Fish habitat added to Stockton Lake

by Tyler Green- Cedar County Conservation Agent

The Missouri Department of Conservation, in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers, recently added fish habitat to Stockton Lake.

Stockton Lake Fisheries Biologist Ben Parnell said, “This year we are adding more cedar trees to older existing brush piles, as well as creating some new piles in the Stockton State Park and Masters Park areas of the lake.”

There are over 400 recorded fish attractors placed by MDC in the lake. Some were placed as early as 2010. With time, the trees will degrade and decompose and aren’t as effective at attracting fish as when they were first placed. MDC staff utilized the “Table Rock Fish Habitat Barge”, a large pontoon-style boat outfitted with a hydraulic lift on the front that dumps the cut cedar trees attached to concrete anchors into the lake. All of the habitat locations are recorded and can be found using the MO Fishing App or online at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/downloads/page/Stockton_Lake_FA_Maps.pdf.