this pristine land they call home. A first-hand view of the Reservoir in November, Shane showed me the areas that we had talked about, in dire need of restoration.
We walked the river edge, casting jigs for some feisty walleye and smallmouth, catching a few and releasing them back to swim away. “ I keep a couple here and there, but they still feel like my babies” Shane explained, after raising and releasing hundreds of thousands of fry from the SNI Hatchery facility he operates on the Reservation, releasing them into the Reservoir. He showed me areas devoid of cover, after erosion and low water had worn away the plants, depositing sediment where rock/rubble once exposed. Huge bays landlocked, explaining how many fish die each year, being stuck with no way out as water levels drop, despite volunteers and staff netting and saving thousands of fish each season. Water marks so high, trees and plants were washed away, only to leave the water’s edge barren for fish to contend with in the spring as they attempt to successfully spawn.
Low water exposes a barren litoral zone along the Allegany River/Reservoir.
Needless to say, excitement grew with the dream of being able to work along the river on a very large scale. To install thousands of individual habitat units creating tens of thousands of square feet of surface area would boost the fishery measurably. Concentrating on shoreline stabilization and fry recruitment, all targeting depths from 6 feet of water and under for the little fish, bugs and plant growth. Another additional benefit of large groupings of habitat is the excrement discarded by the fish and creatures that inhabit it fertilizing plant growth. Clearly aquatic growth, grass and weeds take root in the surrounding lake floor, being fertilized by the fish from above. Another win-win for the fish and the environment.
Bass on fishiding habitat
Project Abstract
The goal of this funding through established partnerships with the PAFBC, USFS, ACE will be to restore the habitat within the reservoir and create an enhanced water system that can tolerate high water events with minimal loss to wildlife and habitat.
The Seneca Nation of Indians has a long history of struggling to maintain its land base and yet there remains a unique and harmonious relationship between indigenous people and the concept of environmental sustainability. The Seneca people believe fully in the tenet of their forefathers, that everyone must plan for the future generations, up to and beyond the seventh generation. The current conditions that exist within the Allegany Reservoir create an intolerable struggle within the people as they are forced each year after year to witness thousands of fish dying, species disappearing or become species of concerns, a vital wildlife habitat lost. Over the past 60 years this reservoir has had numerous high water systems into the reservoir, suffocating aquatic species. Each event results in species lost, habitat lost, channels filled and community flooding.
The people of the Seneca Nation live and work on the same lands today that the Seneca people have inhabited for over 1000 years. The Seneca Nation holds title to five distinct but non-contiguous territories located in western New York, an area of the state where communities are primarily rural in geographic location. The territories are unique in its economic, social and environmental profile. With 53,884 acres, the Seneca Nation controls and holds a significant land base in western New York.
“The Allegany River/Reservoir Restoration and Resiliency Project”
Objectives/Outputs/Outcomes:
Create a healthier habitat for aquatic species within the Allegany Reservoir
10 acres will receive in stream habitat restoration efforts.
50 acres will benefit from artificial and natural habitat structures.
Enhance the flood plain and habitat restoration of the Allegany Reservoir through riprarian buffer restoration.
18.94 miles will have large debris removed from shoreline area.
10 acres will receive indigenous plantings.
Restore hydrology to land locked areas of the Allegany Reservoir.
7 land locked areas will be reconnected to the Allegany Reservoir.
15 acres will be cleaned of sediment, silt and nutrients.
The habitat has been delivered and equipment is in place. Over the next two years, Shane and his team will work all year around, improving the many areas covered within the grant. A great deal of the work will be during the winter months, when water levels are down and lakebed areas exposed. The team will use an earth auger to drill/install the many pole clusters to be installed to regain a plant base in the many washes, streams and creeks flowing into the reservoir. These barriers will catch debris during runoff, creating a medium for plants to begin to take hold. Dozers, trucks along with a good amount of manpower will begin to remove the 1000’s of cubic yards of sediment from the bays and openings, allowing the fish to again, freely pass.
Habitat being loaded for Seneca Nation Allegany Reservoir Project
The artificial habitat units will be planted individually in shallow, drilled holes and backfilled like a balled bush. Planted in large clusters, these units will become exposed each year as the water levels drop in the fall, but take on new life each spring as water levels rise and fish move in to seek spawning protection. Not only will the shallowest models protect fish, but allow shoreline plants and their roots to attach and take hold, strengthening and buffering the eroded shallows. With this substrate in place, only good things follow.
Shallow Cradle model for fry and shoreline stabization
Late in 2014, the Seneca Nation hosted its third annual “Allegany Reservoir Management Meeting”. Agencies that are represented at these meetings are: SNI Fish and Wildlife, SNI Administration Representatives, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, New York State department of Environmental conservation, US Army Corp of Engineers, ( KInzua staff, Pittsburg District), US Fish and Wildlife Service (Tribal Liaison, Great lakes rep., Hatchery Lamar PA, and Hatchery Kinzua PA), US Forest Service and California University of Pennsylvania. Topics discussed at these meetings are all the topics mentioned in the grant, plus stocking strategies, fish sampling surveys, fish pathology and funding opportunities. These “first of their kind” meetings are a shared water body being managed as a single water body.
Aquatic species that will benefit from the habitat are: Walleye (tribally significant species to Seneca culture and heritage) Smallmouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Paddlefish (endangered), Northern Pike, Muskellunge, White Bass, Yellow Perch, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Sunfish, Rock Bass, Sucker, Emerald Shiner, Golden Shiner, Fathead minnows, Spot Tail Shiner and Bluegill, Fresh Water Jelly fish, Aquatic spiders and Macro invertebrates.
Wildlife also benefitting from the habitat: Bald eagle, Golden Eagle, Cormorants, Loons, Ducks (all species), Canadian Goose, Osprey, Green Heron, Blue Heron, Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, Leather Back Turtle, Hellbender (amphibian, species of concern) and River Otter (species of concern)
Increased stewardship among the Seneca community will be an immeasurable benefit of this project. The SNI Fish and Wildlife Staff provide educational programs directed at youth to teach them about the environment and its importance to the health of all fish and wildlife. The SNI Fish and Wildlife Department plans on using these projects to create a three year educational tool for the youth and general public. The Seneca nation newsletter will be doing periodic articles to keep the public informed and involved in all aspects of the projects, to include the purpose, reasons, and outcomes of the work.
For more information regarding Reservoir habitat restoration, funding and other projects taking place, visit Friends of Reservoirs, which SNI Fish and Wildlife and Fishiding strongly support. Friends of Reservoirs (FOR), is a tax-deductible non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting and/or restoring fisheries habitat in reservoir systems nationwide. FOR is the funding arm of the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership, an organization of natural resource professionals and industry representatives, associated with the National Fish Habitat Partnership. FOR is also a coalition of local citizen groups dedicated to improving fish habitat in reservoir systems. David Ewald/ Fishiding.com
Underwater photography by Eric Engbretson, all rights reserved. For a complete library of Fishiding habitat underwater in various locations and conditions see Eric’s work here. Watch for much more information, photos and reports as this project gains momentum. We will be making many trips back to see Shane and his crew improving conditions on the Reservation. Fishing poles and tackle must be present for “testing”.
…is an American, woman-owned and operated small business whose goal for over thirty years has been to protect your property from the aesthetic and economic damage caused by invasive plant species. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
We provide a team of expert biologists, foresters, ecologists and managers to evaluate your environment, prioritize…more
In the far Northwest suburbs, away from the fast paced city of Chicago, a 17 year old boy loves the outdoors and fishing. This outdoor lifestyle in our youth is alive and well in our Nation, thanks in part to The Boy Scouts of America. As our world changes at this alarming rate, Scouts continue to build boys into men with ethical, honest and life building challenges. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
Aquatic Playground Can Turn Water Tanks Into Fish Schools
July 30, 2013 — Raising fish in tanks that contain hiding places and other obstacles can make the fish both smarter and improve their chances of survival when they are released into the wild, according to an international team of researchers. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
Juvenile Atlantic salmon raised in tanks with hiding places and floating artificial plants showed signs of improved brain function and could better navigate mazes than the salmon reared in standard hatchery tanks. The discovery may help fish hatcheries raise a smaller number of fish that can better survive in the wild. (Credit: Anne Gro Salvanes)
“It’s a key problem in that we are very good at rearing fish, but we’re really not very good at releasing those animals in the wild such that they survive,” said Victoria Braithwaite, professor of fisheries and biology, Penn State. “There’s a mismatch between the way we raise them and the real world.”
Juvenile Atlantic salmon raised in tanks that including pebble and rock hiding places and floating artificial plants were better able to navigate mazes and showed signs of improved brain function compared to the salmon reared in standard hatchery tanks, Braithwaite said. This may help conservation fish hatcheries raise and release fish that are better adapted to survive in the wild.
Conservation fish hatcheries raise cod, salmon, trout and other types of fish and release them in places where their species may be threatened, or where their populations are declining.
“The philosophy of most fish hatcheries is to rear a large number of fish and hope some survive,” said Braithwaite. “What this study is suggesting is that you could raise fewer, but smarter fish, and you will still have higher survivability once you release them.”
The researchers, who released their findings today (July 31) in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, placed pebbles and rocks at the bottom of the tank and added plastic plants weighted down so they would float vertically in the water. Braithwaite said the objects created a more natural, three-dimensional ecosystem.
“In the hatchery the world is homogenous, life is boring and monotonous,” Braithwaite said. “The water flow is the same, you don’t have to find your food and you don’t have to avoid predators.”
The researchers also moved the objects around about once a week during the eight-week study, which took place in Norway.
When the researchers placed the salmon in a maze, the fish raised in the enriched tanks made fewer mistakes when trying to escape the maze, Braithwaite said. The performance of the salmon from the enriched tank continued to improve with each trial, and they learned to solve the maze much faster than fish reared the standard way.
The brains of the fish from the enriched tank were also different from the fish raised in the standard hatchery tanks, according to the researchers.
They noted increased expressions of a gene in a region of the fish’s brain that is associated with learning and memory, an indication of increased brain function and growth. The fish raised in standard tanks did not show this sign of increased brain development.
Interacting with the environment can influence gene expression in the brain, Braithwaite said.
“The brain is a very plastic organ, it’s a dynamic structure,” said Braithwaite, who worked with Ann Gro Vea Salvanes, professor of biology; Olav
Moberg, doctoral student; Tome Ole Nilsen, researcher in marine development biology; Knut Helge Jensen, senior engineer in evolutionary ecology, all at the University of Bergen, Norway; and Lars O.E. Ebbesson, group leader of integrative fish biology, Uni Research, Bergen. Braithwaite said the enriched tanks created significant improvement in the intelligence and adaptability of the fish, but were relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Owners of fish hatcheries should be able to afford the creation of enhanced tanks.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Penn State, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
When I encounter fish cribs in lakes where I scuba dive, I typically see one of two opposite things: cribs holding fish, and cribs attracting no fish at all. In years of first-hand underwater observation, I have noticed that the cribs with fish share certain characteristics. So do the cribs devoid of fish. I’ve concluded that there are two key aspects of cribs that succeed in drawing and holding impressive numbers of fish. Those two critical components are design and location. Let’s look at each one separately and see why some cribs succeed while other cribs fail.
Design:
Years ago, fish cribs usually shared a single design. They consisted of big logs lashed together to make a cube like a miniature log cabin without a roof. The interior was stuffed with brush or tree branches and they were weighed down with concrete, cinder blocks, or heavy rocks. Since these structures can be very large, heavy, and almost impossible to move, they’re built in the wintertime in northern states and left on the ice, where they sink into place in the spring when the ice starts to melt. The cribs are usually square but sometimes rectangular. They are typically four or five feet high and four to eight feet long.
Since the classic wooden log-cabin style is the most popular kind of fish crib, my observations and comments focus on these specific types of cribs and in particular on the best ways to make them as effective as possible.
By their very nature, most fish cribs have a distinctly limited lifespan. When they’re fresh and their interiors are tightly packed with brush and tree limbs, minnows and juvenile fish will flock their way. The thick cover provides shelter and a place to hide from predators. The smaller fish penetrate deep into the cribs. Panfish will congregate outside or squeeze their way in where they can. Larger predator fish, such as bass and northern pike, will hang around the perimeter, attracted by the throngs of fish concentrated in this area.
The interior material of thick brush or tree branches gives rise to a problem that is endemic to fish cribs. The material provides dense cover that small fish need, but over time it disintegrates, leaving only the cribs’ outside skeleton intact. The center portion remains basically empty. Without brush and branches, the cribs can no longer protect small fish from larger fish. And once the small fish–a source of food–disappear, the crib also loses its appeal to the game fish, which no longer gather around the crib to enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet it once was. While these cribs might occasionally still draw a few larger fish for shade or cover, they lose their major attraction as a feeding center. Most people don’t understand that the secret ingredient that makes a crib design successful is not the frame or the exoskeleton, but the thick interior brush. If that’s not a central component from the start, or if it’s lost, cribs will stop attracting fish. The frame may stay intact and last for decades, but the brush deteriorates much more quickly. If there were some way to re-stock these cribs with interior brush, we could vastly extend their viability and lifetime.
The Vertical Dimension
Height is infinitely more important than length. The higher the walls of the crib extend from the bottom, the more attractive the crib will prove to fish. You want a piece of genuine structure, not something that is just an inconspicuous component of the floor of the lake. In fact, cribs should measure no less than four feet high. Fish want something well above the lake floor, and they like to choose the depth they want to hold while remaining close to the structure.
One of the best fish cribs I’ve ever seen was created entirely by accident. It was rectangular and four feet high, four feet wide, and 12 feet long. It was placed on the ice in 17 feet of water. When the ice melted in the spring, the rocks weighing it down shifted position, and the crib plunged to the bottom on its side. As a result, the crib towered 12 feet from the bottom. Underwater it looked like a skyscraper. Fish flocked to the crib and occupied various stories from top to bottom. A long, dark shadow fell on one side and served as a magnet for fish. In short, the structure turned into an amazingly effective accidental home. Another crib of the same dimensions fell nearby as originally intended but, since it ranged only four feet from the bottom, it attracted only a fraction of the fish the skyscraper did.
Complexity of Design
Since this is not an article about building cribs, I won’t go into the blueprints on how to construct them. The key element in one word is complexity. This refers to the guts of the crib, not the frame. The interior brush should be packed tightly enough to block out most light. Don’t worry about making it so dense that fish won’t be able to get inside. Pockets will form here and there, and fish are astoundingly adept at squeezing into the tiniest spaces. Long branches should extend from the crib on all sides and through all the slats. If possible, include some long branches stuck into the top of the crib to give it some extra dimension. The idea is to create as thick and complex a jungle as possible. The final result will resemble a thick mass of long branches extending from the dense pack inside the crib. The branches should reach from every depth of the crib in every direction and at every possible angle. If your finished crib looks even vaguely tidy, it needs more work.
View from Inside a Fish Crib (c)Eric Engbretson
Designs that Don’t Work from Day One:
Cribs that incorporate Christmas trees work adequately but for a very short time. Christmas trees deteriorate so quickly that in just a year or two, they no longer provide the complex cover that fish desire. In addition, fish will ignore cribs that are too small, too short, or too simple in design.
Examples of poor designs are cribs made of wooden pallets that rest only a couple of feet off the bottom, or cribs with huge spaces between pallets and no interior brush. Star-shaped cribs that resemble the obstacles used on the beaches of Normandy in World War II may look fascinating, but they lack the complexity, shade, and cover to attract fish well. Cribs containing white birch bark or white PVC pipe always fail. After all, fish refuse to be silhouetted against a white background that makes them too visible to predators. This list is scarcely exhaustive: There are many other design flaws in cribs that don’t attract fish.
Location:
Depth
When it comes to location, success depends largely on depth. When cribs are placed shallow enough to let sunlight reach them, they grow algae and other organic material. This serves as a food source for juvenile fish and also makes the cribs fuller and denser. When cribs are placed closer to the littoral zone, they’re much more accessible to the newly hatched fry that will quickly colonize them and provide the food that attracts larger fish.
When I’m scuba diving, I see fish cribs in deep water go largely unused most of the year. The water is colder here and may lack adequate oxygen. In general, these cribs receive visits by fish in fall and winter. On the other hand, fish in shallower water will use a crib virtually year-round. Some of the best fish cribs I’ve seen were ones that weren’t properly weighted. When the ice melted, they floated toward shore and ran aground. When allowed to remain in place, these cribs were quickly covered by algae and were populated immediately by juvenile fish and newly hatched fry. Despite their extremely shallow location, they attracted game fish year after year and even served some fish as a structure for spawning.
The Substrate
Cribs should always be placed on a hard bottom or substrate. If placed on a lake bottom with 12 inches of muck, let’s say, the crib will sink into the muck and you’ll effectively lose a foot of height. Since height is vital to fish, you don’t want to lose it. A muck bottom also eliminates the basement floor.
The Basement Level
Another reason a hard bottom matters is that you want about a foot of clearance between the lake bottom and the base of the crib. If fish can swim underneath your crib in this basement level, you’ve really got something to brag about. Walleyes and bass, by the way, are two species especially drawn to cribs that let them swim underneath.
Plants
If the crib rests in shallow water where plants can grow, it’s often possible to extend the life of the crib almost indefinitely. As multitudes of fish congregate around the crib season after season, their feces can accelerate a lush growth of plants. This patch of vegetation is denser than the surrounding area and creates desirable habitat all by itself. In time, after the interior brush decomposes, it’s possible that tall aquatic plants will replace it, a process that prolongs the lifespan and effectiveness of the crib. If the crib sits in water that’s too deep for plants to grow, none of this growth will take place.
Multiple Cribs in One Location
Cribs located close to each other always outperform single units. Fish will often travel back and forth in a cluster of cribs. Even if they are built alike and placed at the very same depth, they form individual identities, and multiple cribs will be used by different species in various ways. For example, one crib may attract many more rock bass than another that is just a few feet away and populated mainly by sunfish. The differences in the cribs are largely indiscernible to our eyes, but the fish notice subtle distinctions that drive their preferences. The rule, then, is simple: Multiple cribs offer multiple choices and greater numbers of fish.
Regulations
The regulations on the placement of fish cribs are mandated by Natural Resources Departments in many states and other jurisdictions. In my state, Wisconsin, permits for fish crib construction and placement explicitly instruct builders to place them with at least five feet of water over the top of the structure. Since the cribs themselves are typically four or five feet high, the minimum depth for placement is nine or ten feet. The concern here is understandable. Cribs can create hazards for boaters, who may be unaware of their locations. However, if I were placing cribs on my own private lake, free from regulations, I would place them shallow enough so that only two or three feet of water covered the top. This way, I might be able to replenish them with new brush from time to time as the older material disintegrated. This would greatly extend their natural lifespan.
The Future of Artificial Fish Shelters
In recent years, fish-crib makers have gotten very creative and used a variety of materials. Most popular of the new wave of materials are things normally destined for the junk pile or landfill. Today it’s not unusual to see fish cribs made of stacked wooden pallets, plastic, or PVC. They feature clever designs, and I’ve seen some of them underwater in lakes that I frequent. But the truth is that they don’t seem to fare well. While they may be lighter, easier, and cheaper to make, their main drawback is that they lack the size and complexity to prove attractive to fish. The best ones take up the most space and most effectively mimic trees, sunken timber, and other natural elements.
An example of a poorly constructed fish attractant. Notice the lack of complexity and the large open spaces that provide shade, but nothing in the way of cover. @Eric Engbretson Photo
Fish Cribs as Fish Habitat
Let’s get one thing straight. Fish cribs are definitely not fish habitat. They’re artificial constructions designed to concentrate unusually large numbers of fish in a very small area so fishermen can catch them. Fish cribs do not normally provide the elements fish need for spawning or nesting. At their best, fish cribs merely impersonate fish habitat. In fact, in lakes with an abundance of excellent fish habitat, even the best- made and best-placed cribs will go ignored by fish in favor of superior natural structure. In sum, fish cribs work best in lakes where there is little or no natural structure for fish to use.
Traits of Effective Cribs:
·They reside in relatively shallow water (10 to 15 feet)
·They receive ample sunlight and they support algae and other organic growth
·They are in water that is shallow enough to let submergent plants grow nearby
·They sit on a hard bottom
·They are at least four feet high
·They have a space at the base that lets fish swim under the crib
·They are thickly packed in the center with various sizes of brush and branches
·They have long and complex branches on all faces extending away from the crib
·They have a complex design
·They are placed together with other cribs
·They are in lakes that contain little or no natural structure
Traits of Ineffective Cribs:
·They sit in water that’s too deep (or too shallow if the water’s too warm for fish)
·They sit too deep to receive ample sunlight and support organic growth
·They are in water too deep for plants to grow nearby
·They sit on a mucky bottom
·They are less than four feet high
·They have no space at the base where fish can swim under the crib
·They contain Christmas trees or have little or no brush packed into their center
·They have a design of limited complexity
·They are placed alone
·They are in lakes with abundant natural habitat and structure
Conclusion
As with any set of guidelines and suggestions, there are always exceptions. My observations and conclusions come from years of scuba diving in the northern lakes of the upper Midwest. While complexity of design is universally important, in other parts of the country, many of my suggestions on placement may ignore local conditions and require adaptation. For example, in large southern reservoirs, water temperatures can soar into the 80s and force fish to spawn and live in far deeper water, where lower and more comfortable temperatures prevail. In very clear lakes, sunlight may penetrate 30 feet or more, and plants can grow at greater depths than in other locales. In lakes like these, specific local conditions must be taken into account. Because of such variables, it’s important to have a good understanding of your lake’s ecology and other characteristics. Understanding the specific dynamics of any given lake will help immeasurably when you decide on the best locations for a crib. By Eric Engbretson
There are countless Bass fishing events that take place across our country each year allowing participants a chance to take home substantial prize money and products. This past weekend was no exception on J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir in Appleton,Georgia.
With a guaranteed payout of $12,000 for first place, more than 125 boats competed in this first annual open. The two man team event goal, was raising money for two great groups. Boats and fisherman from numerous surrounding states, geared up for this unique opportunity to fish this expansive body of water.
Fast boats and seasoned anglers planned to jockey for a chance at taking home one of the many cash and donated prizes, including two 52″ wide screen T.V’s donated by Fairway Ford.
Before first light on Saturday, hundreds of decked out fishing rigs decended on Wildwood Park and the Tommy Shaw Memorial weigh in at Clark Hill. Anglers of all levels including a few FLW pro’s, then discovered fishing wasn’t the only job on hand for the day.
The twist to this groundbreaking Bass tournament concept…….install artificial fish habitat during the event, enhancing the environment and the fishery! Maybe come back on day two and catch a lunker on the habitat unit you installed on Saturday!
That’s right, each boat was required to give something back to the fishery by installing an artificial fish habitat structure at either their first or second stop of day one. Over 150 new artificial habitat units were installed during the event.
More than one strange look was apparent when the requirement was announced. You want me to put what in my spotless, pristine gel coated water rocket? I barely have enough room for the twenty something rods and hundreds of pounds of tackle we can’t fish without. Are we going to fit yet more gear and supplies, ropes, cinder blocks, etc.?
No worries, each boat of two fisherman received a Safehouse model habitat by Fishiding.com to unfold and install. These patented, self contained habitat units are made from reclaimed vinyl siding, cemented into a PVC container. Standing about 45″ tall when shipped, the vinyl limbs bend out in all directions and create a “Safehouse” about 7′ diameter and 3′-6″ tall, weighing approximately 15 pounds.
No additional tools or supplies…or mess when putting these habitat units out. Just bend to shape by hand, whatever looks good, then toss over the side. Each artificial fish habitat unit will sink to the bottom and land upright to resemble a bush. The wide limbs create maximum shade, often preferred by bass and forage fish. Nutrients then stick to the vinyl and start the food chain.
The brains behind this first of it’s kind conservation awareness tournament came from the event mastermind, Joey Bruyninckx of PotashCorp.
“Giving something back to the fishery only made sense.” Cancer, Kids and Conservation, what better causes to support?
We met Joey and his team through our involvement with the North Augusta fishing Team. PotashCorp has been a loyal supporter of the North Augusta Fishing Team.( NAFT ) Months back, we were contacted by a hard working young lady named Rosie DeAnnutis, a selfless volunteer for the NAFT. She asked if we may like to get involved in supporting the kids on a cold spring tourney at the same location, Wildwood Park back in March.
We very much wanted to be involved, but because of the timing and the distance, we called on our trusted partners at SOlitude lake Management at their nearby office’s in Charlotte and Raleigh to assist us by speaking to the kids about habitat. SOlitude has various offices throughout the mid-Atlantic states. Serving clients in 9 states including: VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ and NY, offering top notch professional service and advice for all your lake and pond aquatic needs. Aquatic, Fishery, Wildlife and Forestry Biologists, Environmental and Ecology Scientists, all make up the SOlution to a better planet earth.
Matt Phillips, their Aquatic Biologist/Environmental Scientist was happy to help and make the three hour drive to participate. The group discussed fish recruitment, stocking and available habitat. These young, fishing machines embraced the information and wanted to be involved in any habitat restoration plans they could assist with. Matt and Joey began to discuss ideas for the upcoming FishBack Tourney that cold and overcast day as the kids enjoyed the time spent together, outdoors.
The NAFT is open to kids in junior high through high school, ages 11-18. The coach Sean Hall, has a special gift. Gaining the trust and respect of these kids, he loves the outdoors and teaching them about what is important for their future, and the environment. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
Sean brings in DNR officers, Biologists and other related professionals to talk to the kids about boating safety, fish health and species identification to name just a few. “Fishing is only a small part of what these kids take out of being part of the team.”
Although Sean is amazing in how he keeps the kids attention, he certainly can’t do it alone. Jeannie Parks Wilson and Bobbi Boatwright round out the staff to keep this team growing. Getting involved in more events and spreading the message surrounding the multi-faceted benefits of youth fishing teams is their core goal.
After speaking with local DNR officers, it was determined that the lake needed additional habitat, more than any other feasible efforts like stocking, which was another idea and potential option. The lake levels had been extremely low in the recent past which takes a significant toll on fish spawning and recruitment. Additional habitat that fish can utilize to feed, hunt and hide within creates not only big bass, but forage species as well.
This less known concept in habitat improvement is growing Nationwide and moving to installation of inert, artificial materials, that last underwater for decades or longer. In the past, brush piles, Christmas trees and the like have been the norm. Although these materials hold fish and work very well. Their life underwater is short lived due to decomposition, also robbing dissolved oxygen from the water column. Inert materials like boulders, rock and plastics never break down and provide a surface for life to form immediately after submersing.
With over 50% of the Nation’s waters in an impaired state, biologists and esteemed professionals from all the State and Federal agencies are looking for ways to improve water quality before it gets any worse. Aeration, Floating Treatment Wetlands, living shorelines and artificial habitat, are just a few of the tools we are learning have multiple benefits.
These products when placed in the water, attract and convert excessive nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen into fish food called periphyton. That fuzz that grows on surfaces underwater….”mothers milk” of the underwater world. All fish graze exclusively on this highest known source of food for their first year of life. Unlike aquatic vegetation, these products never die off and continue to process nutrients all year around in a process called biomimicry. This same technology is currently being used in fields like wastewater treatment, fish farming, aquaculture and hatchery settings worldwide.
The Potash Corporation, founded in 1989 is one of the world’s largest producer of Potash, Phosphate and Nitrogen, responsible for 20% of the global capacity through their Canada operations. PotashCorp has built the world’s largest fertilizer enterprise by capacity on world-class potash resources and high-quality phosphate and nitrogen assets. These primary nutrients that crops need, as well as livestock feeds and industrial goods, are an essential part of our everyday lives.
PotashCorp brought in support from all over for this unique twist on bass fishing. The Clark Hill Committee and Columbia County worked tirelessly for weeks with Joey and his team to make this event the huge success that it was.
Fairway Ford provided registration and support as well as trucks for display on tournament days, as well as prizes for the raffle.
Dixie Riverside A&A Vending services also contributed not only by donating all the food and drinks, but has been an ongoing supporter of the North Augusta Fishing Team.
Fireplaces and More were on hand cooking fresh pulled pork sandwiches, dogs and the like for the two day event, keeping the masses fed.
Zoom baits, another NAFT supporter and integral part of this years FishBack tournament, were on hand with samples of some new baits for all involved and a major part of the planning to make this years event possible. Chris Baxter, Zoom sales manager and FLW pro, has a special connection to this event. After his wife was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, he wanted to do more to raise awareness for other women and possibly save a life with early detection. Baxter reached out to Doug Barron with the GOCA.
More on Chris and his partnership with GOCA in a story recently written in Wired2Fish.com.
Doug and his right hand man Chase Powell, were around all weekend to answer questions and provide literature and support regarding ovarian cancer. Passionate outdoors men, these two guys have a soft and dedicated commitment to help women and their families diagnosed with this unfortunate disease.
From black tie events and prestigious supporters, fishing tournaments with shorts and sandals, the message on how to early detect this type of cancer is one of their main goals. Lots of travel and long days are the norm for these two stewards of ovarian cancer support and education.
Kicks 99 radio also was on hand with music and games, proudly showing their support for the kids and the Georgia cancer Alliance.
GreenfishTackle and The Tackle Shop had strong support for their products both on and off the water. Owner Jon Hair not only spent countless hours planning with the team but also got out and caught some fine fish as a contestant in the event.
Seatow was there for all on the water support as well as donating prizes to the raffles.
Loads of bass made their way to the weigh in, almost 8.5 pounds and 7.5 pounds won the big bass checks for $1000.00 on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The NAFT kids ran to the lake for release of each boats catch like revolving fish doctors, spending needed time to revive tired fish. Two, five fish limits were added together for the total weight of the event, which a number of the top finishers were over 30+ pounds in aggregate!
A unique and welcome surprise for a couple traveling from the Chicagoland area. My wife Renee’ and I were welcomed into this family of fish loving folks, dedicated to helping others less fortunate and bettering others lives. A touching prayer and our National anthem started the event Saturday morning in the dark. Hundreds of eager contestants stood silent with respect, heads bowed and hats off. Southern hospitality is alive and well in the Augusta area. Take note America, this is how it’s done!
Photos by: Michael E. Johnson Photography 706-832-6762
Friday, 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’sFloating 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.”
MORAN, Mich. (AP) — Using volunteers, 100 cords of hardwood, more than 2,500 cement blocks and 418 Christmas trees, the Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club and Brevort Lake Association put the finishing touches on an 11-year project designed to improve fish habitat. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
“It’s been rotten this year,” SASC President Louis Colegrove told The Evening News of Sault Ste. Marie ( http://bit.ly/1055YlK ). “Real bad conditions — a lot of slush.”
Colegrove added that was especially tough on the core group of volunteers.
“Most of our guys are in their 70s and 80s,” he said, but that did not deter them from completing their task.
When the ice melts later in the spring and the final string sinks in the center of the lake — roughly defined as southwest of Davis Road — the work crews will be responsible for 209 new fish cribs.
“Brevort’s a pretty barren lake,” said Colegrove of the need for the project as large swaths of the lake bottom are comprised solely of sand with little other structure or growth.
The cribs, which stand 4- to 5- feet high, will provide long-term habitat for a variety of fish species living in the lake.
Colegrove said fisheries biologists have given varying estimates regarding the life span of the new reefs and, from that information, he believes they will last somewhere between 50 and 100 years. He also noted that remnants of some of the reefs placed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s still remain on the lake bottom to this day.
Colegrove was quick to credit Nelson Logging of Rexton and the Hiawatha National Forest Stewardship program for the 8-foot-by-8-foot sections of hard maple and birch utilized in the construction.
“That saved us a thousand dollars right there,” said Colegrove.
Maverick Construction, Inc. of St. Ignace was also a key player over the past two years, donating all of the cement blocks required to sink the cribs.
The avid angler says he is looking forward to visiting the reefs on future outings, adding that assisting fisheries biologists with various research projects on Brevort has really opened his eyes to this body of water’s potential.
“You can’t believe the fish that are in that lake,” he concluded.
Maps complete with GPS coordinates of all the new fish reefs will be available at Ace Hardware in St. Ignace and KNV Grocery in Moran.
___
Information from: The Evening News, http://www.sooeveningnews.com
Friday, March 8, 2013 at 9:21AM ActivistAngler.com