Thread: Hamilton Report and New Boo

I took a couple of days off and went trophy striper fishing with some friends. Today I was back on Hamilton. After we did some habitat work we went scouting for a few hours. This is what we caught from 3 to 5 this afternoon.



I have been working on a new condo design that is quick and effective. No doubt there will be some improvements but I think we've got it. The problem is I have the room to build our original condos but don't want any disgruntled neighbors here in the condo complex where I live. So, I wanted to find a way to collect the materials, build and sink all in one day and still be as good and effective as the original.

What we did was take two heavy-weight block and a square of concrete reinforcing wire. Fold the wire into a triangle, attach to the blocks and then stick bamboo in it in all directions.





They turned out to stand only as tall as we wanted them to and they really covered some ground (over 30 foot in diameter). The wire will not be an issue with all that bamboo over it and it should last in the water at least as long as the bamboo will (about 3 years).

Well, at least here in Hamilton. They are lasting much longer on Greeson. Our old waypoints for here on Hamilton from back in 2006 show no condo standing tall ready to be fished. This may be due to a higher oxygen content increasing the decomposition rate and heavier boat traffic causing enough current to knock the bamboo branches down once they get soft. Who knows, all I know is they're not there. So, these new ones with the rusting wire should last long enough and be easy enough to get the job done.

By the way, did I say they were BIG!!! One drop was as least the size of two original condos in buckets and took half a much bamboo.

Nice design Darryl. I may try something similar to that idea.

Darryl,

I have been thinking about the same. I was thinking of using ornage safety fence to run the boo thru.Won't rust. Can zig zag and tie blocks to make a log row, or float it off the bottom.

Built it. They will come. Ain't no wrong brush pile.

Originally Posted by Slipcork

Darryl,

I have been thinking about the same. I was thinking of using ornage safety fence to run the boo thru.Won't rust. Can zig zag and tie blocks to make a log row, or float it off the bottom.

Built it. They will come. Ain't no wrong brush pile.

Very true, whatever goes in the water they will find and we will catch them. The orange safety fence has already come to our attention. However, we haven't figured out how to keep it apart holding the bamboo standing up and at the right angles the way we want it to and not collapse on itself. No longer than the bamboo is going to last anyway, the wire seems to be the easiest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not just looking for the easiest way but rather a balance between effective and efficient. I've heard enough of working smarter not harder and in reality not doing it.

No matter how we do it, in the long run I just don't want to forget what it's all about. Been there and done that and it took more away than it gave in return. Hey, it's time you come and go fishing. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I'll be back in Hot Springs on Friday. Got one on
Saturday and open on Sunday if you want to go.

Darryl,
I don't have any pictures but I will tell you about it. I had some plastic pallets given to me by a friend, most of them are the same size as wooden pallets, molded plastic no air pocketts. I put some out not long ago, used one pallet, pulled boo (14' to 18' stuff) through the slots, which are many, one third sticking out of the side with the butts and two thirds sticking out the side with all the shoots, the shoots help to keep the boo from getting out of the pallet, tied 2 sand bags on the side of the pallet with the butts and let her go. hopeing that the pallet edge lands on the bottom with the butts also resting on the bottom and the longer stems with the shoots will stick up at an angle and give it some height off the bottom. It sure looked good on the depth finder.

Do you tie the cane to the wire, or do they hold just by sticking them through the wire?

Originally Posted by blairarnold

Do you tie the cane to the wire, or do they hold just by sticking them through the wire?

Just stick the bamboo through, it will hold and stay.

Thanks.

Hi Darryl,

How are you attaching the wire to the concrete blocks?..Can you purcahse the wire at Lowes etc?...Are you filling up all the holes in wire with boo?...


Jeremy

I live on Hamilton....I don't suppose you'll mind letting me know where you put 'em??? "wink-wink"