Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Cedar Trees VS. PVC Trees

Hello,

I want to make a better habitat for the fish in my lake. Which work better cedar trees concreted into 5 gallon buckets or PVC Xmas trees? I need a good spot that will hold fish and a spot where I can atch some fish.

Thanks

I want the trees to hold bass and crappie for sure.

I prefer cedar trees are hardwoods. Keep in mind that after 2 or 3 years you will need to replace them as they will deteriorate over time. Crappie seem to prefer the tree standing up and bass will relate either way. I have not had any experience with PVC. Good Luck!

BOTH! the cedar tree is dense you need that to protect young fish. The pvc tree is better for holding bass, predators.

...or buy some Porcupine Spheres from Greg and wrap a few of them with plastic fencing from Home Depot to create a better habitat for young fish.

Nope. Not affiliated with Greg, just trying to get a discount on my next order of spheres.

Hey make sure you report the results from the spheres. If bad all results need to be sent to me in private. Good results need to be spread to everyone on the board and all friends and family. Serioulsy let us know how they turn out and if you are catching fish off of 'em.

Big Mac

What ever your on it must be very strong stuff. Greg giving dicounts, he does have very good products but I believe you should take less of the stuff so your head clears up.---joke

Sorry, Greg. for the Porcupine Spheres, my conscience will require to me to post all comments and observations -- good or bad.
BTW, I love this AquaPro 75-D Feeder. My Mom seems to have become addicted to watching the fish eat and calls me to give daily fish feeding reports. The 65 year old woman sounds like a teenager, when she talks about the Catfish whiskers poking out of the water. I found her a day old bread store, so she's really happy, now.

Since I bought just the spheres from Greg, I went to Home Depot and bought 170 feet of 1/2" PVC pipe and a fancy-smancy PVC cutter. It beats the heck out of using a hack saw.
I was hoping to get all 12 spheres installed this weekend, but the residents have taken me up on my offer to help put a new roof on the Recreation Center. To avoid any grief, I need to sink the spheres, when no one else is watching. Besides, I want to hide my honey-holes, around the two piers I fish from.

Deaner, you're right! I don't know where that discount thought came from. It must be these allergy medications making me a bit daffy. It's so bad down here, right now, that all the cars have a yellow tint from the tree pollen.

BigMac hope you know I was kidding. If they do not work we all need to know that too. Good luck, those pvc cutters are worth the money. we use them to make our fish cages.

Greg, sure I knew you were kidding. I'll actually post in the New York Times if they don't work. I'm not worried that I'll need to spend the money to keep that promise.

Huntingrdr,
To get back to your question, I think it's a matter of what you have readily available. I am leaning more towards PVC, because it's pretty much snagless for lures and it lasts a very long time. It's also ligth enough to pull up and move if you ever wish to do so. Everyone has told me that PVC gathers algae just as well as wood.

Bob Lusk, gave a good description on building a PVC tree in: http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000133#000000.
You can put the 1/2" PVC pieces close together if you wish to provide cover for smaller fish or make several, with different distances, depending upon what your goals and depth of water are.

"Take six foot sections of the one inch, drill a hole the same outside diameter of the half inch. Drill your first hole six inches from the end of the pipe. Drop six inches, spin a quarter turn and drill another hole, then do it again, all the way to the other end. Take six foot lengths of the half inch and shove them halfway through each hole. That gives you one 'unit.' Couple three to five units together and put them in water no deeper than ten feet. They work pretty well."

bigmac reveals a little secret...
What a great little ditty! Big smiles from Brettski

Guess I should mention that it's really her place on the lake. She's the lucky one that gets to live up there. I get to fish in trade for being her handyman. For me, it's a 1.5 hour drive that gets me out of the big city and into God's country.

Well, I got all 312 16", 2', and 2.5 foot pieces of 1/2" PVC cut last night. With the PVC cutter, my forearm isn't even tired. a Very worthwhile purchase.

I hope to have time to sink all 12 spheres this coming weekend. I'll post on my progress and results in the Habitat Spheres thread. Concentrating the Bass and especially the Crappie around the two piers I fish is the goal.

bigmac, would it be possible for you to post a photo of your sphere/fencing combination?

sure, if I don't forget to take my digital camera with me, again. :rolleyes: