Structure

**MA Machine** · 09-23-2008, 02:13 PM

I'm doing a remodel on the lake. My plan is to pull a few trees that are in the bottom out and replace them with rock piles and man-made PVC structure. The trees are just way to snaggy and may be encouraging my crappie overpopulation problem that I am also working on. I was thinking of 4-5 rock piles at various depths but I'm not sure how big a rock pile should be. I was guessing 10 wide X 10 feet Long X 2-3 feet tall. Any suggestions?

**holdemplyer** · 09-23-2008, 02:55 PM

No idea on size, shape ect..... just curious on how you plan to get the rocks there. wait till safe ice and start piling them in your desired location?

**MA Machine** · 09-23-2008, 03:42 PM

The old Aluminum boat "dump truck". I plan on marking the spots with markers and dumping on and around them until my fish finder registers a pile of rock on the bottom. Most of the rock will consist of broken cinder blocks and bricks. I thought about the ice but I think I'm just going to have too much weight in the piles and the boat method will be faster and safer (maybe). I'd also like to use the piles for ice fishing so it would be good to get the established now.

Chad · 09-24-2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA Machine

I'm doing a remodel on the lake. My plan is to pull a few trees that are in the bottom out and replace them with rock piles and man-made PVC structure. The trees are just way to snaggy and may be encouraging my crappie overpopulation problem that I am also working on. I was thinking of 4-5 rock piles at various depths but I'm not sure how big a rock pile should be. I was guessing 10 wide X 10 feet Long X 2-3 feet tall. Any suggestions?

Let's see some pictures of the project. That will help us gauge size and placement.

**MA Machine** · 09-25-2008, 12:56 PM

I am currently working up a plan on the rocks and think I have a pretty solid idea on how to dump a large amount of rocks in a concentrated area. Here are some pictures of one 1/2 of the lake that I am concentrating my efforts on and a couple of things that I have pictures of.

This is one of 2 beds I made out of FREE Pallets. I sank them last year and have had really good luck fishing around them this year. The dock is a "free floating dock" we never did anchor it anywhere and it just floats around the lake until we need it. It will become a Rock Barge when the rocks are dumped.

We did a little batman tech welding last night and made a grappling hook. It took about 10 minutes to build. It worked great at clearing out beaver messes and trees.

We turned a "snag city" area into a 8-12 foot deep 99% snag free zone. The sticks were placed there by a beaver that no longer frequents the lake. None of the sticks were visible when we started so we had no idea there was so much junk in this spot. I have a few more spots to clean out then the plan is for the rock piles and a large amount of PVC structure and maybe a few cat houses. I will lay out the PVC structure on the ice this winter so I can plan it out on the lake all at once.

This is probably not something you want to do if you are working overnight 130 miles away from home with no extra clothes. Good thing my brother wears the same size clothes!

magnusthebigbrownlab · 09-25-2008, 03:48 PM

The man made PVC structures are REALLY easy to build. It looks like you've got a sand-bottom pit there...go to Menards or Lowes or wherever and buy yourself a butt-load of 1-1/2" pvc pipe, cut them into 4 to 5 foot lengths, throw them in the john boat, get yourself a set of fins and a snorkel, and go push them into the bottom of the lake in a straight line, spaced a foot apart or so. Do a couple rows side by side, and replicate throughout the lake as often as you'd like. Give them a couple months, and the fish will be on them like flatheads on a vibrator.

We lined our dock with these little PVC sticks and couldn't keep the crappie away. Snag-free, too!

**MA Machine** · 11-20-2008, 02:45 PM

I sank some PVC the other day. I have more PVC structure to build and sink in the next week or so. I've been unable to get my rock pile project going since my time has been dominated with work. The Rock Pile Project will be completed after ice up. I have pictures but can not post any until I get a new computer. I fried the mother board on my good computer and this is my "Frankenstein" back up.

SKershaw · 11-20-2008, 03:32 PM

What a "train wreck!"

**MA Machine** · 11-26-2008, 01:14 AM

I finally got some PVC structure made a placed in the lake. Hopefully I'll be able to see just how effective it is this ice fishing season! I placed he structure in 13-14 foot of water 30 feet of the bank and about 15 feet away from a 6 foot to 13 foot ledge. Hopefully it will be a crappie magnet. The structure to the left is called "picket fence" and the structure to the right is called "space station". I filled the bottom tube up with sand on each piece of structure so they would sink but are still moveable if they do not produce in the location they are in. I have enough PVC to make 3 or more things when I get more time.

I also threw this big old wood rack in on the other side of the lake. It took 5 cinder blocks to sink. I'll probably drag it out in the spring.

SKershaw · 11-26-2008, 11:43 AM

He doesn't look that old to me

**MA Machine** · 11-26-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKershaw

He doesn't look that old to me

1tohuntandfish would not let me put any cinder blocks around his heck so only the wooden rack got sank. I guess the cats will go hungry this winter, AGAIN!

Omaha · 12-02-2008, 01:07 PM

Couple questions for you MA Machine. First, are you only using your fish finder to find your structures after you've submerged them? Also, what structures, to this point, and in the past, have worked the best for attracting fish? I've read those porcupine fish attractors work great, like the one you built out of pvc pipe. Have you, or anyone else you know, used Christmas trees? I've read conflicting reports on their success. It's easy enough, but they do eventually decay so I am leaning away from that right now. I have about a surface acre I'm working on right now, digging a new pond. I'll have to resume digging in the spring and hopefully be able to establish some vegetation by summer and I'm looking for any and all ideas for establishing some fish structure before I fill it.

**MA Machine** · 12-02-2008, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omaha

Couple questions for you MA Machine. First, are you only using your fish finder to find your structures after you've submerged them? Also, what structures, to this point, and in the past, have worked the best for attracting fish? I've read those porcupine fish attractors work great, like the one you built out of pvc pipe. Have you, or anyone else you know, used Christmas trees? I've read conflicting reports on their success. It's easy enough, but they do eventually decay so I am leaning away from that right now. I have about a surface acre I'm working on right now, digging a new pond. I'll have to resume digging in the spring and hopefully be able to establish some vegetation by summer and I'm looking for any and all ideas for establishing some fish structure before I fill it.

Christmas Trees are not real good from what I hear. They basically dissolve rather quickly. I've heard cedar tree are much better but your going to get snags galore!! I'm trying to stay away from trees right now since I am also trying to eliminate snags. I'm marked my structures with a GPS and this winter I am going to see what the signature on my flasher unit looks like. I am also going to use my fish finder this spring to see what the signature looks like. Hopefully they will show up good. One idea I had was to put a floating duck decoy tethered to the structure but I decided not to for several reasons. Pondboss.com has a bunch of really good posts on lake construction and structure. If you still have a dry pond you can really go to town on it. Rock piles, trenches, shelves.... You can really make some neat contours. Hopefully in a few weeks I can tell you that the structures worked. I haven't been on the lake since I sank them and now I have to wait for safe ice. Good luck and make sure you start a thread about your pond so we can see what's going on. I'm sure you will get a bunch of people offering ideas once they see what you have.

Omaha · 12-03-2008, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA Machine

Christmas Trees are not real good from what I hear. They basically dissolve rather quickly. I've heard cedar tree are much better but your going to get snags galore!! I'm trying to stay away from trees right now since I am also trying to eliminate snags. I'm marked my structures with a GPS and this winter I am going to see what the signature on my flasher unit looks like. I am also going to use my fish finder this spring to see what the signature looks like. Hopefully they will show up good. One idea I had was to put a floating duck decoy tethered to the structure but I decided not to for several reasons. Pondboss.com has a bunch of really good posts on lake construction and structure. If you still have a dry pond you can really go to town on it. Rock piles, trenches, shelves.... You can really make some neat contours. Hopefully in a few weeks I can tell you that the structures worked. I haven't been on the lake since I sank them and now I have to wait for safe ice. Good luck and make sure you start a thread about your pond so we can see what's going on. I'm sure you will get a bunch of people offering ideas once they see what you have.

I'll check out pondboss.com. I thought I'd found every site there was on pond construction and maintenance, but I guess not.

Yeah, bump this thread with any updates on what worked (and what didn't) and I'll get a thread going as soon as I get some before pictures taken. You'll all think I'm crazy when you see the pictures because the amount of trees and brush is enormous. And I plan on getting all that out of there this winter.

And I'm starting from scratch so I'll get to be creative. That is probably the part I'm most looking forward to...after the eventual fishing of course.

Omaha · 12-03-2008, 08:42 AM

Hey, you know how they have computer programs for construction of buildings, landscaping, basically everything you can think of? What about ponds and lakes? I haven't been able to find one and wonder if anyone's every come across anything like that.

**MA Machine** · 12-03-2008, 01:01 PM

The Fish and Game office has a really good book (for free) on Pond/Lake Management. Make sure you get one! IT covers everything from construction, stocking, water/soil quality..... It is a excellent start. Kansas also has or at least had one that was also very good.

Omaha · 12-03-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA Machine

The Fish and Game office has a really good book (for free) on Pond/Lake Management. Make sure you get one! IT covers everything from construction, stocking, water/soil quality..... It is a excellent start. Kansas also has or at least had one that was also very good.

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/G1000/H081-2006.pdf

**MA Machine** · 12-03-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omaha

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/G1000/H081-2006.pdf

Yep, That's the one! Good link.

Omaha · 12-04-2008, 08:36 PM

Called ELWd Habitat Structure...
http://www.forestconcepts.com/docs/B...1.03.color.pdf

Krzfshrmn · 12-09-2008, 08:24 PM

I think a lot of how long xmas trees last depends on your lake. A couple of miles down the road from where I live there is a clear water lake that does not get any silt in it and I have seen christmas trees that had been submerged for 6 to 8 years and still looked good. I think if you have silt coming in it catches on the algea and etc that build up on submerged structure and that causes collapse or shearing of the branches.

09-23-2008, 02:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	Structure I'm doing a remodel on the lake. My plan is to pull a few trees that are in the bottom out and replace them with rock piles and man-made PVC structure. The trees are just way to snaggy and may be encouraging my crappie overpopulation problem that I am also working on. I was thinking of 4-5 rock piles at various depths but I'm not sure how big a rock pile should be. I was guessing 10 wide X 10 feet Long X 2-3 feet tall. Any suggestions? __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-23-2008, 02:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
holdemplyer holdemplyer is waiting on open water Director Join Date: May 2007 Location: hunting for Kenzies MA gill!!! Certified Youth Fishing Instructor NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 6,024 Thanks: 831 Thanked 1,335 Times in 805 Posts	No idea on size, shape ect..... just curious on how you plan to get the rocks there. wait till safe ice and start piling them in your desired location? __________________ "So I says to Mabel, I says... I'll continue this later." Waiting on the shadow to materialize.... Gone, but never forgotten.

09-23-2008, 03:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	The old Aluminum boat "dump truck". I plan on marking the spots with markers and dumping on and around them until my fish finder registers a pile of rock on the bottom. Most of the rock will consist of broken cinder blocks and bricks. I thought about the ice but I think I'm just going to have too much weight in the piles and the boat method will be faster and safer (maybe). I'd also like to use the piles for ice fishing so it would be good to get the established now. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-25-2008, 12:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	I am currently working up a plan on the rocks and think I have a pretty solid idea on how to dump a large amount of rocks in a concentrated area. Here are some pictures of one 1/2 of the lake that I am concentrating my efforts on and a couple of things that I have pictures of. This is one of 2 beds I made out of FREE Pallets. I sank them last year and have had really good luck fishing around them this year. The dock is a "free floating dock" we never did anchor it anywhere and it just floats around the lake until we need it. It will become a Rock Barge when the rocks are dumped. We did a little batman tech welding last night and made a grappling hook. It took about 10 minutes to build. It worked great at clearing out beaver messes and trees. We turned a "snag city" area into a 8-12 foot deep 99% snag free zone. The sticks were placed there by a beaver that no longer frequents the lake. None of the sticks were visible when we started so we had no idea there was so much junk in this spot. I have a few more spots to clean out then the plan is for the rock piles and a large amount of PVC structure and maybe a few cat houses. I will lay out the PVC structure on the ice this winter so I can plan it out on the lake all at once. This is probably not something you want to do if you are working overnight 130 miles away from home with no extra clothes. Good thing my brother wears the same size clothes! __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-25-2008, 03:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
magnusthebigbrownlab magnusthebigbrownlab is eating the entire wheel of cheese, and then going to poop in the refrigerator. Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,806 Thanks: 56 Thanked 154 Times in 112 Posts	The man made PVC structures are REALLY easy to build. It looks like you've got a sand-bottom pit there...go to Menards or Lowes or wherever and buy yourself a butt-load of 1-1/2" pvc pipe, cut them into 4 to 5 foot lengths, throw them in the john boat, get yourself a set of fins and a snorkel, and go push them into the bottom of the lake in a straight line, spaced a foot apart or so. Do a couple rows side by side, and replicate throughout the lake as often as you'd like. Give them a couple months, and the fish will be on them like flatheads on a vibrator. We lined our dock with these little PVC sticks and couldn't keep the crappie away. Snag-free, too! __________________ There goes the neighborhood.

11-20-2008, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	I sank some PVC the other day. I have more PVC structure to build and sink in the next week or so. I've been unable to get my rock pile project going since my time has been dominated with work. The Rock Pile Project will be completed after ice up. I have pictures but can not post any until I get a new computer. I fried the mother board on my good computer and this is my "Frankenstein" back up. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

11-20-2008, 03:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
SKershaw SKershaw is wanting to pimp the tying cave!!! Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Omaha Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 1,752 Thanks: 656 Thanked 298 Times in 179 Posts	What a "train wreck!" __________________ "Hey Scott! I didn't know they made spray-on waders. Those things look awful tight, buddy!" -Rog To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-26-2008, 01:14 AM	#9 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	I finally got some PVC structure made a placed in the lake. Hopefully I'll be able to see just how effective it is this ice fishing season! I placed he structure in 13-14 foot of water 30 feet of the bank and about 15 feet away from a 6 foot to 13 foot ledge. Hopefully it will be a crappie magnet. The structure to the left is called "picket fence" and the structure to the right is called "space station". I filled the bottom tube up with sand on each piece of structure so they would sink but are still moveable if they do not produce in the location they are in. I have enough PVC to make 3 or more things when I get more time. I also threw this big old wood rack in on the other side of the lake. It took 5 cinder blocks to sink. I'll probably drag it out in the spring. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

11-26-2008, 11:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
SKershaw SKershaw is wanting to pimp the tying cave!!! Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Omaha Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 1,752 Thanks: 656 Thanked 298 Times in 179 Posts	He doesn't look that old to me __________________ "Hey Scott! I didn't know they made spray-on waders. Those things look awful tight, buddy!" -Rog To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-02-2008, 01:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 772 Thanks: 321 Thanked 191 Times in 135 Posts	Couple questions for you MA Machine. First, are you only using your fish finder to find your structures after you've submerged them? Also, what structures, to this point, and in the past, have worked the best for attracting fish? I've read those porcupine fish attractors work great, like the one you built out of pvc pipe. Have you, or anyone else you know, used Christmas trees? I've read conflicting reports on their success. It's easy enough, but they do eventually decay so I am leaning away from that right now. I have about a surface acre I'm working on right now, digging a new pond. I'll have to resume digging in the spring and hopefully be able to establish some vegetation by summer and I'm looking for any and all ideas for establishing some fish structure before I fill it.

12-03-2008, 08:42 AM	#15 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 772 Thanks: 321 Thanked 191 Times in 135 Posts	Hey, you know how they have computer programs for construction of buildings, landscaping, basically everything you can think of? What about ponds and lakes? I haven't been able to find one and wonder if anyone's every come across anything like that.

12-03-2008, 01:01 PM	#16 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 2,936 Thanks: 1,048 Thanked 1,219 Times in 627 Posts	The Fish and Game office has a really good book (for free) on Pond/Lake Management. Make sure you get one! IT covers everything from construction, stocking, water/soil quality..... It is a excellent start. Kansas also has or at least had one that was also very good. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

12-04-2008, 08:36 PM	#19 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 772 Thanks: 321 Thanked 191 Times in 135 Posts	Called ELWd Habitat Structure... http://www.forestconcepts.com/docs/B...1.03.color.pdf

12-09-2008, 08:24 PM	#20 (permalink)
Krzfshrmn Krzfshrmn has no status. Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: almost CO almost KS Posts: 79 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Xmas trees I think a lot of how long xmas trees last depends on your lake. A couple of miles down the road from where I live there is a clear water lake that does not get any silt in it and I have seen christmas trees that had been submerged for 6 to 8 years and still looked good. I think if you have silt coming in it catches on the algea and etc that build up on submerged structure and that causes collapse or shearing of the branches.

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