BRUSH PILE LIFE SPAN

[Matt Lad]

I found out that the NJ Fish and Wildlife division put out Christmas tree brush piles in a number of lakes back in 2006. The internet article also listed the GPS coordinates of the brush piles. I was wondering if, after 9 years, these piles would still be attracting fish. Anybody have an opinion on this?

[SlabSlider]

Depends on many factors. The wood of the trees would probably still be there but disintegrated for the most part. The branches and leaves only last about 2 weeks and the tree will last for years but it will lay down, move with current, bury under silt, etc.
Now if others fish this spot and put their own piles on top of them (that is usually what a lot of people do) then the pile will be newer and still good. You have to scan with your electronics to be sure.
Scan, scan and scan some more. Some people place their piles close to but not on the same spots.
If the crappie are used to staging on a certain brush pile and you add other brush piles next to it then you will get some stragglers on your pile until they get used to it and will be on it more often as time goes by.
Best bet for me was to place my piles in new locations off points and near shore that I knew would hold crappie staging to spawn or move around the lake. Good luck!

[INTIMIDATOR]

We have a local group that has added cover to our home lake for over 10+ years.
Our lake is extremely fertile, and Christmas trees last about 2 years max....in 3 years, the only thing left is the concrete block and Vinyl coated Stainless Steel cable and clamps. We never re-cover areas that have known GPS locations or that have been found and fished alot!


We have experienced the BAD SIDE of providing GPS fishing areas to fishermen!
One year, the ONDR wanted to throw local Fishermen a bone....we had to provide GPS locations of several Christmas Tree areas, for bait-houses and local stores, etc...this was a DISASTER! Fist fights in parking lots, boat crashes, bank fishermen fist fighting for spots, people pushing kids and handicapped people off handicap platforms, etc., etc., etc.
We had people coming in from different States and All over Ohio....they fished the cover 24/7. Within a year it was all destroyed, and it took several years for the areas to recover JUST TO the "before cover norm"....to this day, we never put any cover back in those locations!
We learned valuable lessons from this...the saddest lesson was how fast fishermen can destroy a fishery!

[Ketchn]

christmas tree piles from 2006 are most likely not much of anything unless they are being maintained and replenished . some folks in these parts drop cedar and it lasts a good while and some drop oak and it lasts a long time as well . most of it depends on the original materials used . some of it will last real well and some will be gone quickly . i sink willows when i want to ketch crappie right away , but i also know in a very short period of time they are gone . i like bamboo because fish set up in it quickly as well and it lasts a bit longer ...but if you are not really good with your graph it can be very difficult to "see" after its been down a while .
as far as "community" piles we have alot of those that the corp. of eng. build when they make lakes here . corp piles are bulldozed up everything tree wise and last a real long time. there is a good likely hood that if the corp of eng built a lake you fish it may have some rather large old piles in it. the big lumber in them will last quite a long time maybe in excess of 20 years or more .
and one thing for certain those that are made of pvc and like material last past a lifetime best i can tell .

[Matt Lad]

Yeah, it's a shame when people don't know how to act. Never really had any confrontations like that but if I did I would find another place to fish. I fish to relax not to get aggravated. Thanks for your response.

[feelay]

I feel fortunate my lakes have lots of natural cover.

[INTIMIDATOR]

I feel fortunate my lakes have lots of natural cover.

That is beautiful...I'm Jealous!

The Great State of Ohio, in all it's wisdom, decided that when it built the reservoir outside of my hometown, it should bulldoze the entire area clean....the only thing left were the hills, creek channels, roads and ditches, and railroad track banks....all the structures, trees, wood, vegetation, etc., was wiped out!

[feelay]

That is beautiful...I'm Jealous!

The Great State of Ohio, in all it's wisdom, decided that when it built the reservoir outside of my hometown, it should bulldoze the entire area clean....the only thing left were the hills, creek channels, roads and ditches, and railroad track banks....all the structures, trees, wood, vegetation, etc., was wiped out!

Much of the timber is cypress...has been there for 70+ years since the lakes were built.

[INTIMIDATOR]

Much of the timber is cypress...has been there for 70+ years since the lakes were built.

Some day I will get down there to fish the Big 3....I hope you guys appreciate what you have...take care of them!

[NIMROD]

In my opinion is Christmas trees are nearly worthless . They start out too thick and tend to moss over . They are mostly Pines and Spruce trees which rot rapidly . I use hardwood trees or Red Cedar most times when we sink trees . I really like pallet stake beds or driven stake beds or even a combination of the two . We find hardwood tends to last many years if it stays submerged .Nimrod Lake was filled in 1942 and stumps that are totally submerged still rock solid for the most part after 73 years. I tell folks my heavy driven stake beds are great for holding fish and should last longer than I'll be fishing .I get 2x4 sized hardwood boards rough cut and drive in the bottom during drawdowns but some build drivers to use out of a boat . My grand kids should be fishing them for years to come .