christmas trees?

[eastkycrappie]

Growing up my Dad and Grandfather always used Christmas Trees to create cover, but since I have been coming here I haven't seen many people talk about using them. Is the stuff you all are using just better, or did I miss something? Just wondering because I am going to try and put some cover out this winter and trying to get some idea what to use. Thanks in advance.

[Carl Palmer]

Growing up my Dad and Grandfather always used Christmas Trees to create cover, but since I have been coming here I haven't seen many people talk about using them. Is the stuff you all are using just better, or did I miss something? Just wondering because I am going to try and put some cover out this winter and trying to get some idea what to use. Thanks in advance.

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with trees at all. As long as all the tinsel and other inorganic stuff is removed they ought to make some fine attractors. Don't know how you anchor yours but a concrete block wired to the base and a plastic milk jug wired to the top so it stands up has always worked for me. More fishies if you can group them 4-6 feet apart in groups of 3 or 4. My .02

[CrappiePappy]

Growing up my Dad and Grandfather always used Christmas Trees to create cover, but since I have been coming here I haven't seen many people talk about using them. Is the stuff you all are using just better, or did I miss something? Just wondering because I am going to try and put some cover out this winter and trying to get some idea what to use. Thanks in advance.

Cedar trees will hold fish ... but, really big/tall ones are better.
"Christmas" trees ... usually < 8ft tall, should be dried out with all needles gone. They're not so much for holding "fish", but are good "bait" attractors and "safe houses" for fry.
Softwood trees don't last very long. Hardwood trees last a little longer. Trees with bark and small limbs are harder to keep from getting hung up in. Barkless trees, like White Oaks, have fewer but larger limbs ... offer more shade, and more open areas in/around the limbs to fish. But, they're also difficult to "transport".

If the water has little to no natural cover ... fish will use almost anything that falls or is placed into it. Any cover is better than no cover, it would seem.

I believe that most people who decline to use "natural wood", are doing so for different reasons. Sinking a downed tree, or gathering many large branches together and all that goes with this method of creating cover ... is a lot of work, that may have to be done "on site". Creating "artificial" cover can be done "at home", and transported to the water much more easily. It would also tend to outlast "natural" wood cover. It may also be considered to be "better", since it can be "placed" where no naturally occuring cover is (or ever will be).

Site security may also be a consideration ... PVC is hard to detect with lower end depth finder units. It can be easily transported and put together "on site", will last "forever", and does attract "fish". It is also less likely to "hang up" in/on. This alone may be a determining factor, in the popularity of PVC, since one can use "exposed hooks" without so much fear of getting them hung in the cover. (not everyone has as much faith in weedless jigheads as I do :D ) ......... luck2ya ... cp

[eastkycrappie]

Ok that all makes since to me. We usually have 2-3 live trees every year in the nieghborhood so will probaly try a couple of both thanks for the info.

[tarheel]

Cedar and Pines contain a type of acid that prevents algae from growing on them. (Algae attracts shad who attract crappie). They will work, but can take up to a year to start growing good algae. If you do use pine or cedar, torch all the needles off of them first and they will work better (quicker). Of course if you fish a lake that has no structure like I do, then any structure is a good thing.

[AUTiger]

I've been wondering if "thinning" your christmas trees to allow crappie much easier movement in and around them might be beneficial...

[crappiefarmer]

I've been wondering if "thinning" your christmas trees to allow crappie much easier movement in and around them might be beneficial...

Yes it will. If you leave all the branches, the crappie may not be able to get into the tree. the tree will still hold minnows though. Try prunning some of the branches out before you sink it. Make some big holes in the tree where crappie can move in and out. CF