Pictured above are (a) a fish condo, (b) a Fish 'N Tree (c) Mushroom Hat Structures, (d, e) Berkley FISH HABs (string and pallet varieties, respectively), and (f) a GeoWeb panel.  Other structures included in this category are PVC pipe stake beds, plastic streamers and ribbons, plastic buckets, and pipes.  Below, we have listed the survey responses for these different types of plastic structures.

Fish 'N Trees
Fish 'N Trees are manufactured by Plastics Research and Development Corporation (PRADCO),POB 1587
Fort Smith, AR, 800-422-FISH.

Click here for map of states that used this method.

Main reasons used:
        - perceived effectiveness
        - experimentation
        - longevity of materials
        - water quality concerns.

Reported advantages:

Structures are durable and long-lived.

Because the leaves are buoyant and rotate freely, lures tend not to snag.

Reported disadvantages:

These structures may be expensive and prone to vandalism during exposure in reservoirs with fluctuating water levels.

Leaves may sag when covered with periphyton or silt.

Recommendations: none reported

Mean reported time to create/place one structure/unit:  19 hrs (range 2 - 48, n=3)

Mean reported life of structure/unit:   6 yrs (range 4 - 8, n=2)

Related state reports:

McKinney, S. P., and five co-authors.  1992.  Longevity of fish attractor materials.  1991 - 1992 Fish Management Annual Progress Report.  State of Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.

McKinney, S. P., and four co-authors.  1993.  Longevity of fish attractor materials.  1988-1993 Completion Report.  State of Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.

Plastic Mesh-Type Structures
Some structures included in this category have perforations for the sole purpose of  providing cover for small fish by excluding others on the basis of size.  These include, among others, cubed structures such as plastic chicken crates, which may be stacked on top of each other and structures composed of plastic netting or snow/safety fencing.  Cylinders composed of netting may or may not be topped with "Chinese hats" (e.g., fish condo,Fig. a).  Snow fencing may also be stretched around and between trees.  Other structures are used to provide cover for adult fish and include such structures as GeoWeb panels (Fig. f) which may be hung vertically or in pairs to form a puptent.

Click here for map of states that used this method.

Main reasons used:
        - longevity
        - low cost
        - few tackle hang ups
        - availability of materials

Reported advantages:

Most reports indicate use of these structures by juvenile sportfish, including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus).

Structures are good for use in water supply reservoirs where organic materials are not allowed.

Structures are durable and long-lived.

Reported disadvantages:

Structures may entangle the lower units and propellers of outboard motors at low water levels or when placed in
shallow areas.

Structures may experience silting problems and so limit fish access in some reservoirs.

Growth of periphyton, an important food source for macroinvertebrates, on structures is limited in low fertility waters.

Recommendations:

Structures are not recommended for low fertility or silt-laden systems.  As mentioned above, silting may coat the structures limiting fish access, and periphyton growth on structures is limited in low fertility waters (Lemons 1992).

Mean reported time to create/place one structure/unit:  12.9 hrs (range 1 - 90, n=10)

Mean reported life of structure/unit:   26.7 yrs (range 8 - 100, n=9)

Degree of Satisfaction:
 **average ratings on a scale of 1 - 5 with 1 being very satisfied and 5 being very dissatisfied.
       - recruitment  2.3 (n=3)
          - fish attractor to increase angler catch and harvest  2.3 (n=7)
       - adult habitat/sanctuary  2.5 (n=2)

Related state reports:

Lemons, B.  1992.  Lake Powell artificial habitat project. Final Report.  Arizona Game and Fish Department, Page.

McKinney, S. P., and five co-authors.  1992.  Longevity of fish attractor materials.  1991 - 1992 Fish Management Annual Progress Report.  State of Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.

McKinney, S. P., and four co-authors.  1993.  Longevity of fish attractor materials.  1988-1993 Completion Report.  Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.

Owen, G., A. L. Egbert, and J. V. Shireman.  1995.  Fish attractors.   1994-1995 Completion Report.  Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.

Berkley FISH HAB
FISH HABs come in two varieties, string and pallet types, and are manufactured by Berkley, One Berkley Drive, Spirit Lake, IA 51360, 800-237-5539.  All states which reported this type of structure utilized the pallet variety, and one state utilized both.

Click here for map of states that used this method.

Main reasons used:
        - ease of construction and installation
        - snag resistant
        - cooperative efforts with local fishing clubs

Reported advantages:

Reported use of structures by juvenile sportfish and to a lesser degree harvestable size fish.

Structures are durable and long-lived.

Reported disadvantages:

none reported

Recommendations:

none reported

Mean reported time to create/place one structure/unit:  8 hrs (range 1 - 32, n=6)

Mean reported life of structure/unit:   58 yrs (range 10 - 100, n=6)

Degree of Satisfaction:
  **average ratings on a scale of 1 - 5 with 1 being very satisfied and 5 being very dissatisfied.
       - fish attractor to increase angler catch and harvest  2.6 (n=5)
       - recruitment 3.5 (n=2)

Related state reports:

Herrig, D. J., and L. R. Miller.  1985.  Comparison of Berkley Fish Hab and stakebeds in two small Western Iowa impoundments.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Other Structures

State agencies use just about any material that is of low/no cost and is readily available.  These may include (among others) buckets, barrels, spools, streamers, and ribbons.  Plastic buckets and barrels have been tied together and suspended in the water column.  Spools have also been used and have been filled with a variety of materials such as gravel and discarded Christmas trees.  A pincushion structure was used by one state agency and is similar to a stake tree but is made out of PVC pipes with pieces of ribbon attached.  Ribbons have also been used to form structures similar in form to the string variety FISH HAB, but may be prone to sinking in silt-laden systems.  Finally,  'mushroom hat' structures (Fig. c) and tree collars have been used to provide cover for predatory fish.

Other references:

Richards, T.  1997.  Placement and monitoring of synthetic and evergreen tree fish attracting devices.  Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Wesborough.

Wege, G. J.  1981.  Fish and fishing in ponds with and without artificial structure.  Master's Thesis.  University of Missouri, Columbia.
 

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