Has anyone done something like these before? I just took the sawzall and cut out holes in them. Thinking the smaller fish can get away from the bigger ones. I know the tops are open but figured they could dart in and out? Pros vs Cons any ideas or suggests i'm always open for ideas. https://imgur.com/G4mMHQx
My quick 2 cents is, it depends on what kind/size of fish you are providing structure for. Dense and fluffy stuff helps the smallest guys (fry) and larger and looser the bigger guys (LMB waiting in ambush). I've read some of the Pond Boss crew that raise CC and BC add barrels for spawning structure. It's not meant to drive you crazy by saying 'it depends', but it kinda does. I bet some species of critter would put that structure to use!
"Politics": derived from 'poly' meaning many, and 'tics' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
I have taken similar type barrels (old deer feeders) and after removing their legs it became a barrel. I then took some rolled tubing and ran short cut off pieces of tubing through holes drilled and that made it to look like a stump with limbs. I added a sk of quickcrete to the bottom of the barrel so it would stand up. By adding three barrels close to each other it made some good cover. On one of my barrels I used some plant pots from some pecan trees plantings. Added these 2' tall pots to the side of the barrels and then ran the tubing through the pots. Just have some fun doing it all. I try to use stuff I have found along the rd side or around the farm. It keeps cost down and can be like a treasure hunt.
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Right now I have cats, crappie and bass and few perch. When I get done draining it (going slow) I was thinking tilapia and large mouths and who know wht else. I'm not real picky just like a lot of action.
i would stand them upright when placing them if it were me. it might be too dark if you put them on their side. i don't think game fish do much in total darkness.
i keep a cage hanging off the side of my dock at all times. it is about 4ft square. small bluegill go thru the 3/4" mesh to avoid predators and to feed. i keep a feeder ring in there at all times so i can hand feed them. they stay long enough in there that they can't get back out. all of the fish in the attached pic went in there on their own when they were fry.
If you like action, HSB are an absolute blast. Not as moody as LMB, fight much harder. Supposed to be excellent eating, too. If HSB jumped, nobody would care about bass!
That ought to work good. Put weight in the bottom, more than you think you need. Large CC will move stuff around if it is near floating. I have had plastic stuff weighted down with gravel and had CC or snagging it with a hook move it around enough to lose its ballast and it floats to the top and wind blows to the shore.
The more holes for water circulation the better. Something that works really well for smaller holes is a step drill. Harbor Freight sells them pretty reasonable and the quality is fine for drilling plastic. They make a set of smaller ones that are too small but the larger individual (IIRC 1 3/8") work really well. Makes holes to the size you want in steps really fast and does not snag like a straight drill bit going through.
i would stand them upright when placing them if it were me. it might be too dark if you put them on their side. i don't think game fish do much in total darkness.
i keep a cage hanging off the side of my dock at all times. it is about 4ft square. small bluegill go thru the 3/4" mesh to avoid predators and to feed. i keep a feeder ring in there at all times so i can hand feed them. they stay long enough in there that they can't get back out. all of the fish in the attached pic went in there on their own when they were fry.
Make the big holes too. Just adding lots of small holes aids in the water exchange which will aid in making sure there is enough DO inside the structure to make it comfortable for fish to use. Varying sizes gives lots of choices from everything down to the level of algae on the surface all the way up the food chain to whatever size fish you are trying to protect. Let the biggest holes be the size fish you want to allow some protection to. Smaller fish can dart either side of the opening to escape predation. But if you do not get enough water exchange capability the center of any structure might not get used much.
Some of my smaller structure pieces I think I did not get enough larger holes in. I should have used a jig saw like you did.
Have been reading through some of these comments, I would just like to add that if you have CC, 55 gallon barrels work well for a spawn cavity, that is if you want them to spawn. I did not think they would spawn in my pond (1/2 acre) but the pond is all clay and they have made caves in the side of it, and yes, I do have more CC now.
half-acre pond, LMB, HBG, BG, GSH and CC ....goal is to have fun fishing. And I subscribe!
I have done this and have had good results. I would be sure to drill holes anywhere air could get trapped so you don't have trouble keeping them down. I kept the covers on mine and used a couple sizes of hole saws to punch holes for fish. Otters hate them so that always brings a smile to my face.
anthropic, sorry i overlooked your question. i built the cage. it has been years since i ordered the mesh and fittings. seems like someone here recommended the place to order supplies from. the pvc fittings are kinda unique. they are 3 way and 4 way fittings.
You are interested in the caps on the barrels? These are 55 gallon barrels cut in half. Which ever if you want a few of the half barrels I will give them to ya. Will she be around Parsons.
Just the 2 caps from maybe 2 top barrel ends. One is course thread, one fine. I'd buy some caps if you can spare a few. Maybe 2 each course and 2 fine. I have these as floats for my dock and I've got a few that were very brittle and leaked. I spent a year trying to collect just 6 55gal barrels.
I built my floating pier on dry bank 5 yrs ago to where when the water came up it would float. I used 55 gal metal drums and added some water inside the drums to float the pier a little lower in the water. This year I have had to change out 3 of the drums due to rust holes. I changed them out to white plastic drums. It's not hard to change them using the front end loader on the tractor and lifting up the side of the pier and slipping one out and replacing it. I did not know that they might become brittle. Not good! So I guess we will see how it all turns out. A 12 by 16 floating dock/pier has been an asset for building brush piles/rock piles etc. Was also very useful when treating pond with alum/lime. Just add a good trolling motor.
Last edited by TGW1; 12/20/1910:36 AM.
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FYI, the white barrels don't seem to have UV stabilizers in them, so they get brittle and crack easily after a few years in the sun. I built a pier on my pond a few years ago and that's what happened. It's a PITA to lift the pier to screw in real pier floats,,,,,,,,
I still have a bunch of blue barrels under the "T" part of the pier, IF we ever get enough ice to work on the pier I'll lift the wood up off the barrels and replace with real pier floats.
The white barrels didn't leak at the bungs, they actually cracked and leaked.
Never again will I use plastic barrels. With the cost of the wood and all the effort that it takes to build a pier, it's not worth the cost savings for me.
Hey Tracy I have some black plastic buckets that have been in the sun for lots of years and still are good , on the other hand white ones crack and break in a year or so......also blue barrels seem to hold up well
good info guys. when these white ones give up I will try the blk I think I have a supplier for those if not I will try the blue ones. Ha! Wished I would have known all this earlier. We have used blk ones on the duck blind that is not located at the pond.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Wife and daughter use the blue ones for setting up horsey training obstacles. There are three of them here that have been setting out in the weather for 11 years and are still as tough and pliable as the day I brought them home.
