Wildlife and Parks wants your fishing advice

Doug Nygren is pleased with a program that’s improving fish habitat in 33 Kansas lakes and reservoirs.

Now, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism fisheries chief wants to know what anglers think of the estimated 1,200 plastic cubes biologists have sunk in reservoirs, community and state fishing lakes.

“We’ve gone over them with sonar and seen fish, but we’d really like some feedback from anglers, good or bad,” said Nygren. “I know people don’t like to talk about their favorite places to fish, but if we’re going to continue this project we need to know what people think.”

Kansas is one of several states to start making Georgia cubes, plastic structures about four feet square, and three feet high. Sections of 6-inch flexible sewer pipe are placed over a frame made of 2-inch PVC pipe.

“They seem to be just as effective at holding fish as (sunken) brush would be,” said Nygren, “but the brush piles have to be replaced about every five years. These (cubes) should last for decades”

Currently the cubes are made by inmates at the prison near El Dorado. Nygren said several volunteer groups have helped move and place the cubes.

Locally, El Dorado Reservoir has 50 cubes already sunken, with 40 more to go this spring. Marion Reservoir added 30 cubes last year and is scheduled for more this spring. Cheney Reservoir is expected to start adding cubes this spring. Nygren said up to 24 cubes are sometimes places in one area to create large structures biologists call “fish cities.”

As they’re placed, the GPS locations of fish cubes are placed on the department’s website, ksoutdoors.com.

Each cube costs about $200. The agency spends about $140,000 annually on the program. Nygren said the department would like to add about 900 new cubes every year, if the public seems to be satisfied.

Anglers with comments can call 620-672-5911 and ask for Nygren or David Breth. They can be e-mailed at doug.nygren@ks.gov or david.breth@ks.gov.

This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Wildlife and Parks wants your fishing advice."