Thread: cedar planks

You got it. Like the old saying "build it and they will come".

It'll be me and one other person. If I'm lucky 2. I'll take all precaution while doing this. That sounds like a good idea going off the point. At the deep end from the point should I place more? Kind of like running the point down. Put 2 here. 2 here and then 4-5?

I'm hoping that's the case. There are a lot of gar and big cats in there. I've pulled some big crappie out too. I'm just trying to do what I can to make it as good as possible. Give the crappie a chance against the predators

I'm hoping that's the case. There are a lot of gar and big cats in there. I've pulled some big crappie out too. I'm just trying to do what I can to make it as good as possible. Give the crappie a chance against the predators

Thanks for all the advice again. I'll take all of it I can get and any other tips.

Definitely agree with starting from the point and working deeper; it helps create a natural `choke point` that will funnel fish right by itself. If may `suggest` consider a mixture of attractors set in rows such as cedar or osage orange limb "BB"s shallow in 3- 6 fow with the cedar boards next; cut 1 end of the board at a 30 degree angle to make it easier to drive it DEEPLY into the bottom. Would guess for every 4` of length underwater you`re going to want at least 10" in the bottom mostly because these wide long but relatively narrow and naturally BUOYANT boards will be exposed sometimes to windy conditions with resulting wave action. When driving them consider where the prevailant direction of stormy weather and orientate the boards thin end on into it, NOT broadside to it, ok ? And would keep the boards only 2/3rds of depth of where you`re placing them PLUS 10" for every 4` of length; ie, in 12 fow make them 9` 8" long (12` divided by 3= 4`X 2= 8`+ 10" and 10" = 9`8" long with approx 20" driven into the bottom). Finish the rows off with a couple PVC attractors on the deepest end. This will limit what effect wind and wave action have on them AND allow your boat 4` of clearance over them. If driving them is difficult build a board holder and use a baby sledge hammer. Lastly it might do better to put them in clumps of 15- 20 that are in a row. Better yet, screw 3 together at 1 end creating a `fan`, insert at least 2 in each hole of a cement block and using VHD weed eater line tie it to each outer board with a snug loop knot, go down thru the hole of the block, up the side and TIGHTLY tie back off to the loop knot of both sides of each `fan` of cedar boards. This puts 12 cedar boards in each block. Or using Quik-Crete pour a cement block hole full and insert 4-6` mulberry limbs which are `sweet` being fruit trees and allow to set up and dry. Add water...DO please let us know what you chose to use and how it`s working, sir...

I'm picking up the boards tomorrow and I'm gonna see how many boards I have. I'll go from there. I'm still gonna try and get some can and do a few with cane. What's the reason for the Pvc at the end. If I have plenty of wood will it work better? Or is there a reason for the pvc? should the end structure be but different than a boo bucket? Should I make a big spike ball of pvc?

The reason to use the PVC is that it will more or less still be there when most of us are dead and gone. It doesn't break down and deteriorate in water like wood does. The wood will last like from 2-8 years give or take a few due to whether or not it is a hard wood like osage orange or a soft wood like spruce as the harder more condense wood will last longer. Also the reason the PVC is placed deeper is because most of the time we don't have as much of it and it is less likely to move from were it is placed. Everyone here is going to give you different ideas as to how they would do it but you are going to decide how to do it in the end. May I suggest to do as much as you can when you can and decide how much you are going to spend to do it as concrete and PVC will cost you . That is unless you have a plumber, a block mason and a concrete factory that you may can talk into giving old or used stuff to you. This should also be a every year thing also to replace the shallow water habitat as it will deteriorate faster. So here we are take what you have on hand and drop it now and then you can start working on the other stuff. Remember everything that you can do is a plus for the fish. And I can bet there are going to be several other people here that knows way more about this as they have dropped more habitat than I have ever though about dropping. And like Mr.Lowellhturner and others said let us know what you decided to do and how it turned out. So I am going to set back and read here and learn also.