If you tuned into Storage Wars on March 4, (and with millions of viewers watching each week, you probably did) you may remember that Dave Hester YUUP’d ™ his way into a locker with a hidden treasure fit for a King. (Well, a Pond King anyway)
In episode, "Too Fast, Too Curious", Dave Hester came across a Pond King Honey Hole™ Tree, and while he had no idea what it was, Ranger Dave from the California Department of Fish and Game immediately identified our tree as a fish attractor.
Like Dave Hester you may have never heard of a fish attractor or understand it’s purpose, but with millions of ponds in the United States, maybe even in your back yard, a fish attractor may be just what you are looking for. Thankfully, Ranger Dave was able to demonstrate how the Honey Hole™ fish attractor worked by placing it in the water, and instantly it was covered in fish.
Honey Hole™ products serve two separate markets in different capacities. First, in private ponds and lakes, owners will typically use Honey Hole™ products to enhance the quality of the fish in their pond by providing habitat, structure, and cover. Smaller, forage fish need a place to hide and grow once they have hatched, and because they are more likely to stay in shallow water to fend off predators, the Honey Hole™ logs, shrubs, and spawning discs are best suited for water 3-4ft.
For example, if spawning discs are surrounded by shrubs, once a juvenile fish has hatched, it can swim into one of the slots in the shrub base and have an extended shelter. Habitat is especially important in ponds that have clear water, because crappie and bass can hunt at higher rates, due to increased visibility. If forage fish are not afforded the opportunity to hide and grow, it can create an unnecessary restocking expense for the pond owner. Also, larger fish will suffer because the fish they are consuming are not big enough to be of any substantial nutrition.
Second, in public lakes, the purpose of Honey Hole™ products are to be used as fish attractors. Fisherman know that it can be complicated to find fish in lakes that cover hundreds to thousands of acres. Think of a lake as an upside mountain, there are humps, drops, ledges, etc., and fishing on known structure can produce poor results due to overall fishing pressure. Typically, ninety percent of the fish are in ten percent of the water, so fish attractors can greatly increase your chances of a good fishing day by creating an environment where fish will congregate. In the February 2015 issue of Lone Star Outdoor News, Dr. Brian Graeb, a biologist from the University of South Dakota, published a study that concluded that lack of habitat was the most limiting factor in growing 15lb plus bass.
Fish attractors allow bass and crappie to easily stalk their prey, reducing the amount of energy burned to feed, keeping them fat and happy. The Honey Hole™ Tree that Dave Hester found is his storage unit works well in this type of situation because it is best utilized in water 6ft + deep.
In the past, fish attractors have been limited to brush piles composing of wooden crates or pallets, and even old Christmas trees. However, the advantages of Honey Hole™ fish attractors in comparison to cut trees and pallets are that Honey Hole™ products will not decay, put them out once and you're done! Also, enjoy snag-free fishing and save all of that money spent on lost hooks and tackle. Another advantage of Honey Hole™ fish attractors is that our fish attractors are clean and simple; forget about the mess of dealing with brush and limbs in your boat. We do recommend that when using Honey Hole™ in waters with higher wind activity to weigh the trees down with a concrete block.
One of our favorite parts of the show was when Ranger Dave pointed out what great shape the fish attractor was in. This of course was no surprise to us. Pond King fish attractors are made with polyethylene, which is flexible, lightweight, and will not rot or deteriorate. Honey Hole™ products contain no toxic glue, are environmentally friendly, and best of all will NEVER need to be replaced!
Our Honey Hole™ trees, shrubs, and logs, like all of Pond King products, are 100 percent American made, and built to stand the test of time. So whether it’s under water or in an abandoned storage locker you can rest assured your Pond King fish attractor will always be in top condition and ready to bring in your next big catch.
Happy Fishing!
Brad Metzler, President
