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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | This winter our WFT(Walleyes For Tomorrow) Pewaukee Chapter built 4 fish cribs on the ice and located them in a area that is not close to a drop off or weed line. It's an area that is vacant of cover and a transition area from the weedy East end and deep water. The DNR came to our chapter meeting and asked for help doing this project. Well we got 4 cribs 8ft wide x 8ft long and 5ft high built and now sunk in 16fow. Almost everyone is excited except a few muskie guys.
Personally I like the idea because they are in an area that has zero structure and is just a open flat. Now we have something to target as muskie guys and the cribs are spaced far enough apart so people can fish each crib without being too close to others.
Just looking for feedback: Good or bad.
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Location: S.W. WI | Why would a muskie guy not be excited about adding cribs? Cribs hold fish- Muskies eat fish. |
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Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | It's like a concession stand for muskie |
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| I'd be excited if I had way points where the cribs are |
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | West side of the narrows. I have each one waypointed. Will not be too hard to find them if you look. I will GPS them on my boat graph once I get it on the water. Side imaging will make that easy to find. I won't even need my hand held GPS coordinates. It was 15.5 to 16.5 foot deep on the graph where we set them up. DNR rules were 10ft under the surface and none can be set in water deeper than the thermocline. So the west end might get some next year in that 15 to 16 fow area between the weeds and deep water. Most troll in 18 ft and deeper so that's not an issue.
For the people who troll the flats: Mark the cribs and stay away from them or troll next to them. |
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Location: Smith Creek | The reason some people don't like cribs is because they can make fish more susceptible to harvest. Fish congregate around the crib, fishermen sit over crib and catch the fish. |
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| Can't see why it would be a bad thing. They certainly will hold fish. We stumbled on some old cribs in a lake I used to fish. There really wasn't much left - a couple pallets half buried in mud that we could see. Sure enough, there were two decent sized muskies tucked in right next to them. As long as whatever you're sinking out there doesn't pose some sort of environmental or navigation hazard, what have you got to lose? |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Flambeauski - 2/27/2017 2:05 PM
The reason some people don't like cribs is because they can make fish more susceptible to harvest. Fish congregate around the crib, fishermen sit over crib and catch the fish.
This. |
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Location: oswego, il | As long as everyone knows they exist and can find them, no problem. Being able to put structure in a public lake for personal benefit, not cool. |
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Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | I know you all probably know this already but here's a tip. When they build them on the ice, take a GPS or even your phone, walk out there and mark a waypoint. (: |
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| I live on a small lake in a chain. A few years back the DNR had told our lake association that there were funds available to build cribs on some of the lakes in the chain. I and a couple others said sure, we would supply the labor if funds were available. The idea was better habitat for pan fish. But, by the time the lake association got back to the DNR, they said no, the lake I am on and a couple others already have adequate natural habitat, so they would not make funds available. It was not a big deal but it made me wonder because the only natural habitat in the lake I am on is weeds. There are no rock piles in the lake, no lay down trees, etc. We do have thick weed beds and there are a couple of cribs on one end of the lake that have been there for decades. Again, I have no problem with the DNR decision, just curious if anyone knows what their criteria are for putting in cribs.
Edited by North of 8 2/27/2017 6:04 PM
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| Musky_Mo16 - 2/27/2017 5:45 PM
I know you all probably know this already but here's a tip. When they build them on the ice, take a GPS or even your phone, walk out there and mark a waypoint. (:
Here's another tip:
If you build it on the ice, bring a chain saw and sink that #*#* before anybody sees it!  |
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Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | esoxaddict - 2/27/2017 7:08 PM
Musky_Mo16 - 2/27/2017 5:45 PM
I know you all probably know this already but here's a tip. When they build them on the ice, take a GPS or even your phone, walk out there and mark a waypoint. (:
Here's another tip:
If you build it on the ice, bring a chain saw and sink that #*#* before anybody sees it! ; )
If you do both, bam you got your own secret crib, lol.
Edited by Musky_Mo16 2/27/2017 7:35 PM
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Pewaukee Lake has a overabundance of pan fish and they are stunted. Getting more areas where people can catch pan fish and keep them is a plus. half the lake is choked with weeds, the other is deep and only weedy on the shorelines. Adding a few places where people can come and target fish is ok. Lots of places to fish and over harvest is not possible in a lake with so much weed cover.
These cribs are not something we will be keeping a secret. The dropped before the ice got bad enough to start moving. No big holes were cut to avoid public safety when the ice was thick enough to drive on.
This was just 4 cribs and a test to see if it's something we will do more of. |
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Location: Racine, Wi | I'm surprised that musky guys are upset. What's there to lose on the musky side? Might need to scuba dive those puppies next year to collect some baits. (probably mine haha)  |
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Location: SE, WI. |
Todd, flambeuski, Steve hit on a few of the negatives of cribs!!! I will also say, many that respond to this post have little experience and knowledge of this lake. Every lake is different!!! I think Okauchee would have been a better idea for cribs!!!! Okauchee is a lake that Most troll deep, Pewaukee....NOT! # 1, My first thought of cribs being introduced to pewaukee was WHY? Lakes that cribs are put in is because the lack of cover , mostly due to rusties. Pewaukee has in its east basin 1000 acres of flat out matted weeds in the summer. Weeds that are infested with a grass that is almost unfishable....plenty of cover there!!!! The west end of pewaukee west of cottage island is similar, tons of weeds in this bay, just not as unfishable as the east end. Along with bays glen cove, auer bay and capt jacks bay all have good weeds/ cover! #2Might as well raise a flag on those cribs and say, fish here!!! flambeu hit on this as cribs are magnets for lakes to be raped of fish populations. All the old timers I ever talked to about cribs said cribs ruin lakes! People will sit on these cribs and take fish!!! So much for protecting the fish populations!!! Can you imagine how many fish will be taken by ice fisherman siting on these cribs. "Making the fisheries tougher to fish helps populations"!!!!!!!! #3 One of the reasons I was told by the Dnr and others that the stocking of Walleyes, and Pike in the system was to rid the heavy population of stunted bait fish...gills/ perch. NOW! You are going to turnaround and protect the bait by putting in 30 cribs??? #4 Pewaukee is the closest lake to Metro milwaukee. Many come to pewaukee to fish. Can you imagine how many of these inexperienced people have no clue where they are fishing. These cribs will collect much debris, such as hooks, lures, Line, anchor ropes....ect... Hope I don't get super line or anchor ropes in my prop. These cribs will collect lots of Junk!!! #5 Migration patterns will change with these cribs . These fish have moved the same in the past, for years, now fish will migrate different, and stop at these cribs. Good thing? Pewaukee lake is one of the best lakes in the state for muskies...why change a good thing? #6Fishing pressure on cribs??? Wonder how many shouting matches you will see now on cribs as a musky fisherman chucks big baits at the pan fisherman/ walleye guy??? I was here first!!!?? #7 Whoever thought of this crib idea , placing them in 16' and thinking that musky trollers only troll deep...plain ignorance! I troll 3'-30'...it's called versatility!!! Yes, I will eventually find them and troll next to them, but it's like taking a cell phone away from a salesman, and saying , go out and do your job now! or hand cuffing a criminal and try to run now, or taking away a pattern from a local guides! # 8 I am all for more walleyes on pewaukee, BUT, the bottom line is...there is a pike problem. Few of my buddies, called and told me that they are finding 13",14 walleyes in stomachs of pike. And the DNR poured another 9,000 pike in the system the past 2 years . Can this lake sustain its baitfish , after all these pike and eyes planted the past few years. I saw a decline in bait last year!!! We will see??? Last season I had 84 pike, and 87 muskies on Pewaukee. 9 years ago, I had 95 muskies and 0 pike. There is a pike problem. Do I think the cribs will help......time will tell. Are they needed in Pewaukee ...NO....all the cover in this lake...cribs simply not needed. I've fished this lake for 43 years, guided since 1988, caught well over 3,000 muskies in this awesome lake, why change a good thing??? I Hope I am wrong, but the musky fisheree we once new on this lake .... I see is on a decline with all the pike eating the small newly stocked muskies, and Walleyes!!! I see ZERO upside in planting CRIBS!!! I'd much rather see rock bars made!!! JD
Edited by jdsplasher 2/28/2017 8:30 AM
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Very valid points Jim. This is the feedback I was looking to get either positive or negative.
Your opinion is the complete opposite of the DNR. I see both sides as I am on that lake almost every day. We are only talking 4 cribs. 30 cribs will never happen. Way too much work and materials.
Remember the DNR came to us(WFT) and asked for our help making the lake better. Why would they think it's a good idea?
I am trying to see the whole picture here and will push ahead or push to stop the cribs as we learn more about the effects of them on Pewaukee Lake.
A few cribs is not going to change a lake more than the yearly increase or decrease of weeds does each year already. Every new year the lake changes some. It's just another new year with 4 cribs in one large open area.
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I am very open to all views and welcome the good and the bad. Please feel free to voice you opinion and experiences with cribs on lakes.
The pike explosion on Pewaukee Lake is another issue.
Edited by Mikes Extreme 2/28/2017 9:32 AM
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | I'm really surprised that this was a DNR initiative. Generally biologists don't like cribs since they aren't habitat and really do nothing to benefit the waters where placed. Usually it's lake associations that want to make it easier to catch fish that get permission to place cribs. The only cribs that I've ever heard to be considered beneficial as habitat are placed very shallow to provide spawning and nursery habitat. |
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| The way our lake association presented it, the DNR had notified them of funds being available for cribs. It may be that this was part of a general communication about grants, funds, etc.. I know a couple years ago the DNR provided a small grant that helped with the cost of replacing channel markers. A lot of folks seem to think the DNR pays for those and places them but on the chain where I live, the lake association pays for the markers and pays a guy to place/remove the markers each year. While we got a small grant to help replace some of the markers, the vast majority of the cost is borne by the lake association. |
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Location: SE, WI. |
Will Schultz - 2/28/2017 12:18 PM I'm really surprised that this was a DNR initiative. Generally biologists don't like cribs since they aren't habitat and really do nothing to benefit the waters where placed. Usually it's lake associations that want to make it easier to catch fish that get permission to place cribs. The only cribs that I've ever heard to be considered beneficial as habitat are placed very shallow to provide spawning and nursery habitat. Will, I totally agree with you on this crib thing. And yes, I believe it was lake land owners that are responsible for signing off on this crib planting. I was told that the crib idea was the walleyes for tomorrow leaders, who some do live on the lake!!! Don't get me wrong....I am grateful for the work walleyes for tomorrow are doing!!!But the influx of cribs should have been discussed way before they have been dropped down. I am all for habitat, but NOT red flags saying ...fish here:) Again, I am all for more eyes in this lake, BUT, there is simply way, way, enough cover to protect them. ridding the lake, or at least reducing the pike population will help in the survival of the walleye, and musky. The ridiculous size limit of (1) 32" pike daily bag limit will simply kill this lakes thriving of eyes and Musky. The DNR needs to go back and rethink the pike limits. Besides, DNR put out a Mercury level warning on eating pike over 28". Why would they let you keep one that is 32"???? Are they trying to kill us all:)? Limits on pike need to go back to keeping 2 under 30" and 1 over 40" daily limits...IMO JD |
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | The new Game warden Marcus (I believe his name is) came to our WFT meeting and asked if our club would like to help in this project. No one in our club came up with this idea.
My goal is to get the two rivers that flow into the lake worked on to make better spawning habitat. The river on the south side of the lake is our main goal and long term big project. We(Pewaukee Chapter) are working on with WFT and the DNR on stream restoration. Cribs came up in a meeting when the new warden introduced himself and his plan for cribs. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Be careful of anything a "game warden" has to say. Here in Michigan they're called conservation officers and in either situation they are ONLY law enforcement and are (usually) not biologists and should not be offering any advice on fisheries management or biology. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | tkuntz - 2/28/2017 2:39 PM The DNR can't do anything without an uneducated peanut gallery wailing and moaning about it. More structure leads to more fish. Cut and dry. That statement couldn't be farther from the truth. Structure is only structure and is not habitat. In fact, often times cribs, unless built correctly and unless placed correctly, won't even provide the desired angling benefit- in which case it's simply dumping trash into the lake/river.
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| Rudedog - 2/27/2017 1:11 PM
Why would a muskie guy not be excited about adding cribs? Cribs hold fish- Muskies eat fish. Perfect critical thinking resulting in common sense,...pure and simple.Good to see it still exists somewhere out there. |
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Location: MN | What was their reasoning to stock Pike? Seems counterproductive in a muskie and walleye lake. |
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| Careful with fish cribs. Look what they do to lake shabbona in illinois every winter. When does it become too much? |
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Location: NE Wisconsin | Cribs make builders feel good, but I fee ,they are more beneficial for the angler then they are for the fish. |
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Location: oswego, il | Shabbonna doesnt need more structure. It is full of weeds, timber and existing cribs from whe it was built. People get to make they're own personal fishing spots. Another thing about cribs is they are lure magnets. I have taken a lure retriever to cribs on shabbona when hung in them and retrieved mounds of line and several other lures before getting to mine. A buddy of mine has a mound of tangled line he pulled off a crib there bigger than a basketball. |
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Location: Smith Creek | Mikes Extreme - 2/28/2017 1:11 PM
The new Game warden Marcus (I believe his name is) came to our WFT meeting and asked if our club would like to help in this project. No one in our club came up with this idea.
My goal is to get the two rivers that flow into the lake worked on to make better spawning habitat. The river on the south side of the lake is our main goal and long term big project. We(Pewaukee Chapter) are working on with WFT and the DNR on stream restoration. Cribs came up in a meeting when the new warden introduced himself and his plan for cribs.
What Will said. I've never heard of a fisheries manager or biologist being in favor of cribs.
Artificial spawning habitat is something else entirely. |
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| Now that (waited till 66) I finally have a place up North on the water, I find that there's a boat in front of my pier almost all the time. As you might predict, the guy who had the place before me dragged a bunch of stuff onto the ice and created a "fish crib" (A.K.A.) " a bunch of trash tied together and sunk under water." The little fish hide in there and the big fish wait for them to come out to play. There's a similar pile of crap in front of most of the neighbors too, I presume, so their Grandkids can catch fish off the dock. As long as this is not a threat to navigation, I don't care. I might question those who might think the pier, itself, is the only attraction, not giving credit to the crib. And, it's a whole lot better than actual prop-height concrete blocks on Pewaukee Lake some of the nicer owners have placed to keep the fishermen away!! Mostly, I don't think anybody knows more about what's good or bad for musky fishing on Pewaukee than Mike Koepp, and if he thinks it's a good idea to put these cribs west of the divide....I'm fine with it! |
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Location: Black Creek, WI | My experience is that cribs can make a good spot better. But, to place 4 cribs in a large, featureless area... and in 15-16 feet of water... I wouldn't expect them to become your next hotspot. Certainly not a CONSISTENT hotspot anyway. Good luck with them... if they happen. |
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| I think there's pros and cons to the cribs on Pewaukee. I think a lot of what was mentioned will be interesting to see play out...boats anchoring on top of each other...musky guys tossing huge baits around a panfish/walleye fisherman anchored on the cribs...ice fishing shanties sitting on top of each other over them...baits getting hung up...etc... But, that stuff happens on community spots right now for the most part, so not sure it's really going to be all that different.
I think adding any wooded structure into any body of water provides benefits...but each water may not NEED them. I think Pewaukee falls into the category that doesn't need them from a lake biology perspective, but most likely isn't going to hurt anything either. I do think rock and gravel reefs (as mentioned previous) would be a much better habitat improvement for the system. And, also mentioned previous, cleaning the incoming creeks would be the best habitat improvement for the long term health of the fishery.
One of my biggest concerns is that a Game Warden proposed the idea to WFT. This is not his job. His job is to enforce the laws of the fishery. We have a biologist, and while I know our biologist was engaged to grant the permits to put these cribs in, indicating he was "for them", I find it a bit mixed up that the biologist was not the one to approach local fishing groups about habitat improvement.
Also, curious why WFT didn't contact either of the local musky groups for their help or input on them before they were planned and placed? I know there would've been some that would've helped out. Also, this conversation happening right here would've gone on before they were placed, and maybe this could've helped lessen some of the negativity some have towards it. Maybe not, but would've at least been attempted to get all those that do work for the betterment of the fishery to be on the same page. I always tell folks we have a great bunch of groups, where musky groups get along with each other, and get along with the walleye groups. Not to many parts of the state where musky and walleye groups get along, but we're lucky that we do. I think it's time to take it one step further, and team up on habitat improvements. All groups have money and people, and those are the two things every project needs. As a large group working towards one goal, we can definitely get more done than if we do things individually.
I like our biologist, and have defended him on many instances. But, Jim pointed out something I thought when I first heard of these as well....the science behind it somewhat contradicts other science reasons we've received from our biologist. Everyone on here has agreed we have a panfish overpopulation, and as a result stunted panfish. So, when WFT began the initiative to get walleyes to take hold a few years back, that was great news, as they are great panfish predators. Then, that wasn't enough for our local biologist, and the DNR began dumping in 2 pike fingerling/acre each fall for the past few years. The science reason was that pike have a metabolism twice that of musky, thus they will take out more panfish per predator. I could live with that....until I heard about the cribs, then I got very confused why we're creating more cover when we're trying to thin out the forage.
For the record, I'm not anti-walleye stocking, anti-pike stocking, or anti-crib. I'm fine with all of them, I'm just struggling to connect the dots on each effort, as they seem to contradict each other a bit.
And, yes...you will see me casting towards them throughout the season. |
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Location: SE, WI. | ^^^^^^^ NO WAY LUMPY^^^^^^ I was on the CRIB FIRST!!!! ^^^^^^^^ LOL OH Shoot!!! I'm Stuck!!! Get the lure retriever out...:( jD
Edited by jdsplasher 3/1/2017 2:29 PM
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Location: Racine, Wi | I don't have an opinion on the cribs one way or another, but come on guys. It's 4, four, (fore for you golfers) cribs. It's not like they littered the entire rocky point area with cribs. They put 4 out. 4 cribs are not going to attract the entire population of Pewee gills, or walleyes, or bass, or..... you get the point. I'm sure a few people will sit on them and get walleyes or smallies, or whatever, but that's why we also have size and bag limits. If they need adjusting, the DNR can do that.
Jim, don't worry, I'll get your baits out when they get stuck. I'll keep my scuba gear handy.
Edited by tuffy1 3/1/2017 2:54 PM
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| Pewaukee Lake 2493 Acres + 43,560 sq. ft. per acre= 108,595,080sq. ft.... 4 cribs at 8'x8'= 256 SQ. FT. Seems a relatively harmless venture. Now if we could just do something about those pesky 6 lb bass eating musky lures. |
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Location: SE, WI. | love you Joel!!! I could use a personal scuba diver!!! Probably have a few creature spins on those puppies...know you like them! Cutting edge outdoors had a spokes person on for WFT...he said the project called for 30 cribs over the next 3-4 years... JD
Edited by jdsplasher 3/1/2017 4:11 PM
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Location: oswego, il | There is already a reality show called cribs, so cashing in on that isnt happening. |
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| Agreed 4 cribs aren't a big deal Joel. There were some talks of 30 some at one point, so that's where I started to scratch my head, as the lake surely isn't lacking enough cover to throw that many on one half of the lake. If that's what happens, so be it, I'll fish them, no doubt about that.
ROCKS. ROCKS. GRAVEL. GRAVEL. ROCKS. ROCKS. And cleaning up the inlets. That's where I feel our habitat improvements should be focused. |
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Location: MN | This is the first I've heard of pike being introduced to fix a stunted panfish problem. From what I gather here, the lake has good walleye, musky and bass populations. Seems to me the last thing you'd want to do is start dumping pike in it. If the pike get big it will certainly help but it is pretty tough to grow big pike and keep the hammer handles from running rampant in a lake that gets a lot of fishing pressure and it sounds like Pewaukee gets plenty of pressure. I don't know a whole lot about the lake and I'm no biologist so maybe I'm missing something? Just seemed like a backwards idea to me.
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Marcus is our Game Warden, not the biologist or fisheries manager.
Ben H is out biologist and fisheries manager and works with our club in everything we do. I have not talked to Ben about this but he was the guy WFT worked with to get the info on permits and rules of cribs. So, Ben knew about every detail before these cribs were even started. Surprised he didn't voice any concerns or objections to this idea if they were such a negative thing for the lake.
Both of these guys can be found with a simple Google search and asked about their stance on this cribs issue if your in question about it. |
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Location: Racine, Wi | Lumpy - 3/1/2017 3:59 PM
Agreed 4 cribs aren't a big deal Joel. There were some talks of 30 some at one point, so that's where I started to scratch my head, as the lake surely isn't lacking enough cover to throw that many on one half of the lake. If that's what happens, so be it, I'll fish them, no doubt about that.
ROCKS. ROCKS. GRAVEL. GRAVEL. ROCKS. ROCKS. And cleaning up the inlets. That's where I feel our habitat improvements should be focused.
Jim and Brian, I agree, 30 would be a little overkill. As I mentioned, I'm impartial to the cribs. If they're there, I'll fish them, if not, I'll still fish just as I have over the years. It would be cool to have some rock bars or gravel bars in that area, but off shore. There is quite a bit of rock in the lake, but as we know, most is shallow. Perhaps it's something MCMI and WFT could partner up on to get a compromise? That reminds me, I think my membership lapsed lol. |
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Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Please drop the "30 cribs over the next 3-4 years". That will never happen. That was radio talk or conversation. There is not any plan for that or was it ever discussed in detail.
Rock bars will never happen due to navigational hazards. Stream restoration is the big picture. Mainly the river that flows in from the southeast by the Sports Doc. That was always a great spawning river back when I was a kid. WFT is working hard to get that project going in the next year or two. Backing by the musky clubs will be something I hope to see on this project.
A few groups of cribs was the first idea. They were to be places in areas not frequently trolled by most since it was structure less areas between the weeds and the drop offs. The flats west of the narrows and a small area on the western end. These were the target areas discussed.
No cribs in any water deeper than 20ft and no less than 16ft of water was the recommendation to WFT. This only leaves the two areas. The cribs were also places far enough apart so people could fish each one without any issues from others fishing the cribs. If you could see the locations and spacing you will agree that these cribs are not going to hurt anything.
Yes, they will hold fish and be a stop for migrating fish from the weeds to deeper water in a otherwise mud flat with zero structure. This is just a test and everyone will see how it plays out. If it's a bad thing we don't do any more. If it's a good thing we may add a few each year. To me it's just another place to fish and target when the time is rite for the fish I am after.
The WFT Spring netting will be going on in the next month and I will personally talk to Ben H. (our fisheries biologist) about issues that come up with the crib idea. Any good or bad feedback from this will be noted and asked.
Edited by Mikes Extreme 3/2/2017 7:31 AM
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| More spots to fish on a pressured lake seems like a good idea to me |
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| Thanks for clarifying the 30+ cribs stuff Mike. I can keep track of 4, or even 10, but I was picturing me having the boat get off course a bit too often and getting hung up if there were 30+ dotted along...and also was picturing a bunch of issues from people who aren't familiar with the lake. I think a handful like this are fine. Everyone will learn their exact location soon enough, so lure loss won't be bad, and if people want to avoid any potential crowding, go fish somewhere else on the lake, plenty of spots.
I'm loving the stream improvement stuff. I'll be in touch about opportunities with that.
The lake is in great overall shape, and the future is looking pretty bright. |
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Location: Florida | ToddM - 2/27/2017 5:03 PM
As long as everyone knows they exist and can find them, no problem. Being able to put structure in a public lake for personal benefit, not cool.
I agree 100%. |
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| Depends on the lake, I know on the 2 local lakes here 90-95% of the cribs out there don't really hold alot of fish. Every once in awhile you will find one that is loaded with crappies or bluegills. Open water or ice fishing. |
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| In our little area of "Up North" paradise, it's not uncommon for folks to drop their own brush piles out in front of their properties so the grand kids can catch fish off the dock. The more sophisticated of those folks will cut trees creating some nice lay downs, and even drop a pile of boulders down the ice hole all winter. As long as you're paying your property taxes, HOA fees, and lake association dues, and the lake association approves it (they all fish those areas as well) I don't see any harm. Anybody with a GPS and a set of eyes can find the stuff and fish it. If the great unwashed public is unable or unwilling to find those areas on their own, is it the responsibility of the riparian landowners to show them where to fish? |
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| esoxaddict - 3/2/2017 8:51 PM
In our little area of "Up North" paradise, it's not uncommon for folks to drop their own brush piles out in front of their properties so the grand kids can catch fish off the dock. The more sophisticated of those folks will cut trees creating some nice lay downs, and even drop a pile of boulders down the ice hole all winter. As long as you're paying your property taxes, HOA fees, and lake association dues, and the lake association approves it (they all fish those areas as well) I don't see any harm. Anybody with a GPS and a set of eyes can find the stuff and fish it. If the great unwashed public is unable or unwilling to find those areas on their own, is it the responsibility of the riparian landowners to show them where to fish?
Interesting, have never seen or even heard of that on the chain where I live. I do know the lake association put out a news blurb about leaving trees in the water if they blow down/fall down in the lake and don't create a problem. That was advice from the DNR. There are not a lot but one big wind storm put three or four big trees in the lake, uprooting them and the property owners left them. Great cover for pan fish and guys catch bass from around them as well. Where my dock is, because of how shallow it is, I would be creating a navigation hazard for myself ;>). |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Here is a picture of one of our cribs. I hope it loads.
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Couple more pics and spacing of cribs.
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Posts: 102
| Thanks Mike. I like how those are spaced, location seems about perfect given the DNR requirements on where they could be placed. Nice work WFT. |
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Location: SE, WI. | Back in March 2017, there was some discussion on Cribs being placed in Pewaukee. My #4 reason for Not having cribs was the Collection of Baits, Lines, and anchor ropes accumulating on these structures, and having problems with this garbage getting in peoples lower units...Ect... Was hoping it wasn't me, BUT unfortunately it was. About 2 weeks ago, was trolling past a crib, approximately 20-30ft. away as one of my drags started slipping. Stppped to see if it was a fish, BUT NO, snagged up. Proceeded to retrieve my other lines, as I noticed all were tangled in the Mess. Ever try to go in reverse with 3 lines snagged??? My lines were tangled in the superBraids, Not the anchor rope...BUT, the anchor rope caused the problem. Took about 25 minutes to get my baits back, 150 feet of super lines tangled in the anchor rope, and a anchor rope used to hang clothes from a clothes line was used :( . Needless to say, what a mess. On top of that, it happened 15 minutes prior to moon rise :(....PLEASE, NO MORE GARBAGE IN LAKE! Going to contact the DNR on this Issue...Hopefully they see the light!!! JD
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Posts: 358
| I don't have a dog in this fight and I have no idea how all lakes work, but i know of two lakes in particular where cribs were a definite success.
Upper Red Lake in MN used cribs to help foster what was maybe the biggest crappie boom ever seen, which in turn led to the rebuilding of the walleye program.
Lake Havasu in AZ. Went from basically a bathtub to one of the West's top fishing destinations after a LARGE scale habitat restructure program. It was a really cool project and a quick google search will tell you all about it. |
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Posts: 19
| Cribs are cheating. Like baiting deer. |
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Location: oswego, il | Cribs are great for lakes that lack cover. Pewaukee is not one of those lakes. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Moon Boy - 8/22/2019 8:05 AM
Cribs are cheating. Like baiting deer.
So if cribs are placed for fisheries management, no one should fish them? |
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Location: Racine, Wi | On a good note, you cleaned out a bunch of zebra muscles Jim! |
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Location: MN | RJ_692 - 8/22/2019 7:51 AM
I don't have a dog in this fight and I have no idea how all lakes work, but i know of two lakes in particular where cribs were a definite success.
Upper Red Lake in MN used cribs to help foster what was maybe the biggest crappie boom ever seen, which in turn led to the rebuilding of the walleye program.
it.
The cribs had nothing to do with the URL crappie boom. I’m sure they were good fishing spots during the boom but it did not contribute to the population exploding. Lots of other factors made that happen.
We don’t have many in MN. Most I know of were not placed by MN dnr and most likely placed illegally. Kinda glad we don’t have them. No need to congregate fish and fisherman, if you’re a good fisherman, in my opinion. |
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| Do "good fishermen" fish downed timber, or is that cheating? What about casting around piers, bpat houses, boat lifts, etc.? |
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Location: Ashland WI | esoxaddict - 8/22/2019 5:18 PM
Do "good fishermen" fish downed timber, or is that cheating? What about casting around piers, bpat houses, boat lifts, etc.?
What about the guy that casts near cribs while drifting a sucker behind the boat? |
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Posts: 499
Location: Northern Illinois | What ToddM said. It depends on the lake. Here in Illinois they can provide a benefit. |
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| Thought of this thread this morning. I was trolling and picked up a small musky right near the remains of an old crib, supposedly put there almost 50 years ago. Ice, current have pushed it shallower than where it started. The lake is part of the chain I live on and is bowl shaped with almost no structure. Weeds are about it. Couple of trees down on one end. But no boulders, etc. It would seem in a lake like that, cribs make sense. |
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Location: Ashland WI | I fish a lake with quite a few cribs. I believe they were put in when the crayfish did a number on the weeds . Weeds are back now. |
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Posts: 19
| So the benefit is that it makes it easier for a fisherman to catch a fish? And making the fish more vulnerable?
Edited by Moon Boy 8/26/2019 6:56 AM
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Posts: 144
| Only problem I have is, on a lake I have trolled for 20 yrs, if you don't know they are there(the cribs), the crib steals a good Depth Raider. |
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Location: Ashland WI | Moon Boy - 8/26/2019 6:45 AM
So the benefit is that it makes it easier for a fisherman to catch a fish? And making the fish more vulnerable?
Do you really think that is the only reason to put a fish crib in a lake? |
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Posts: 8834
| Moon Boy - 8/26/2019 6:45 AM
So the benefit is that it makes it easier for a fisherman to catch a fish? And making the fish more vulnerable?
No more than on any other piece of cover in the lake. We cast piers and weed edges, rock bars, humps, points, etc. We fish flooded timber on reservoirs. We fish fallen trees. There may as well be a "cast right here" sign on those. Is a crib any different? Are the fish any more vulnerable there than anywhere else?
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Posts: 19
| esoxaddict - 8/26/2019 4:58 PM
Moon Boy - 8/26/2019 6:45 AM
So the benefit is that it makes it easier for a fisherman to catch a fish? And making the fish more vulnerable?
No more than on any other piece of cover in the lake. We cast piers and weed edges, rock bars, humps, points, etc. We fish flooded timber on reservoirs. We fish fallen trees. There may as well be a "cast right here" sign on those. Is a crib any different? Are the fish any more vulnerable there than anywhere else?
Absolutely. In the winter crappies school up in the deep holes of a lake. Sometimes the schools are not very tight because the basin is so vast. This protects the fish from over-harvest during the ice months. When someone puts a tree or a crib in that basin, it attracts a majority of those fish and makes them very susceptible to being caught. I see nothing good about that except that it makes a bunch of fat deep fried fisherman. It can kill a panfish population easily.
Docks are not intentionally put there for fish. Yes, fish like docks, but there are usually a bunch of them, so not every fish in the lake is there being caught. Rocks, trees, humps, are natural to the lake. They provide cover for the fish and make up the ecosystem that started that population of fish in the first place. Quite a bit different. |
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Posts: 32931
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Many Southern states allow placing artificial structure anywhere one wishes. Literally hundreds of small 'cribs' are scattered across the bottom on many of the lakes and reservoirs.
The key to keeping the crappie population healthy is not fishing or not just fishing one type of structure or another, it's setting the possession limit low and the size limit high. Slowly the North is catching up; the MN waters I fish have a 10 fish possession limit and some Wisco waters now have special regs.
The days of a 25 fish limit and 50 fish possession limit need to end on lakes and rivers where the fish can grow big, and largemouth bass management needs to be examined in waters where they have begun to literally dominate the population and are, for the most part, smaller than the minimum size limit. Several local lakes here have no size limit and a 5 bag on largemouth, a good move.
This argument parallels the trolling argument that trolling harms fish populations. What difference does it make how the fish is harvested? Control the numbers and size harvested, and worry less about how hook and line anglers catch them.
Some lakes I fish would really benefit from a 10 crappie possession limit and a minimum size of 10". |
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| sworrall - 8/27/2019 10:58 PM
Many Southern states allow placing artificial structure anywhere one wishes. Literally hundreds of small 'cribs' are scattered across the bottom on many of the lakes and reservoirs.
The key to keeping the crappie population healthy is not fishing or not just fishing one type of structure or another, it's setting the possession limit low and the size limit high. Slowly the North is catching up; the MN waters I fish have a 10 fish possession limit and some Wisco waters now have special regs.
The days of a 25 fish limit and 50 fish possession limit need to end on lakes and rivers where the fish can grow big, and largemouth bass management needs to be examined in waters where they have begun to literally dominate the population and are, for the most part, smaller than the minimum size limit. Several local lakes here have no size limit and a 5 bag on largemouth, a good move.
This argument parallels the trolling argument that trolling harms fish populations. What difference does it make how the fish is harvested? Control the numbers and size harvested, and worry less about how hook and line anglers catch them.
Some lakes I fish would really benefit from a 10 crappie possession limit and a minimum size of 10".
I agree Steve. The chain I live on in WI is one of the systems where the 10 panfish of any species limit is in place. What has changed is the guys who used to come late in the ice fishing season, camp out on the deepest part of the basin for the day and leave with a bucket of fish, day after day. Only in place for 2 years, so it is hard to tell just what impact it is having. Also, with only one warden for the hundreds of lakes in Oneida County, not sure how worried violators are. I on the other hand am a law enforcement magnet. In January of 2015, bought myself a power auger as a retirement gift. First time I went out was first time ice fishing in 20+ years. Drilled some holes and before I could get the second line in a warden pulled up on a snow machine! He and I had a laugh over that. Then that summer I bought a new to me boat. After one of hour on the lake, same warden pulled up to check my license. Good thing was he took the time to answer some questions about what I needed on the boat in terms of safety equipment. |
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