Hartwell habitat improvement

Members of the Carolina Hookers added more than 75 piles of brush and cain to Lake Hartwell in 2011.

Members of the Carolina Hookers in South Carolina have been replacing habitat in Lake Hartwell annually for the last few years. In 2011, the club placed more than 75 brushpiles and cane piles.

"When the lake was built, they cleared the first 100 feet from the projected shoreline," explained Chance Bralley, conservation director for the South Carolina B.A.S.S. Federation Nation. "What little cover that was left has long been gone. This has left the bottom barren out to 25 feet deep. Siltation has also caused problems, reducing the quality of its structure."

Over the course of the year, 25 volunteers pitched in to add the extra habitat throughout the lake.