What can you do is the question ?

[Ketchn]

you could stop by a demolition on your way to work
you could ask if they would mind if you got some cinder blocks out of the pile as big as as a small town
you could load the bed of your truck up in less than 10 minutes
you could cut bamboo from the creek behind your house
you could even go so far as to bundle said bamboo
and tie it to a block
heck you might even find a spot it might hold crappie if you put it in the water
these are a list of things you CAN do to increase your chances of finding them next time out
is a boat and livescope and all the cool toys the ticket you might ask ?
SURE is my answer , but not all the folks that want to ketch crappie can afford that route
so keep in mind you CAN do it on the fly
not spend much money
and pitch a jig off the bank somewhere
and ketch crappie right easily and well on a limited budget
and yes KABOOM is the word btw
p.s. keep in mind only if its legal where you live and the added bonus is you are likely going to make some other person or persons day when they find it too
AND they (the crappie and the other anglers)will find it ....just saying

[chaunc]

Here in Pa, we have to get permission from the COE to put habitat of any kind in the water. We also have to notify them of where we plan to drop it. Our lakes are used for flood control so they are raised and lowered as needed. They use these lakes for recreation as well as fishing so they don’t want us putting it in areas that the recreational boaters use as when they lower the lake our habitat may pose a problem/ danger to them. Our COE drops habitat every spring in areas they deem safe. They have maps available with where they put them for free. Some people still drop their own tho. Most times it’s in the deep river channel. Twenty feet or more deep.

[Ketchn]

on corp lakes the same here , i even got the same story about where and out of boat lanes and etc from them and gps coordinates to where i put them ....
on tarrant regional water bodies its for sure no no ....
and in some other spots i am pretty sure its also a no no ....
i know a guy who got run off with bamboo in his boat at a boat ramp here on a lake in dfw by the sheriff and got a real stern warning ...
i used to see on other forums some folks talking up brush setting on lakes i know it isnt allowed ....
i would highly suggest if you want to place cover you investigate if its allowable

[INTIMIDATOR]

This is something we have to do in Ohio...and we did this for 13 years on our home lake (2200 acres), with the blessing of the ODNR and COE.
In Ohio, we build alot of Reservoirs...but the COE and ODNR just digs them out like a strip mines with no structure or cover left...then they and the ODNR can't understand why the fishing is horrendous.
We had a Concrete and Brick Company that provided us with all the broken or 2nd hand blocks we wanted. We built 2 entire concrete reefs with blocks and rubble, and topped them with several thousand 10 hole bricks.
We used concrete blocks for our milk crate stumps, and Christmas Trees and 'boo.
We turned a barren bowl into a fishery!

[hdhntr]

buddy of mine in mid mo told me they were tearing down a industrial building near him and he and his friend went over and got 2 trailers full of blocks for free and putting them out on several lakes they fish. lots of opportunities available if you keep your ears and eyes open.

WTG outlaw that's how you do it to improve fishing around you. As you said tiny % of fisherfolks have the fancy dancy LS or 360 electronics, spot locks and high end boats. Rest of us do with what we have and still ketch a lot of crappie. Lot of why is doing the fishing 101 stuff of knowing where channels are, working docks or putting in lots of structure and yes sometimes fishing off the banks as well as dipping docks.

[ezgoing]

Don't forget my slips when you are in the crappie condo building mood.

[Fridays86]

You put in some serious work.

[Ketchn]

Don't forget my slips when you are in the crappie condo building mood.

you know my friend i love to brush up stuff , i bout brushed a dock yesterday i only visit about 1 time or year .
but there were so many strangers there i thought not this time .....
its was 26 degrees out there and it amazed me to see a dozen people way out there on a monday morning .
all dressed in ski suits and jigging like they meant it ......
the bite was terrible though and the entire crew of them(they were there together) only left with one limit ....
and heck i gave them part of those ....
if they didnt throw the cast net i imagine it would have been a pretty good bite .....the things some folks do i tell ya
as soon as your spot gets a few less visitors i am on my way

[hdhntr]

Yes brush pile 101 is to not have witnesses! Course with the great electronics around doesn't take the usual suspects long to find it.

[Schmoopie]

Be careful because someone else will follow you to your favorite spot and catch all of your crappie. And then, you'll find you've been "bamboo-zled".