The Lake Habitat Section has improved the structure of nearly 100 lakes and impoundments in Pennsylvania. Lake habitat improvement maps indicate sites where artificial structures have been placed or proposed. These structures create micro food webs that attract large gamefish for anglers to target.
View our 2024 Lake Habitat Field Schedule
Fish Habitat Management for Pennsylvania Impoundments
Learn about the history of Pennsylvania lake habitat improvement and the goals and objectives of these projects.
Read MoreArtificial Habitat Structure Standard Drawings
- Fathead Minnow Spawning Cover
- Partition Jig for Short Vertical Plank
- Partition Jig SVP Steps
- PA Black Bass Nesting Structure
- PA Channel Catfish Spawning Box
- PA Porcupine Crib
- PA Porcupine Crib, Jr.
- Porcupine Crib Base Jig
- PA Post Stump
- PA Post Stump Plus
- PA Post Cluster
- PA Post Cluster Plus
- PA Rock Star
- PA Rootwad Hump
- PA "Short" Vertical Plank Structure
- PA Spider Hump
- PA Stake Tree
- PA Style Felled Shoreline Tree
- PA Style Rock Rubble Humps
- PA Style Saw-Toothed Deflector
- PA Style Stone Framed Deflector
- PA Turtle Basking Habitat Platform
- Typical PA Pond Fish Habitat Plan
Riparian Buffers
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) recognizes the benefits of vegetated buffer zones and actively promotes the protection, enhancement and restoration of riparian buffers on Commission properties and other lands throughout the Commonwealth. State agencies have been asked to take the lead with this initiative in the management of their own lands.
Read more about the strategies that serve as guidance for the protection, enhancement and creation of riparian buffer zones on Commission-owned lands.
Cooperative Habitat Improvement Program
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Cooperative Lake Habitat Improvement Program has been in existence for more than 20 years. With the foundation of the Division of Habitat Management, Lake Habitat Cooperators have more options than in the past.
Two Commission programs exist solely for the purpose of working with individuals, organizations and other state and federal agencies to manage habitat improvement projects in commonwealth lakes and impoundments. The Cooperative Habitat Improvement Program (CHIP) and the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) are cooperative programs that are managed by staff within the Division of Habitat Management’s Lake Section.