Fish Attractors

Whether it's called cover, structure, or crappie beds the construction of fish, habitat is an effective method of attracting and congregating fish.  The best attractors provide both food and cover and thereby attract the largest number and types of fishes.  Attractors provide food by making habitat for aquatic insects which attract small fishes and which in turn attract larger fishes.  Good fish attractors also provide spawning and resting cover, shade, or escape areas from predators.

Brush piles constructed with green cedar trees are probably the best known and most often constructed fish attractor.  However, other trees or brush can be used if cedars are not available.  When cedars are used the butts may be weighted individually with rock and sunk or several may be anchored together with a large rock or concrete blocks.  Anchoring cedars with the butts down makes lures less likely to hang up or snag.

Many other materials can be used to make fish attractors including large rocks, rubble, cement blocks and clay tiles or pipe.  Some materials work better than others for particular species and at certain times of the year.  Catfish, for example, show a preference for tiles or pipe during their spawning season in May and June.  Probably the best attractor is a combination of several materials which provide both loosely packed and dense cover.  Some structural materials and designs are pictured on the back of this sheet.

The location of the attractor is very important, with water depth being the most important single factor.  Points of land which extend into the water and drop off rapidly into deeper water are good sites.  Coves or other ares sheltered from the wind are also good sites.  In small ponds, the area of deep water near the dam is an excellent spot for fish attractors.  Another good site is the edge of the banks of submerged creek channels.  Attractors should be placed in the water so that the top of the attractor is not more than 4 to 6 feet under water.  The grouping of attractors is important; with groups of threes arranged in a triangle design appearing to be the best.