Fishiding Joins Friends of Reservoirs to Improve habitat Nationwide

Friends of Reservoirs would like to welcome Fishiding.com of Wonder Lake, Illinois as a corporate sponsor. Fishiding uses reclaimed construction material to make artificial fish habitat. Not only are these products great for attracting fish but by using reclaimed material, Fishiding is keeping these materials from filling up local landfills. David Ewald, owner of Fishiding.com, has been active in the aquatic habitat restoration arena for many years and has been an excellent source of information on habitat projects and issues across the country. I use David’s postings and blogs to help keep me informed on aquatic habitat restoration projects, particularly those relevant to reservoirs.

                                                      Eric Engbretson Underwater Photography

Commercially available artificial structures have utility over more traditional “brush piles’ in many situations. Many municipal water supply agencies are reluctant to approve additions of “organic” structure to their impoundments because of perceived increase in treatment costs. Traditional brush piles break down rapidly when exposed to air and in reservoirs with highly fluctuating water levels this can negatively affect longevity. Many western impoundments have a shortage of brush or similar natural material. Hauling of brush to the lake is typically the most costly in terms of dollars and man power for any structure replacement project. Use of artificial structure keeps these costs to a minimum. Artificial structures should have an indefinite lifespan and longevity may also make them more attractive for large-scale fish attractor and structure replacement projects in public reservoirs. We encourage you to share the link ( www.fishiding.com) with your colleagues and contact David to discuss any possible role that their products may have in your future habitat efforts.

Jeff Boxrucker
Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership
9321 E. State Highway 9
Norman, OK 73026