Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Photo: File photo CDFW

California Conservation Corps Helps Construct Fish Habitat from Recycled Christmas Trees

The California Conservation Corps (CCC) will start constructing fish habitat structures at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay on Jan. 20, using over 950 recycled Christmas trees collected by Chico Boy Scout Troop 2 and the Biggs 4-H Club. To create the habitat, members of the CCC team will bundle the recycled holiday trees together using a system of wire rope to anchor them in various locations on the lakebeds.

These structures provide juvenile fish safe refuge, improving fisheries and recreational fishing opportunities. For over 25 years, DWR has worked with local groups to construct fish habitat structures, which is one of the longest continuously running fish habitat improvement programs in the State of California. The 2021 project is anticipated to be completed by January 29.

Send California Conservation Corps to remove game fish from Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill, CA. The once fairly large lake is now a large creek. This is supposed to last for the next 10 years while work on the dam is completed. There is a handful of lakes within a 20 minute drive that could benefit from the transplant of these fish, instead of them running out of oxygen and food, and dying. I've heard from the local tackle shop that there is patrols around the "lake" to keep poachers out. Maybe CA Fish and Wildlife can bring out a couple release boats they use for these tournaments for a weekend and save a few hundred. I have also heard at the same local tackle shop, there is talks of "someone" removing these fish and relocating them to "foothill lakes" hours away. Why not just transplant them locally and boost the few reservoirs bass numbers for the local angling community?

Very happy to hear they are doing this kind of stuff!