Friends of C.J. Brown adding structure to lake

The Friends of C.J. Brown Reservoir – (from left) Lowell Turner, Charles Milton, James Anthony, Jeremy Duer and Macie Duer, 5 – stand with one of the cedar trees they are placing in the reservoir for fish habitats. Staff photo by Bill Lackey

Bill Lackey The Friends of C.J. Brown Reservoir – (from left) Lowell Turner, Charles Milton, James Anthony, Jeremy Duer and Macie Duer, 5 – stand with one of the cedar trees they are placing in the reservoir for fish habitats. Staff photo by Bill Lackey

ENLARGE PHOTO

OSU kicker thrust into rose-hued spotlight
3:00 a.m.
OSU looking to extend winning streak over UM
11/21/09
Ohio State-Michigan series has slipped in stature
11/21/09
Wittenberg men's basketball:Tigers advance to Gettysburg finals
11/21/09
Wittenberg football: Secret is good players
11/21/09
> More sports headlines

By Brian Plasters, Staff Writer 10:48 PM Friday, July 3, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — On the counter inside the Buck Creek State Park marina, Lowell Turner unrolled a yellowed map showing C.J. Brown Reservoir’s structure and depths. Its depths were clearly marked. The structure, besides a couple of old bridge abutments, was not.

When the reservoir was constructed in the 1970s, most of the trees were removed, and therefore the potential natural fish cover with it. A new group, the Friends of C.J. Brown Reservoir, wants to add structure in the lake to enhance fishing opportunities.

It’s a large project that involves the cooperation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buck Creek State Park and the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

The Friends of C.J. Brown, with permission from all those overseers, is attaching trees and brush to cinder blocks and placing them in clusters in the lake. So far, 187 trees have been placed by the group, which includes Turner, James Anthony and Jeremy Duer. The goal is to get up to 700 by the spring.

The locations are marked on a GPS, and a map of those locations will be made available at the marina and park office.

Trees placed by the marina’s handicap fishing platform this spring became a crappie hangout, and anglers did well there.

“By adding this cover, we’re hoping to enhance the fishing out here for the next three to five years,” Turner said.

It’s a drop in a 2,100-acre bucket, but “it definitely will help concentrate fish and increase angling success. It’ll give people a place to target, and thereby increase the likelihood of catching something,” said Debbie Walters, an ODOW fish biologist.

The trees will be placed in 10 to 15 feet of water and perpendicular to the shoreline to create a larger area. Walters said the trees attract crappie and bluegill, will be home to aquatic insects and other small fish, provide shade in the heat of the summer, and a place for larger fish to hunt.

The group operates through volunteers and contributions only. To donate or volunteer, call Turner at (937) 327-9194, or the marina at (937) 324-4503.

ontact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@

coxohio.com.

Share this article