Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Chip off the old cinderblock....

I've got a bunch of leftover cinder blocks at my new place, more than I need to sink trees & brush. Any suggestions on how to best use them as habitat?

Bring em to my place....... kidding
Drop a buoy in a likely fishing spot then carry them out and pile them up and you got a reef

Use a rope looped through the block so you can "feel" where it drops and then let go of one end of the rope and pull the loose end back through the hole and up to your boat.....then repeat.

Cinder blocks can "drift" more than you think by the time they hit the bottom even if you just ease them into 6-9 feet of water from the side of your boat.

You want to control the pile as it is being built and avoid something that is too scattered and spread out. Too many blocks sounds like a great problem to have. BM61.

It really depends on how many you have (cinderblocks) and what type of aqautic life you think you need to promote in your pond.

Cinder blocks make good containment rings for gravel beds with the holes facing up if you need more panfish nesting.

A loose pile, as mentioned, should work very well for small to midsize fish hideouts.

Shallow piles of busted blocks would work nicely for crawdad habitat.

Organized stacks that create "houses" would benefit catfish spawning.

Stacked sets with the holes facing to the sides would make for good FHM nests too.

Frank, here is what I did with some extra cinder blocks. I built a crib using 5 pallets. I used a few blocks along with a rope for a slow sink to the bottom in 9' of water. The rope helped to control and position the crib. Then I dropped many blocks into the crib or around the crib by dropping them overboard. Then I placed some 8 to 12' cedar limbs weighted with more blocks and dropped them in and around the crib. Now that fishing spot will most always hold a few lmb and or cnbg. I used my floating pier with an attached trolling motor to transport and position the whole deal to the spot where I sunk it all. A DIY floating pier has many uses at my pond. It also makes a good swimming platform in the middle of the pond when needed.

Stack/pile them up on an existing hump or place of vertical relief to make that spot stick up higher than the existing hump.

For example see the pic and place them on a dirt pile.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=7014&filename=Sculpted Dirt Mounds (1024x768).jpg

I know just the place. Would love to put several vertical cedars on top, surround with cinderblocks.