The Use of Fish Attractors in Reservoirs: A Survey of North American Resource Management Agencies

Many resource management agencies use fish attractors (brush piles, artificial reefs, rock piles, PVC structures, etc.) to concentrate fish for anglers to locate and catch.  These structures are also thought to provide additional fish habitat benefits in ageing reservoirs.  The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Southern Division AFS Reservoir Technical Committee, and the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership all had an interest in surveying resource management agencies about their use of fish attractors in reservoirs.  We wanted to determine what types of structures are commonly used for fish attractors, how the structures are built, what factors affect the use and placement of these structures, and how this information is shared with anglers.  The survey was sent via e-mail to fish habitat coordinators or fish chiefs in all 50 states in March 2013.  Detailed analyses of responses will be provided at the symposium.  The information collected from respondents will be shared through an update of the reservoir habitat manual produced by the SDAFS Reservoir Committee.