Thread: Hmmm....

Originally Posted by Black Crow

I'm gonna try to get to these condos this week. I was looking at all of my materials (tree limbs, PVC, and cinder blocks) yesterday and trying to get creative with them.

I just got new tires put on my truck, so now I have 4 tires I can incorporate somehow. I'm thinking of nailing them to a 10' - 12' 4x4, creating some sort of weighted base to make it stand up straight, attaching milk jugs to the top end to make sure it doesn't fall over, and setting it out there with my PVC. I'm thinking of also buying some more PVC to attach to my tire tree so it will have even more mass. We'll see. I'll get some pictures up here when I get it all together. Like I said, I'm shooting for this week.

Just a word of caution, dumping of tires in any water system is illegal. Wouldn't suggest using the tires but you are doing alright otherwise. Ferdi aka Fred

One thing I like about PVC over wood is that it is virtually impossible to get your jigs and minnows snagged. I got this bad habit of trying to scare off all the fish in one area by getting my very first jig or minnow snagged on the structure I'm fishing. I have found a few new home construction sites in my area that are more than willing to give you the buckets and scrap blue and red waterlines as long as you dont mind a little dumbster diving. Free is free and if I can save some money to put in the gas tank so I can go fishing then I'm all for it.

Originally Posted by Ferdi

Just a word of caution, dumping of tires in any water system is illegal. Wouldn't suggest using the tires but you are doing alright otherwise. Ferdi aka Fred

Oops, I didn't know that. I always see tons of tires in our lakes so I just assumed they were acceptable. Thanks for letting me know.

I have tried everything imaginable for condos, bamboo will attract as good as anything but you betcha 9 outta 10 times you hang in it you will leave it in it!
pvc is expensive BUT it will last forever. the Bill Dance Porcupines, (I bought just the balls) used with 5' long joints of pipe cost bout the same as the 10' long 'trees' I make. I never sanded the pipe but checking with my aquavue in about a month they were covered in algae and perch were using them. here's a link to some I made:

crappie condos on bistineau - and a bald eagle - Crappie.com

Best thing for me is stakebeds using scraps from local Cedar or Hardwood mills. I get all I can haul for free. Helps to take the owner fishing or at least take him some fillets.