DNR Riverside Fish Sticks Project – Healthy Lakes & Rivers Demo Site

FALL 2023 UPDATE: Additional Fish Stick complexes have been installed in Fall 2023! Stop by along the Wiouwash Trail and keep an eye out for the educational signage about this project.

Along the property in Oshkosh near Riverside Cemetery and the Wiouwash Trail, “fish sticks” are being installed by the Wisconsin DNR. While some of you may be thinking back to the days of the elementary school cafeteria, we aren’t talking about fried food. Fish sticks, in this instance, provide woody habitat for fishes and other wildlife in the area. They also mitigate wind/wave action, protecting the shoreline from erosion. This helps keep excess sediment and phosphorus out of our waterways.

Each “Fish Stick” complex consists of 3-5 medium to large-sized trees that are either sourced from project site or trees that are brought in if project if there is not enough woody material on site. The structures are anchored to the lake bottom using stainless steel cables and an anchor in a near-shore location. Each site or “phase” could have a number of Fish Sticks ranging from 5 to 15 different complexes.  They plan to evaluate the project to see how the complexes hold up to ice, wind, current, boat wakes, etc.

“Fish Sticks” are a restoration practice eligible for shoreline property owners in the Healthy Lakes & Rivers Program. Interested property owners can visit along the Wiouwash Trail to see if they are interested in a similar project on their land. Please note, “Fish Sticks” are best installed in areas that do not have major ice shoves, or are popular navigation areas. (I.e., likely not appropriate for most Winnebago shorelines). They also require additional permits. Other eligible practices, such as shoreline native plantings, may be more appropriate in our area.

Project construction was conducted by the DNR Wild Rose Habitat Crew and Oshkosh Fisheries Staff and funded by the Natural Resource Damage Assessment. The Winnebago Waterways Program of Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance partnered on this project to provide funding through a WDNR Surface Water Grant for project materials and educational signage, and partnered to design the sign.

All photos in this post were provided by the WI DNR.