| Crappie Condos are actually artificial brush piles | | | | Hint: you may want to consider making your |
| used to attract Crappie to the area in which they | | | | Crappie condos on your boat, or near the place |
| are placed in. Crappie flourish in areas in which the | | | | where you launch your boat. Depending on the |
| most cover is available. Providing artificial cover | | | | size of your Crappie condo, you may find it |
| should aid you in locating Crappie. Crappie condos | | | | difficult to transport the condos to the area you |
| can be built out of several materials, and are | | | | are sinking them. |
| often sunk in the water using concrete. | | | | Begin by placing about 3 inches of water in the |
| However, before building and sinking your own | | | | bottom of your bucket. Mix in your concrete, but |
| Crappie condos, be sure to check with your local | | | | leave it a little soupy. Make sure you mix the |
| parks and wildlife office, as some areas and | | | | concrete all the way through. |
| states have outlawed them. You can visit the | | | | Cut your stalks in various lengths. Make sure to |
| physical office, call them, or even visit their | | | | cut the stalks below a knuckle, as it will give you |
| website to obtain this information. | | | | added support within the concrete. |
| Build your own Crappie Condo | | | | Place the first stalks angled out. If you are having |
| To build this specific Crappie condo, you will need | | | | trouble keeping the stalks in place, set your |
| the following items: | | | | bucket between trees or even between your |
| Old Plastic Buckets - You may have these laying | | | | porch rails. Use rope or bungee cord to connect |
| around. If you cannot find any, you can buy new | | | | the stalks to these supports. This will allow you to |
| buckets from any local outdoors store, painting | | | | hold these in place while placing more stalks |
| store, or department store. If you know anyone | | | | around them. |
| in the painting or drywall industry, try asking if | | | | The next stalks should be placed in various |
| that have any old buckets available. | | | | lengths and angles. The more bushy your Crappie |
| Bamboo - Find bamboo stalks of varying lengths. | | | | condo is the more cover it will provide, and since |
| You can typically find these stalks at your local | | | | Crappie love a lot of cover, there will be |
| outdoors store, building supply store, or plant | | | | potentially more Crappie near your condo. You |
| nursery. If you are lucky enough to be near a | | | | may also want to place a bungee cord or rope |
| patch of bamboo, you can consider using those | | | | around the brush to hold it in place while the |
| stalks, with permission from the land owner. | | | | concrete dries. |
| Concrete or Sack Crete. A 50 pound bag will | | | | Allow the concrete to dry overnight if the |
| typically cost around $3.00 at your local hardware | | | | weather is warm, or two nights if the weather is |
| or building supply store. | | | | cold. |