The TWRA Region III Reservoir Fisheries staff recently worked with Meigs and Rhea County High School fishing teams and Cleveland State students to construct fish attractors that were later installed in Watts Bar Reservoir. This fish attractor project was supported by Skeeter Boats, Yamaha, and Madisonville Marine and is part of a larger, ongoing reservoir management plan.
Volunteers from the various groups constructed 250 structures including large cubed-shaped structures of varying heights, and weighted structures forming stake beds and stump-like arrangements. All were deployed at varying depths, and all are outside of navigational channels.
Regional fisheries staff conducts habitat projects on an annual basis for reservoirs within Region III, which covers 24 counties and the reservoirs within. It is thoroughly documented that once plentiful habitat, such as woody debris in reservoirs like Watts Bar, degrades through time. Therefore, the habitat projects are conducted on a rotational basis for reservoirs, with hundreds of new attractors deployed yearly.
Officials said, "Habitat projects like these are vital to the overall health of the diverse fisheries Watts Bar and other reservoirs support. These habitat additions will provide spawning and nursery habitat for a variety of species, including our annually stocked Florida largemouth bass. Furthermore, this habitat will provide pre and post spawn refuge for adult crappie and bass.
"Partnerships and common conservation objectives enable TWRA to exceed habitat plans in reservoirs. TWRA staff is grateful for those in support of conservation initiatives."
More information, including locations of fish attractors on various reservoirs, can be found on the TWRA website.