COE putting in some trees courtesy of JM

[Quillback]

As you all probably remember, last year BassPro had that amateur tourney where the championship was held on Table Rock in November.  One of the messages they were using was that the proceeds would go to "conservation".  They never explained what they meant by conservation and I was a bit skeptical I must admit.

This morning when Dutch and I got to the Big M ramp there was a pile of cinder blocks at the waters edge.  Didn't know who dumped them there, but we speculated that it had something to do with a habitat project.

When we came in at 1230 when we were done fishing, there were a least a dozen cedar trees laying on the lower end of the parking lot.  Good sized cedars, I'd guess 12-15 foot tall trees, not little Christmas tree deals.  While we were there, a few more were dragged in by COE pickup trucks and there were several COE people working in the area, cutting trees and dragging them to the lot.

Talked to one of the COE workers for a minute or two and he explained that they had received a grant from BassPro, which were proceeds from the tournament series and they would be there until next Thursday at Big M cutting trees and placing them in the lake.  I didn't ask, but I bet they will drop them vertically creating a standing timber effect.  They plan to refresh existing piles and will mark them on the MDC brushpile app.  It won't be local to Big M, but lake wide.  It's also good to see them clearing those cedars out of the park, it was getting overgrown with them.

Kudos to BPS and the COE for the habitat work!

 

[Dutch]

On the way out a couple of guys stopped me while a tree was fallen in the road.  Those guys are doing some serious tree cutting.

[grizwilson]

Hope they have a permit....the boys in the ivory tower will write them up

14 hours ago, Dutch said:

On the way out a couple of guys stopped me while a tree was fallen in the road.  Those guys are doing some serious tree cutting.

 

[Dutch]

Griz these are the boys in the ivory tower working with MDC.

[Browning Guy]

35 years ago BPS had a huge pontoon they loaned out free of charge to a limited number of folks. It was strictly for us to put brush out with. I was allowed to use it for three years before they stopped it. I was told it became a liability issue. That's when I bought my own pontoon for the sole purpose of brush and rocks. From experience.....cinder blocks tend to corrode rapidly under water.....I used to use them. The water got down to 900 one year and I noticed two blocks had turned into a small pile of concrete mush. I started using large rocks off the bank with aluminum electric fence wire. I also learned....if putting brush on points with a lot of current....use  A LOT of Rock to hold them. Otherwise after a flood....the way point is no longer viable.🤣

[willyfish]

Good, some positive feedback for a change 

[Quillback]

Didn't know those cinder blocks broke down over time.  

[Champ188]

Glad to hear of this project. Very glad. May blessings befall BPS/COE/MDC for this effort. Would love to see them use some other types of trees, as well. Grew up being a "brusher" and several of us around lakes Ouachita, Hamilton and DeGray, including tournament fishing pioneer Ricky Green, learned that cedars, while GREAT for crappie, weren't necessarily the best species for attracting and holding bass. Pin oaks, on the other hand, were sublime. 

[Dutch]

These blocks are filled with cement.  Will that extend their time before eroding away?

[jdmidwest]

On 12/11/2022 at 4:32 AM, Quillback said:

Didn't know those cinder blocks broke down over time.  

Cinder blocks erode with time in the open weather.  They are not cement, a formula with a chemical reaction to make them hard as a rock.  Different composition.