Brushpile opinions

I'm in the process of establishing brushpiles for a lake near my home that I haven't fished much. The lake averages about 12 feet deep with a channel running through it that averages 15'-20' fd. The water is usually clear, not much vegetation or natural structure where I'm planning on sinking my brushpiles. I have equal access to cane, ceder, cypress, sweet gum and (soon) old Christmas trees that I'll put in buckets with quikcrete. I won't be fishing them until around March after my home lake's spawn is over. In yall's opinion which of these...
1) attract and hold fish best?
2) are the most durable and long lasting?
3) are the least obvious (hardest to see) to fish finding electronics?

*Mike*

Attachment 253765Attachment 253766Attachment 253767Attachment 253768 If you will Google Images "Crappie Condos" you will see everything you need. All I can say is WOW!!!

Oh heck yeah brother maxwell, that's perfect! [emoji106] [emoji106] [emoji106]

*Mike*

They claim that PVC is almost impossible to see with a depth finder. You could quick crete some in 5 gal. buckets and sink them.

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Originally Posted by shadow

They claim that PVC is almost impossible to see with a depth finder. You could quick crete some in 5 gal. buckets and sink them.

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I've heard that also Shadow and I know you wouldn't hang up as much on PVC. So that's a plus but I don't know how good it'll actually hold fish?? I see it all over Google of folks making PVC structure for crappie but like we had to tell some of the younger guys at work "ain't everything you you read on the internet the truth!" I would trust more what a crappie.com member with first hand knowledge has found out.

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Originally Posted by NwLa sacalait

Oh heck yeah brother maxwell, that's perfect! [emoji106] [emoji106] [emoji106]

*Mike*

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*Mike*

Attachment 253784
Made this out of three 55 gallon plastic drums. Stole the idea from this site. The PVC works.. Can't vouch for seeing it on a graph, mine wasn't working the last time I was their.
Im of the mindset, "put it out and they will come"

HOLY MOLY!! That looks kinda heavy for me and my little boat!🤔 Is it holding crappie good??

*Mike*

cedar stake beds seem to work best and last the longest at my home lake

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/crapp...crappie-condo/

Thx for the link John Doe, that covers a ton of PVC questions![emoji106] [emoji106]

*Mike*

I like that PVC idea. The only thing that is a disadvantage is the cost of the PVC in regards to the cost of Bamboo. I also like the idea of less hang ups as well. I have been told that sweet gum is one of the best tops to put out. I am definitely going to try that PVC John Doe posted. I haven't priced PVC lately. How much would it cost per brush pile if you made it out of PVC?

I like that also, I'll have to look into what the cost is but we'll most probably make a few of the PVC. I'm definitely going to make a lot of the bamboo like maxwell 328 posted, I have very easy access to cane. I also have easy access to plenty of sweet gum and ceder. Has anybody used actual small ceder trees for structure?? http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...06a98db75b.jpg

*Mike*

I've caught plenty off of PVC. Which is better? Chevy vs Ford. The trees get fish quicker. PVC lasts longer.
I put out a couple of Xmas trees, no more for me. Made too much of a mess in the boat.
Those three barrels were not that heavy. I weigh 170 and dumped it by myself. Used scrap pieces blocks for weight. It would have been easier with two people, no doubt. It was raining the day I did it, which was great! No one else was out.
A 20' stick of ¾" PVC is about $5. The fittings is what cost.
On other barrels I stuck PVC through them, for limbs. One or two cinder blocks, it's sinking. I get the drums for free

You're right about the trees making a mess and I don't need them to attract crappie immediately, like I said I don't plan on fishing them till March. I'm gonna try your barrel idea, I can get my hands on a dozen plastic drums for free. Thanks a lot skunked again and by the way, that's a cool name!!

*Mike*

I use small, big, medium, and everything else you can think of. I don't look for long lasting materials I just put something out at least once or twice a week. I like cane and I really like the stake beds with cedar boards. The cedar trees don't last long until it looks like a Charlie Brown tree, but I put so much out that doesn't bother me.

Thanks for the compliment! Spend some time looking online for ideas of what to sink, let your imagination run!
I think next time I'll stack two barrels, have a tall "tree stump" in deeper water. Put some bracing on the bottom so it doesn't tip over.

Take the barrels drill a lot of thru holes in barrel go cut a lot of cane the length of boat fill barrel with willow limbs. go to site stick cane thru barrel in all directions and sink . Last but not least send me gps location.

All great ideas! I always just made stake beds with cane and a homemade driver.


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Originally Posted by Andrews

I use small, big, medium, and everything else you can think of. I don't look for long lasting materials I just put something out at least once or twice a week. I like cane and I really like the stake beds with cedar boards. The cedar trees don't last long until it looks like a Charlie Brown tree, but I put so much out that doesn't bother me.

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Yeah Josh you've really impressed me how much time and effort you put into your brushpiles!! And we've all seen your incredible results, all I can say is "Awesome bud!!" and thanks for all the tips and advice

*Mike*

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Originally Posted by skunked again

Thanks for the compliment! Spend some time looking online for ideas of what to sink, let your imagination run!
I think next time I'll stack two barrels, have a tall "tree stump" in deeper water. Put some bracing on the bottom so it doesn't tip over.

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Skunked again, haha I get a laugh to myself when I type your name in, I love it!! You've given me some great ideas I would have never thought of, thanks a lot![emoji106] [emoji106] [emoji106]

*Mike*

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Originally Posted by speckle

Take the barrels drill a lot of thru holes in barrel go cut a lot of cane the length of boat fill barrel with willow limbs. go to site stick cane thru barrel in all directions and sink . Last but not least send me gps location.

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Speckle, my buddy and I were talking about that exact same thing and I think that'll work great!! It might be a minute before I get you them coordinates buddy, lol

*Mike*

Thanks to all yall that responded to my questions and pm'd some great advice! I really appreciate it all! I'll post some pics when we get started building them

Sweet gum and Willow tops is all ya need! Tie you a weigh to bottom and small empty coke bottle in top and kick it out!


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I just started in September and have done over 20 now and found out quickly making your on piles can get too be expensive and time consuming. What I've found to be the easiest and cheapest is cutting a branch or two at lake, if prohibited, and tying it to a rip rap rock with either copper wire or rope. You can always bring branches to lake too. If no rock available you can use a cinder block. I do enjoy stake buckets and have sunken wooden ones. I have caught a lot of crappie off both my brush piles and stake buckets. Working on some PVC buckets right now that will be assembled at drop location.

I mainly fish bayous and marsh canals that are not deep. I just cut cypress and willow branches and push the trunk of the branch into the mud with a push pole. I place the piles along the drop off where they spawn. I have a few cypress piles that are a few years old and still producing fish. I refresh the piles every year. I keep a saw zaw in the boat and put out piles all summer. If I catch a few fish along a bank I will sink a few branches there. I do my cutting at least a 100 yards from the pile it is a stealthy way to put out and them no and one is the wiser.

Cool, thanks for the pics Juicy! Man, all my sweet gum has almost lost all their leaves but I didn't even think about willow! Do you think it would be best to put out willow now (it still has leaves) and then drop some sweet gum down on them in the spring when they have leaves? Or do you think it matters???

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Originally Posted by NwLa sacalait

Cool, thanks for the pics Juicy! Man, all my sweet gum has almost lost all their leaves but I didn't even think about willow! Do you think it would be best to put out willow now (it still has leaves) and then drop some sweet gum down on them in the spring when they have leaves? Or do you think it matters???

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The leaves grow algae, which attracts plankton, which attracts shad, which attracts Crappie!!!

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Originally Posted by maxwell328

The leaves grow algae, which attracts plankton, which attracts shad, which attracts Crappie!!!

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10-4 that's what I was thinking! Probably go with bamboo and willow for now and sweet gum in the spring.

*Mike*

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Originally Posted by saute86

I mainly fish bayous and marsh canals that are not deep. I just cut cypress and willow branches and push the trunk of the branch into the mud with a push pole. I place the piles along the drop off where they spawn. I have a few cypress piles that are a few years old and still producing fish. I refresh the piles every year. I keep a saw zaw in the boat and put out piles all summer. If I catch a few fish along a bank I will sink a few branches there. I do my cutting at least a 100 yards from the pile it is a stealthy way to put out and them no and one is the wiser.

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Saute86 you just gave me some great ideas for my home lake!! Thanks[emoji106] [emoji106] [emoji106]

*Mike*

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Originally Posted by DrNip

I just started in September and have done over 20 now and found out quickly making your on piles can get too be expensive and time consuming. What I've found to be the easiest and cheapest is cutting a branch or two at lake, if prohibited, and tying it to a rip rap rock with either copper wire or rope. You can always bring branches to lake too. If no rock available you can use a cinder block. I do enjoy stake buckets and have sunken wooden ones. I have caught a lot of crappie off both my brush piles and stake buckets. Working on some PVC buckets right now that will be assembled at drop location.

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DrNip, we don't have any rocks or riprap around and I'm not sure about cutting at the lake but I'm planning on a few stake beds also. Thank you

*Mike*

I like Christmas trees and 5 gallon bucket. Haven't used the others.

I started building some "crappie condos" this weekend. I'm starting off with bamboo. Plan on making at least 2 dozen. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...875009ca67.jpg I also took some ideas y'all gave me and drilled and cut holes in a plastic drum and ran cane thru the top. I'll see how good one works before I make morehttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...9742726656.jpg

*Mike*

That's nice looking

Looks totally awesome. Great job.

Thanks

*Mike*

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Originally Posted by NwLa sacalait

Cool, thanks for the pics Juicy! Man, all my sweet gum has almost lost all their leaves but I didn't even think about willow! Do you think it would be best to put out willow now (it still has leaves) and then drop some sweet gum down on them in the spring when they have leaves? Or do you think it matters???

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Yeah wait til spring and summer when leaves are back to put you some sweet gum out!


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Originally Posted by juicy

Yeah wait til spring and summer when leaves are back to put you some sweet gum out!


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10-4 that's the plan man! Juicy, in your pics all you put was some scrap iron for weight? Does it stay where you sink it pretty good?

*Mike*

Looks great you could take some large cane and put 4 two ft. legs out the bottom. They will settle in the silt and it will never move