Trashcan bag structure

I've got an acquaintance who has religiously put out treetops and other structure in one of the local Corps lakes around here for years. He recently said that the structure that pulled more fish in than any other plus being the easiest was to get a big trash bag, cut the sides into strips, weight down the middle and sink it. He says the strips have enough floatation so that they will float up and create an effect like a small kelp or weed bed. He swears this works better than anything else. Has anyone else ever done this or heard of it?

Heard of it. I would think it would just settle on the bottom. Looks like more trash in the lake, but who knows.

Those trash bags have ruined many motors by being caught around the water inlet. I hope anyone that puts them out gets caught. They will eventually come apart and float up.

I also thought they would probably just lay down, but my acquaintance says they float up some and swears they hold more fish than his treetops.

No one should put things like that in the water...I mean how stupid do you got to be....whats next, weighing down your weeks garbage from the house ? Come on...use just a little common sense. PVC ...yeah...concrete..okay...maybe even a plastic bucket with weight in it...but at some point we have to just say, thats just garbage and litter.

I have to agree, that's just putting trash in the water, I think the pvc is even taking it too far. I was fishing earlier this spring and an old man and his grandkids showed up trying to catch some cats. They threw a couple scoops of dogfood out in the water and then placed a rock inside a wal-mart bag filled it with dogfood tied the top and poked some holes in it then threw it out in the water. I was infuriated. I walked over and told him I thought it was great he was teaching his grandkids to fish but I didn't appreciate him throwing trash in the lake and if he threw another one out as he was peparing to do I was going to call the game warden. He grumbled and didn't have much to say. About 10 minutes later he packed up and left. Acts like these pollute the waters, damage property, and over time wildlife habitat and recreational areas.

I sure don't know the conditions of the lake where these trash bags were sunk, but I have personally seen it done, and then went back with scuba gear, and the bags were covered with silt and clumped up on the bottom. Maybe this lake had more silt than the one you are mentioning - or more current or something.
I've also used a thing sold for a fish attractor that was basically some plastic greenery that you put a weight on one end, and it had a float on the other. I went back with my scuba gear ONE week later, and they were all laid out flat on the bottom from the weight of the silt!

Zinsurance, I admire you wanting to help protect our waters (and I am a proud member of the Coosa River Basin initiative) - but I don't understand what the problem is with PVC?

I guess for me PVC is about the same as a plastic milk jug or using old tires, they are just materials that mother nature doesn't really process, they are pretty well there until someone moves them. To me there are more appropriate materials and methods to be used.

I think only organic materials that will rot away should be used- All the plastic we put on the bottom is gonna be there when the reservoirs are gone and thats just not good when the alternatives are FREE, easy to use, and work just fine.

On the trash bags, either they will float up and ruin motors, or they will clump on the bottom, kinda hard to do both. Either way, they are of little help to the fisherman.

As far as PVC not breaking down and being there forever....I think that IS the point of using PVC, so it does not rot away and it never has to be replaced...

I am no expert, but I think the treated lumber used on a lot of piers is much worse than PVC in a lake. What happens if you put a piece of treated wood in an aquarium?
Just because something is made of wood and will deteriorate, doesn't mean that it is OK for the environment.
I personally think PVC is the best choice you can make. I like fishing jigging spoons and there is nothing better to use for your fishing hole than PVC as far as not losing lures. Most of my clients wind up using PVC only. I will certainally use natural trees when a client requests it, but most leave it up to me.

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Originally Posted by fishingholebuilder

I am no expert, but I think the treated lumber used on a lot of piers is much worse than PVC in a lake. What happens if you put a piece of treated wood in an aquarium?
Just because something is made of wood and will deteriorate, doesn't mean that it is OK for the environment.
I personally think PVC is the best choice you can make. I like fishing jigging spoons and there is nothing better to use for your fishing hole than PVC as far as not losing lures. Most of my clients wind up using PVC only. I will certainally use natural trees when a client requests it, but most leave it up to me.

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Do I take it that you put out structure for a fee?

Yes. I own Fishing Hole Builders. Check out my web site sometime.

PVC has no risks and is good structure for the fish. Also hooks don't get hug up easy keeping the broken line out of the water. Wood is treated with arsenic around here. I think it could be a hazard.

Anyone putting trash bags in the water is an idiot. I hope they get their motor burned up with one.

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Originally Posted by fishingholebuilder

Yes. I own Fishing Hole Builders. Check out my web site sometime.

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There's always an occupation a fellow doesn't know about. I will check out your website.