Rush To Brush

Volunteers and workers with the GRDA hope to help the fish population at two area lakes. They're building artificial fish habitats, which will benefit the fish, anglers, and eventually the economy.

Friday, June 1st 2007, 9:51 am

By: News On 6

Volunteers and workers with the GRDA hope to help the fish population at two area lakes. They're building artificial fish habitats, which will benefit the fish, anglers, and eventually the economy. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports if you put plastic tubing, concrete mix, cinderblocks and a lot of hard work together, you get an odd looking result, but to fish, it looks like an underwater bush or tree stump.

"These habitats will help with the fish recruitment of the small fish and give a place for the larger fish to ambush and feed and keep them strong also," said GRDA fisheries coordinator Brent Davis.

Volunteers are helping the GRDA build the artificial fish habitats at Lake Hudson and Grand Lake as part of the Rush for Brush program. Once the concrete dries, the volunteers will get to drop them into Lake Hudson.

"They get to take these blocks and put them in their favorite fishing hole. They're going to catch some fish out of them,â€ Davis said. â€œThey won't catch all the fish using the attraction, so it's good for the fish and good for the fisherman."

It's really a simple idea, but on down the road, it can have a very big impact. If there is more habitat, there will be more fish. If there are more fish, that will mean more anglers. More fishermen bring more money and that helps the area economy.

Marc Hudson is one of the volunteers. He's lived near Lake Hudson for more than 30 years.

"Now with this fish habitat, I think it's going to hold the fish there, and if it goes on every year we do this, you're going to see better fishing, bigger fish, and get more people," said Hudson.

This group will build 120 artificial brush habitats for Lake Hudson. They already made and sank nearly 100 of them in the lake a couple of weeks ago. About 500 total will go into Grand Lake.

The next Rush for Brush event will be held Friday and Saturday, June 8 and 9 at the area between spillways on Grand Lake. That's east of Disney. You can call the GRDA for more information.

People who volunteer on Friday will get to put out some of the structures in their favorite spot on Saturday.

Watch the video: Program Working To Increase Fish Population At Two Area Lakes