fish cribs

Question
This is for our exhibition project for school. We are asking you these questions because we want to find a good habitat for fish. Our questions are
1. How do we get fish in the fish crib?
2. What kind of fish will use a fish crib?
3. Is there anything special we need in the fish crib?
4. Do you know how to make a fish crib?
Thank you from Teagan and Sharon

Answer
Hi Teagon and Sharon,

That is a great project.

Fish cribs are artificial habitat and cover placed in a lake to give fish a place to live.  They are often placed in lakes that don't have a lot of natural cover for them to hide or spawn.

Nearly all game fish will use cribs and they become fish magnets almost immediately after they are placed in the lake.  Anything from small panfish to Muskies can be found around cribs and if you know where they are in the lake they are excellent places to start fishing.

Fish cribs are made in very different ways these days.  They used to be big logs lashed together to make a square like a mini log cabin without a roof.  Now, they have found some easier ways to make a lot of them quickly with things that are being thrown away anyway.  Here in Wisconsin I have seen a lot of them made by stacking old wooden pallets on top of each other and tying them all together with rope or steel banding that is used to secure parts and boxes to pallets.  If you have factories near your house you may be able to ask them if they have any pallets that they don't want and they will give them to you.  Four or five stacked on top each other is enough.  Some clubs sandwich branches in between layers to make them even more fish appealing.

You don't need to put anything in the crib.  If you build it they will come!  

I've seen some made with white PVC pipe and some with pipe and pallets.  If you "google" "making a fish crib" there are many different ways to make them.  Almost everyone uses several 12" concrete block to keep them on the bottom.  Blocks weigh about 50 pounds each.  These cribs get quite heavy so you need some strong people to get them to the water.  Here in WI, they place them on the ice where they want them and when the ice melts in spring they sink right where they want them.  

Here are a couple good sites.

www.iwla.org/ht/action/GetDocumentAction/i/1007
http://www.chippewaflowage.com/2002_how_to_build_fish_cribs.html
http://tcsportsman.com/images_tcsc/pic_fish_crib_029.jpg  (a good photo)

Good luck,

Marc