Members of Butler Bass Casters recently presented a $649 donation to the Moraine Fish Habitat Fund.

Additional fish habitat improvement projects on Lake Arthur continue to progress, thanks in part to the assistance of a Butler-based bass club.

The Butler Bass Casters recently presented Moraine State Park officials with a $649 gift for the park's Moraine Fish Habitat Fund.

Club spokesman Scott Kinard said the contribution was fueled by donations made during the club's Wednesday night tournaments.

Dan Bickle, Moraine State Park manager, said the club and the park are in the second year of a multiyear agreement. Last fall, the club presented the park with a similar donation.

While fish habitat improvements on Lake Arthur aren't new, Bickel said work began at least 15 years ago, the bass club's involvement has accelerated the effort.

"In addition to the monetary gift, club members have been very active in the placement of fish habitat," said Bickel. "We've relied on their expertise for suggestions on the best areas to place such improvements."

Most of Pennsylvania's reservoirs were cleared of brush and trees before being filled, with little or no thought given to fish habitat. From the smallest minnows to larger gamefish, all species require cover to provide places to both ambush prey and to hide from predators.

In Lake Arthur, structures and cover introduced includes porcupine cribs, stake trees, bass nesting boxes, catfish spawning boxes and, most recently, rock rubble reefs.

The money provided by the Butler Bass Casters has been used to buy several tons of gravel for the formation of rock reefs.

"The reefs are of a great benefit to young-of-the-year fish, in particular," said Bickel. "The thousands of crevices provided by the reefs furnish excellent hiding places for young fish."

As is typical with fish habitat improvement efforts, Lake Arthur's continuing projects are being done under the direction of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Fish Habitat Improvement program. Formed during the early 1970s, the program built up steam during the early 1990s.

Statewide, initial fish structures typically consisted of tire reefs and brush piles made up of conifers (often old Christmas trees) and hardwoods. Brush piles were found to lose their positive habitat qualities a few years after introduction.

Early structures were designed mostly to bring anglers and fish together, not necessarily to bolster fish populations. More recent structures, like porcupine cribs, have a greater value in providing fish with quality hiding places.

Porcupine cribs are comprised of overlapping 2-inch by 2-inch boards that are 4-feet long. They are appropriate for both shallow- and deep-water applications.

Roof rubble reefs, which are most beneficial in flatland and lowland reservoirs like Lake Arthur, provide protection not only for young fish and minnow species, but are attractive to insects and crustaceans. Gamefish, such as walleyes and smallmouth bass, also show a strong preference for hard-bottom areas.

The location of current and proposed Lake Arthur fish habitat improvements can be found by downloading a map at www.fishandboat.com/lakeplans.htm.

Visit www.butlerbasscasters.com for information on the club

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.