Spider Block Fish Habitats in Henry Hagg Lake
For many years, the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club has partnered with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and other interested parties to Construct and Place Spider Block Fish Habitats in Henry Hagg Lake. These Spider Blocks provide structured habitat for all fish in this manmade lake. Through Restoration & Enhancement funds, ODFW is able to purchase the cinder blocks, 1” PVC tubing and concrete needed to construct these environmentally-sound structures.
OBPC provides the majority of the volunteers and organizes the work effort to build the fish habitats and place them in various locations typically in the no-wake area of Hagg Lake under the direction of ODFW. As of 2024, there are over 1,100 spider blocks in strategic locations throughout the lake enhancing fish retention, recruitment, and sustainability. The Lake, the fishery and recreational anglers have all prospered due to the partnership of ODFW, Washington County Parks and OBPC.
Spider Blocks - Phase 1 Construction
Volunteers gathered at Henry Hagg Lake Boat Ramp A on a Saturday in January 2023 to construct 100 spider block fish habitats. Volunteers covered a portion of the parking lot with plastic sheeting, placed cinder blocks on the plastic sheeting and cut rolls of 1” plastic PVC tubing into seven-foot lengths. The two cinder block holes were filled with wet concrete and volunteers inserted seven pieces of tubing into each hole, shaping them to resemble a spider.
Spider Block Project Phase 2 - Placement
On the following Saturday, volunteers gathered at Hagg Lake Boat Ramp A to finalize this year’s habitat project. They loaded the spider blocks onto a flatbed trailer that would be hauled to the boat ramp. Each concrete block weighed between 50 and 60 pounds. The blocks were transferred from the trailer to awaiting carts. The carts delivered the blocks to boats for placement in the Lake. All 100 spider blocks were placed in about 45 feet of water (at full pool) in a new location between the Scoggins Creek arm and the Tanner Creek arm of the Lake.
Our goal was to provide a densely concentrated arrangement of new fish habitats where there were none before. These placement locations were suggested by local fishermen familiar with the Lake, were approved by Washington County Parks and placed under the supervision of ODFW.
