Christmas trees to fish habitat

By Arkansas Games & Fish Commission, 12/27/22 1:03 PM

LITTLE ROCK — Once the wrapping paper has been thrown away and the last drop of eggnog has been consumed, few people have a use for that evergreen tree that graced their home during the holiday season. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has a new job for those leftover trees: fish habitat.

The AGFC has drop-off locations across the state to let your old Christmas tree have a second life as underwater cover. The small spaces and dense cover offered by fresh Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitat for small fish as well as great places to fish.

Anglers are welcome to remove trees from drop-off locations to create their own fish attractors. Tying the trees to cinder blocks with parachute cord is a popular option to weigh the trees down. Sandbags also are a popular option. By the time the bags and cord deteriorate, the trees will be waterlogged and no longer need the weight to stay on the bottom.

The small branches will deteriorate quickly, so it’s best to sink the trees in groups. The trunks of the trees will last much longer, offering some woody cover long after a single tree’s attractiveness wanes.

Trees should be clean of all ornaments, lights and tinsel before they are dropped off. Artificial Christmas trees should not be used as fish habitat, either.

Trees can be dropped off at any of the following locations until the end of January:

South Arkansas

Upper White Oak Lake – Upper Jack’s Landing

Magnolia – Columbia County Road Department Yard on Highway 371

Southwest Arkansas

Bois d’Arc Lake – Kidd’s Landing or Hatfield Access

Millwood Lake – Cottonshed, White Cliffs Recreation Areas and the Millwood State Park ramp on the point

Dierks Lake – Jefferson Ridge South Recreation Area

De Queen Lake – Any U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramp

Gillham Lake – Any U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramp

Lake Greeson – New Cowhide Cove and Self Creek Recreation areas

South Fork Lake – South Fork Lake Access

Terre Noire Lake – Terre Noire Lake Access

Perrytown – AGFC Regional Office on U.S. Highway 67 East

Lake Dieffenbacher – Bobby Ferguson Park Pavilion