I hope that all had a wonderful holiday. Once the wrapping paper has been thrown away and the last drop of eggnog has been consumed, few people have a use for that evergreen tree that graced their home during the holiday season. Arkansas Game & Fish has a new job for those leftover trees: fish habitat.
AG&F has drop-off locations across the state to let your old Christmas tree have a second life as an underwater cover. The small spaces and dense cover offered by fresh Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitats for small fish and great places to fish.
Anglers are welcome to remove trees from drop-off locations to create their own fish attractors. Tying the trees to cinder blocks with parachute cords is a popular option to weigh the trees down. Sandbags also are a popular option. By the time the bags and cord deteriorate, the trees will be waterlogged and no longer need the weight to stay on the bottom.
The small branches deteriorate quickly, so it’s best to sink the trees in groups. Tree trunks will last much longer, offering some woody cover long after a single tree’s attractiveness goes. Biologists created 145 new fish attractor locations during last year’s project, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to habitat and fish-attracting cover the AG&F has placed in the last five years. Thanks to their interactive map, you can get the exact GPS location of each fish attractor to load to your smartphone or fishfinder to get a head start on the search for more fish.
Trees should be clean of all ornaments, lights, and tinsel before they are dropped off. Artificial Christmas trees should not be used as fish habitats, either.
Christmas trees typically only last a year or two before all that’s left is the main trunk, so AG&F suggests anglers sink groups of trees together. This way, the site is still attractive to baitfish and sportfish long after the smaller branches and needles have decayed.
Looking forward to this new year. Fishing is only getting better. If you need help getting out on the water, give us a call at Custom Adventures Guide Service, we can hook you up on a guided trout fishing trip or a beautiful sightseeing tour of the water. Call (479) 363-9632 Leave a message for Lisa.