Donated Christmas trees were put to good use in District 9 during the first two weeks of the new year. Biologists sunk approximately 250 trees donated by Russellville Lawn & Landscaping and Lowe’s in Fort Smith across four lakes in the district: Lake Hinkle, Lake Dardanelle, Horsehead Lake, and Lake Jack Nolen. Brush piles consisted of 2-6 trees per group and were placed at varying depths, often near secondary structures such as drops or rock edges.
All new brush pile waypoints can be found on the AGFC Interactive Map and subsequently downloaded for use in your boat graphs in the coming weeks. New brush pile counts per lake are as follows: Lake Hinkle 28, Lake Dardanelle 12, Horsehead Lake 11, and Lake Jack Nolen 2. These brush piles aim to provide a mixture of suitable crappie and bass habitat throughout the year while improving angling opportunities for those looking to enjoy the resource.