The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has recently put to use an unconventional resource to support local aquatic life - recycled Christmas trees. This initiative, aimed at enhancing fish habitat, involved deploying 100 Christmas trees in the Saline-Larto Complex, a renowned fishing destination, as reported by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
According to an announcement from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, this effort provides both shelter for young fish and attracts larger species such as bass and crappie. The trees, having reached the end of their yuletide purpose, have been anchored with cinder blocks to form artificial reefs which, invariably, become hot spots for anglers. Contributing to the project, Lowe's Home Improvement stores located in Pineville, and Alexandria donated the Christmas trees.
The newfound underwater structures are unmarked in the waters; however, specific GPS coordinates have been released to assist anglers in pinpointing these prime fishing locations. Two of the newest additions to this underwater forest, dubbed Fools Bayou #3 and Saline Bayou Barge #3, were both established in 2025, joining other previously established reefs in the complex, as per the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Future plans by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries include adding these new reef locations to the Louisiana Outdoor Explorer for easier access. For those eager to cast their lines among these environmentally supportive constructs, the Louisiana Outdoor Explorer will soon detail the freshwater artificial reef locations throughout the state. Instructions to utilize the platform for locating the reefs, involves clicking on the "Get on the Water" tab followed by the selection of "Freshwater Artificial Reefs" from the layer list.
