Natural structure may also be lacking because age has decayed any remaining timber and fluctuating water levels prevent growth of submerged vegetation. Placement of artificial structure in ponds and reservoirs is an effective way to concentrate fish. Angling is often difficult when fish exhibit these behaviors. Research done at Ohio State University has shown that artificial structures can concentrate fish and increase angling success. The guidelines listed below are based on five years of research conducted in an Ohio reservoir.
Many conclusions are applicable to small ponds as well.
While all three materials attracted satisfactory numbers of fish, anglers typically caught more fish from evergreen structures. It was not unusual on any given day for anglers to catch five to ten times more fish from these trees as compared to the other materials. Two other advantages of using evergreen trees as structure are cost and availability. This cost estimate does not reflect labor - labor needs are best filled by volunteers, either individuals or fishing clubs. The brush pile structure was inexpensive to construct but angler success was much lower than with evergreen trees.