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."
