It’s a fact that artificial reefs attract fish. For that reason, freshwater fishermen drop Christmas trees and other woody debris in area lakes. Brush piles provide both food and cover for small fish, which in turn, attract larger ones. While brush piles lure a variety of pan and game fish, crappies are usually their primary residents.

Since good brush piles yield fish trip after trip, it’s no wonder their locations are a closely kept secret. In fact, serious anglers submerge brush piles under the cloak of darkness, only to return when the entire fishing area is void of other boats.


A submerged tree top viewed with down scan imaging electronic equipment


Willows, bamboo, fruit and a variety of hardwoods trees and/or large branches make the best attractors. Since Christmas trees are so easy to gather after the holidays, they are also frequently used. But because pine and cedar trees deteriorate, they might not be the best choice.

Like real estate, location is the key. A brush pile, placed on the edge of a drop-off or adjacent to an underwater island, will attract more fish than one in open water. Savvy crappie fishermen know that crappies move from one depth to another, depending on the season and water conditions. So they will place brush piles at various depths to allow for these fluctuations. But, regardless of placement, only one out of four piles will really draw fish. Therefore on days when fishing is slow, anglers might fish a dozen or more spots.

Shoreline fisherman find that placing small trees and clumps of branches a short cast away from the end of a boat dock or pier, improves overall fishing. Some even take it a step further and throw dog food, corn, rice or oats near the submerged objects. Known as “chumming”, it’s a quick and sure way to lure the bait fish that crappie like to eat.

For those who don’t have the time or inclination to sink their own, established brush piles are easy to find using sonar and down imaging electronics. Once located, mark the spot with a GPS waypoint and begin fishing.

Tips from Capt. Gus:
*Concrete blocks and barbell weights are frequently used to anchor brush piles.
*Trees with small branches are better than those with a few long ones.
* Leaving several main branches on a tree trunk helps to keep it elevated off the bottom.
* Cement the trunk of small Christmas trees in a cinder block and attach gallon jugs to some of the branches to help keep it upright.
* Large crappie (12” or more) are called "slabs.” Slabs are prized by fishermen for their great fighting ability on light tackle.
* To keep the location a secret, mark it with a GPS waypoint, not a marker buoy.
* Check local rules before placing brush piles in an impoundment.

Note: The creel limit for crappie on Lake Norman is 20 per angler, per day, with an 8" minimum size limit. Crappie can grow to 8" in length during the first twelve months, then gain about one inch per year.

Upcoming Events: Free seminar: “The Lifestyle & Habits of Bass and How to Catch Limits This Winter”. Jake Bussolini and I will conduct this informative session on November 13th beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.

Fishing Report: Bass fishing is excellent. Spotted bass are in back-coves, under docks, on points and around under- water islands. Fishing has been best at dawn, but it doesn’t seem to slow down significantly after sunrise. When it’s calm or when the wind is blowing from the south, surface feeding bass are hitting top water lures around shoal markers and river points. White perch are schooling in twenty to thirty feet of water, and crappie are hitting minnows near sunken brush piles located fifteen below the surface.

The water level on Lake Norman is approximately 2.7' below full pond. Mountain Island Lake is 3.6' below full. Surface water temperatures are in the sixties, depending on time of day, location or proximity to a power plant on Lake Norman.