Thread: Sinking PCV Pipe to Simulate Standing Tree Trunks

Hi folks. I need some expert opinion, never having done this before.

I have a bunch of used 4 - 5 footlong 3" to 6" diameter PCV water pipes.

I was thinking of putting 4 or 5 inches of concrete in one end, and then drilling a hole at the other end of the pipe and tying on a large empty (but sealed) coke bottle or plastic milk jug.

If I drop these overboard, will the heavy concrete end go into the muck and will the coke bottle/milk jug keep the PVC pipe standing upright, so that it looks like a floded tree trunk?

If I plant the pipes this way, it is easy for me to carry them in the boat and put them out by myself.

Will this work??????? Will they stand up and if I plant 15 or so in a small area, will it attract crappies?

Appreciate your help/comments.

The 4 or 5" of concrete in one end won't be enough weight to keep them in place, and if you tie the coke bottle or milk jug to them they'll probably float.

You need a base or "foot" for your structure to keep it in place and from tipping over. Go to the Dollar Store and buy a couple plastic dish pans to use as forms for your concrete. Mix up and pour about 3" of concrete in the dish pan and stick 2-4 pieces of pipe in it. Let the concrete and pipe set undisturbed for 2 or 3 days, then you can pop the concrete out of the dish pan and reuse it. Or if you wanted to do them one at a time you could cut the top out of a gallon milk jug and use it for a form for a single pipe... but I've never seen a gallon milk jug in Canada.

Adding buoyant material to structure is counter productive because it cancels out quite a bit of your ballast material used to make it sink and keep it in place.

Hope this helps!

Have some pvc structures out, some big ones too, but have never caught many crappie off any of them so far. Have caught some stripe there on occasion. I know that its put in a pretty good area too.It may take longer than I have given them.Been about 6 months now.I have since changed mind and decided on different structure choices or fished natural structure.

Originally Posted by GoneCrappieFishing

Have some pvc structures out, some big ones too, but have never caught many crappie off any of them so far. Have caught some stripe there on occasion. I know that its put in a pretty good area too.It may take longer than I have given them.Been about 6 months now.I have since changed mind and decided on different structure choices or fished natural structure.

Maybe you should take Crappie you catch from other parts of the lake and drop them off at you PVC structure to "seed" the area!