Brushpiles Falling Down!

I've noticed that some of my best brushpiles don't produce as well as they did a few years ago. The main thing that I notice is when I go over them with my depthfinder they aren't near as tall as they used to be.
I've noticed the piles that have some height still produce better than the ones that are only a couple of feet tall now.
For this reason I think I am going to spend some time building stakebeds out of oak, cypress, and cedar slabs. NIMROD and I will post some pics of our stakebeds as we are building them and placing them out. He has had real good luck since switching from brushpiles to stakebeds.
I'm still not going to give up on my brushpiles but I will definately be adding more brush this year.
This slab came off one of my oak brushpiles that is about 4 years old but has maintained good height. We seem to always pick up a slab or two here. Its located on a 9 foot flat just a few yards from a main river channel.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...lab7-15-07.jpg

These 2 lbers came from brush located in the same general area.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ORTREDBOUY.jpg

I just started putting out stake beds this summer trying to get'em ready for fall fishing. None of them have been out long enough to do much good, yet. I have a questiion about the types of wood used. I have been putting out mostly poplar and some oak, since that's what I've been able to pick up from the furniture factory scrap piles. Do you know if poplar is a good wood to use? I've used canes, bamboo, and wild schrubs (hedge bushes) with good results, but if the poplar strips don't work, i don't need to be wasting time putting them out. Thanks

WW, I think poplar is a hardwood, so I would think it would be fine. I'm getting my act together to start sinking tree tops, limbs, with concrete block
and bottle with foam in the middle to keep them up right.

srm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by willsjwills

I just started putting out stake beds this summer trying to get'em ready for fall fishing. None of them have been out long enough to do much good, yet. I have a questiion about the types of wood used. I have been putting out mostly poplar and some oak, since that's what I've been able to pick up from the furniture factory scrap piles. Do you know if poplar is a good wood to use? I've used canes, bamboo, and wild schrubs (hedge bushes) with good results, but if the poplar strips don't work, i don't need to be wasting time putting them out. Thanks

---

We use mostly Oak pallets or Red Cedar scrap boards from a local saw mill. I was givin some pine tongue and groove flooring boards. Make stake beds and fish used them. I don't think fish care , but some woods last considerably longer than others.:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spider rig man

WW, I think poplar is a hardwood, so I would think it would be fine. I'm getting my act together to start sinking tree tops, limbs, with concrete block
and bottle with foam in the middle to keep them up right.

srm

---

Here's a suggestion for you. The lab in the hospital where I work throws away dozens of small to large styrofoam coolers every week. They will give them to me anytime I want. Some are about the size of a 6 pack (convenient huh?) and some are in the 30 qt range. They also have some boxes that are just lined with 2 inch thick styrofoam walls. I think they would be great for tying to the tops to keep them up. You might check with your local hospital to see if they do this as well. Free=good.

now those are nice slabs, good job