Brush discussion

My pier on Norman is in 12-13 feet of water at full pool just inside a major creek. In the last 50 years, we’ve caught many thousands of crappie off our pier. However, they’ve been almost nonexistent the last few years. My plan over the next few weeks is to strategically place brush under the pier which will still make it conducive to shooting or flipping jigs and minnows in certain places and know I won’t get hung up. I’ll be able to go down and strap the brush securely to wooden piling and even trim back branches if needed.

I’m most interested In putting in the best brush to attract crappie. That being the case, what would you be putting in the water? Would you focus on mainly logs/branches vs. “brushy” stuff? Would you sink green or dead material? Would you put in oak, cedar, gum, etc? Would love to hear some first hand experience as well as results.

Thanks in advance.
TW

I am certainly no expert on the subject but I have been using bamboo for the last few years and really like it. I cut the bamboo at about 8 foot and use the tops. I use a sheetrock bucket of quickrete with the bamboo placed in it and spread out to about 6 or 7 foot wide and let it set up. When it gets set I wrap bungee cords around it to gather it up for transport. When I get to my place I just lower the bucket as I release the limbs and it usually spreads out good. Thing I like about it is it really last a long time, and hooks will slide off the limbs easy so it almost eliminates getting hung up. Leaves or no leaves it will do the trick. JMO

make pvc buckets

never get hung up

last forever

cheap

I prefer oak or hickory tree tops and branches as they last so long but you will get hung up more than plastic or bamboo. why not try all three and see which works best for you?

I've not used bamboo or pvc, but hear it's great.

Google "shelbyville cubes" this is what ACOE uses locally. They last forever

How do you anchor the shelbyville cubes? One of the biggest problems I have had with the bamboo and other brush if anchoring it down. You would think a 5 gallon bucket of cement would hold a few limbs of hollow bamboo.

I heard someone say you need to drill holes in the top and bottom joint sections of bamboo so air can escape and water to get in side. We tied a jug in the tops of ours to keep it up right. :cheers2

Since its your pier, make pvc trees, or stake beds,lay them down and forget about it! Will last a lifetime!

They fill the bottom PVC pieces with gravel and like mentioned drill holes to let the air out. They also tie snow fencing to the bottom so as silt settles on them that too helps keep them in place

I like pvc under pier and you can use zip ties to secure it to the under structure of the pier. fish love it and it last forever. If you know elec. or plumber contractor they useally have a lot of scrap.

If I go with PVC, would you focus on having mostly vertical pipes, or also have a fair amount running horizontal?
TW

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tarheelwx

If I go with PVC, would you focus on having mostly vertical pipes, or also have a fair amount running horizontal?
TW

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i LIKE 1 1/2 VIRTICAL PVC WITH 1/2" PEX RUNNING THROUGH IT. I DRILL THE VIRTICAL AND SLIDE THE PEX THROUGHIT AND CRIS CROSS THE PEX. WHERE THE PEX CROSSES I ZIP-TIE IT. I KINDA MAKE A BOX AND THEN CROSS THE INSIDE AS MUCH AS I WANT.

Well, I ended up putting about 10 mostly oak (a couple of hickory limbs) under the pier and strapped them down with some electrical wire. Before I started, I did a quick survey of existed brush and found the the wire I used 5 or 6 years ago was still holding strong and no signs of wear. The oak was green and the hickory was about a year and a half old (just straight 4”x10’ stick. Some small bass and a few nice shell crackers were roaming around as I stirred up old brush and what ever was stuck to it and the pilings. Hopefully I can report good results by this time next year.