Love of the Lakes 2016

LOVE LAKES ECHO PUBLISHING'S

2016 EDITION

OF THE

F O R T H O S E W H O E N J O Y T H E WAT E R S O F T H E L A K E C O U N T R Y

KITEBOARDING

Sport rises in popularity pg. 36

PLUS:

Pine River History | Fairview Township | Paddle the Pine River | Loon Watch Mayo Lake Nature Preserve | Youth Fishing Leagues | Gull Lake Storm Recovery

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES 

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Gull Lake Office: 19571 Love Lake Rd, Brainerd

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We feature the best in today’s footwear at the best prices.

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

3

Submitted Photo Hudson Rowley enjoys lake life on Pelican Lake in Breezy Point.

PUBLISHER

Pete Mohs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pete.mohs@pineandlakes.com

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Submitted Photo “How could you not love a lake like this?” Richard German says of this sunrise at the German Lakeside Lounge on West Twin Lake in Pequot Lakes.

Nancy Vogt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com Travis Grimler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com Dan Determan. . . . . . . . . . . . . dan.determan@pineandlakes.com Kate Perkins, Mike Rahn, Jodie Tweed, Jenny Holmes

ART DEPARTMENT STAFF

Angie Hoefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . angela.hoefs@pineandlakes.com Marcy Nickel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . marcy.nickel@pineandlakes.com Andy Goble . . . . . . . . . . . . andrew.goble@brainerddispatch.com Sue Stark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sue.stark@brainerddispatch.com Cindy Spilman . . . . . . . . . lucinda.spilman@brainerddispatch.com

INDEX

ADVERTISING STAFF

Kathy Bittner Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5837

kathy.bittnerlee@pineandlakes.com

Doreen Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5834

Lakes Area Calendar.......................... p.5

Paddling the Pine River...............p.34-35

Leech Lake Feature Protect Leech Lake.............................. p.8

Kiting’s popularity on the rise................................... p.36-38

Leech Lake - Map............................... p.9

Mille Lacs Lake-Map........................p.39

Norway Lake Feature A river runs through it........................ p.12

Fishing for Mille Lacs walleye..........p.40

Norway Lake - Map........................ p.13 Gull Lake Feature Township ‘gets no respect’............... p.18

Whitefish Chain Feature Shoreland restoration projects.........p.44 Whitefish Chain - Map.....................p.45

doreen.nelson@pineandlakes.com

Derek Ostrowski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5825

derek.ostrowski@pineandlakes.com

Rick Smallman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5827

rick.smallman@pineandlakes.com

Mariah Moen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5823

mariah.moen@brainerddispatch.com

Linda Hurst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5846

linda.hurst@brainerddispatch.com

Isaac Novak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5832

isaac.novak@brainerddispatch.com

Nikki Lyter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5829

nikki.lyter@brainerddispatch.com

Jill Wasson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5820

jill.wasson@brainerddispatch.com

Susie Alters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-855-5836

susie.alters@brainerddispatch.com

Gull Lake - Map................................ p.19

Mayo Lake Feature Mayo Lake Nature Preserve............p.48

Warming temperatures.....................p.22

Mayo Lake - Map............................p.49

Fun on the Lake with our Readers.........................p.26-27

Counties continue aquatic invasive species battle........ p.52

Cover Design by Angie Hoefs Cover Photo: Kiteboarding, both in summer and winter, has become especially popular on Mille Lacs Lake. Bryce Johnson is pictured in a self portrait taken with a GoPro. Photo courtesy of Bryce Johnson

Large resorts not spared storm’s wrath.....................................p.28

Big Trout Lake suffers from pollution....................................p.54

©2016 Echo Publishing No part of the material contained herein may be reproduced without prior written consent.

After the storm............................. p.30-31

Hooked on fishing Youth teams.......................................p.56

Loon watch..................................p.32-33

PRODUCED BY ECHO PUBLISHING P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401 (218) 829-4705 | 800-432-3703 www.pineandlakes.com

Printed by Forum of Fargo, North Dakota Love of the Lakes combines stories, facts and maps for different lakes in the area. We dedicate the magazine to the families and businesses around each of the lakes that are featured.

Lake map information and some statistics/stories provided by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources © 2016.

The Minnesota DNR Web Site: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us

4

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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2 016 C A L E N D A R O F A R E A E V E N T S MAY

7 Ride/Run Around Woman Lake, Longville 14 MN Walleye & Northern Pike Fishing Opener 14 Welcome Wannigan, Gull Lake 27 Market Square, Pine River Every Friday through September 30, 2:30-5:30pm

28 MN Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass Fishing Opener 27-30 Backus Old Timers Weekend

JUNE

1 Nisswa Turtle Races

1 Take A Kid Fishing Day

Every Wednesday through August 17, 2:00pm Pine River Lions Club

4 Muskie Fishing Opener 4 Pequot Lakes Cherry Car Show & Craft Fair 4 Tour of the Lakes Bicycle Ride 4-5 Leech Lake Walleye Tournament 8 Longville Turtle Races Every Wednesday through August 24, 1:00pm

0-11 Nisswa - Stamman Festival 1 10-12 Take A Kid Fishing Weekend 11 Lakeshore Conservation Club Outdoor Youth Expo, 10:00am-3:30pm 14 Kids’ Fishing Contest, Hackensack

Every Tuesday through August 16, 11:00am

16 Market in the Park, Trailside Park, Pequot Lakes Every Thursday through August 18

6-18 Moondance Jammin’ Country, Walker 1 17 Pine River Duck Races

Check with local Chambers of Commerce for more events: crosslake.com • cuyunalakes.com emilymn.com • hackensackchamber.org • nisswa.com • pequotlakes.com • pinerivermn.com

AUGUST (cont.)

SEPTEMBER (cont.)

10 Walker Ethnic Festival 15 Fall Has It All Kickoff, Runs thru Oct. 1

3 Nisswa Turtle Races

Every Wednesday through August 24, 2:00pm

5-6 Pine River Community Garage Sale Oodles of garage sales all over town!

6 6 12-13 12-13 12-14 12-15 13 17 18-21 18-21 24 25-28

Walker Bay Day Gull Lake Yacht Club Fun Regatta Nisswa Crazy Days Deerwood Summerfest Backus Corn Fest Leech Lake Regatta Chokecherry Festival, Pequot Lakes Nisswa Turtle Races End of Season Heritage Days, Crosby NHRA Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway Longville Turtle Races End of Season Lakes Bluegrass Music Festival

Cass County Fairgrounds

26-27 Fishing Has No Boundaries Camp Confidence

26-28 Cuyuna Lakes Crusher Mountain Bike Series Race 27 Gull Lake Classic Boat Show, Bar Harbor

SEPTEMBER

3-4 Arts Off 84 Art Crawl, Hwy 84, Pine River 4 Paddle Palooza, Nisswa/Gull Lake 9-11 Heritage Days, Pine River 10 Pedal Pequot

Walker/Longville/Hackensack

17 Nisswa Fall Festival and Smokin’ Hot BBQ Challenge 2 2-24 Crosslake Days 30-1 Fishing to End Hunger Walleye Tournament

OCTOBER

8 Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew 5-0 Race 22 30th Annual Oktoberfest

Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge, Deerwood

28 Halloween Party Samaritan Society Pine River

OVEMBER N 5 Firearms Deer Hunting Opener 15 Darkhouse Spearfishing Season Opener 18 Kinship Taste of the Lakes 25 Nisswa City of Lights

DECEMBER

7 Christmas in the Park, Crosby 1 Schaefer’s Taste of the Holidays, Nisswa 3 Arts and Crafts Sale Pine River Legion Auxiliary 9:00am-3:00pm

10 Parade of Lights, Pine River 10 Santa’s Bobbin’ Into Town, Pequot Lakes 10 Soup Walk, Deerwood, Crosby, Ironton

Every Friday through August 12, 1:45pm

18 Whitefish Chain Classic & Antique Wood Boat Rendezvous, Moonlite Bay, Crosslake 23-25 Lakes Jam, Brainerd International Raceway 23-26 Cass County Fair, Pine River 24 Flea Market, Pine River Fridays June 24, July 29, Aug. 5 & 26, 9am-3pm

Every Wednesday through August 17, 2:00pm

6 Longville Turtle Races

9 11-13 12-13 21-23 28-30 29-31 30-31

Every Wednesday through August 24, 1:00pm

Paul Bunyan Extreme 5k Run, Mount Ski Gull Sweetheart Days, Hackensack Bean Hole Days, Pequot Lakes Moondance Jam, Walker Pine River Art Show, The Warehouse Pine River Summerfest Power Boat Races, Serpent Lake, Crosby

UGUST A 2-6 Crow Wing County Fair 3 Longville Turtle Races

Every Wednesday through August 17, 1:00pm

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Boats • Pontoons Jet Skis – NEW EQUIPMENT – 001382015r1

J ULY 2 Celebrate America Weekend with Fireworks, Crosslake 2 Grandpa’s Run for the Walleye, Crosslake 3 Nisswa Freedom Days Festival 3 Arts in the Park, Brainerd 3-4 Pequot Lakes Stars & Stripes Days 4 Walker Fourth of July 4 American Celebration, Brainerd 4 4th of July in Crosby-Ironton 6 Nisswa Turtle Races

218.961.0000

On County Rd. 77 Overlooking Gull Lake Public Access By Zorbaz

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

5

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INTRODUCTION

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| Loon Watch Pine River ry | Paddle the Storm Recove w Township | Gull Lake History | Fairvie Youth Fishing Leagues Pine River 1 e| THE LAKES 2016 LOVE OF Nature Preserv Mayo Lake

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Local’s Secret • Visitor’s Favorite • All Seasons

Welcome to the 10th anniversary edition of Love of the Lakes magazine, an Echo Publishing product that showcases the sparkling bodies of water that have long attracted people to our northwoods lake country. Many come to visit, and many end up staying.

Since 2007, when Love of the Lakes debuted by highlighting North Long, Pelican and Woman Lakes, we have featured stories on nearly 30 area lakes, both big and small. Our larger lake chains - Gull, Whitefish and Leech - are promoted every year.

Each issue of Love of the Lakes includes in-depth lake maps, interesting lake facts and fascinating stories that revolve around each of our highlighted lakes and lake chains.

From Hubert and Horseshoe, Big Deep and Bay, Pleasant and Pine Mountain, Cullen and Cross lakes we’ve spotlighted over the past decade reach across the greater lakes area. We share stories that focus on people on the lakes, lake topics of interest and recreational opportunities.

This 10th anniversary edition of Love of the Lakes shines the spotlight on Norway Lake in Pine River, Mayo Lake in Pequot Lakes and Mille Lacs Lake in Garrison.

We explore the sports of kiteboarding and youth fishing leagues, both of which are growing in popularity. Follow a diary documenting the rituals of loons that return to a Pelican Lake bay each year.

Spirits of Nisswa 963-7488

Across from Schaefer’s Grocery www.spiritsofnisswa.com

Ye Old Pickle Factory 963-0085

Downtown Nisswa Open Daily | www.yeoldpicklefactory.com

Liquor

Learn about the Pine River, one of Minnesota’s water trails. Find out how a few of the resorts on Gull Lake are faring after last summer’s severe windstorm. And read about the effects of trending warmer temperatures on lakes and land.

We also have two pages of photos our readers have shared that show all kinds of fun people have on the lake.

We hope you have as much fun reading this anniversary edition of Love of the Lakes as we did putting it together.

001382020r1

6

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

7

FEATURE

Photos courtesy of Jerry Eklund Photography Left: The city of Walker is shown on the shore of Leech Lake in this aerial photo. Right: A lone kayak sits on a beach on Leech Lake while a bird struts by.

Protect Leech Lake

Residents and visitors alike must do their part

BY LEECH LAKE AREA WATERSHED FOUNDATION Long recognized for its natural resources - including a premier game fishery, valuable waterfowl habitat and extensive wild rice beds - Leech Lake is also notable for being the third largest lake entirely within Minnesota’s borders.

With a surface area of about 112,000 acres, this Cass County lake stretches 17 miles from north to south and 20 miles from east to west.

One lake, many bays To understand Leech Lake, one must think about the numerous bays of this irregularly shaped lake and their biological productivity or trophic status - or the amount of algae and aquatic plants the lake supports - which determine how lakes are classified.

Productivity is directly related to the availability of nutrients. Low productivity, nutrient-poor lakes usually have clear water and are called oligotrophic. Lakes of this type are common in northeastern Minnesota.

Moderately productive lakes are defined as mesotrophic.

Nutrient-rich lakes with high levels of

8 

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

productivity are called eutrophic and often can be murky and green because of algal growth (from Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource Guide).

Overall, Leech Lake is considered primarily shallow with a mean depth of about 18 feet.

About half of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth and slightly more than three-quarters is less than 25 feet in depth.

In general, Leech Lake is described as a hard-water, mesotrophic or moderately productive lake. However, this lake is not uniform and its major bays are distinctly different.

The main basin of Leech Lake is broad and open, subject to heavy winds and wave action with a mean depth of 29 feet and maximum depth of 40 feet. The main basin includes Whipolt Bay, the southern portion of Portage Bay and Traders Bay. These large basins are described as mesotrophic, having intermediate biological productivity or aquatic plants.

Protected from the winds, the northern and eastern bays are shallow with a maximum

depth of less than 15 to 24 feet. These shallow bays include Steamboat, Boy, Headquarters, Sucker and the northern portion of Portage Bay. These waters are eutrophic or nutrient-rich, having high levels of aquatic plants.

The western bays are the deepest with depths of more than 100 feet. These deep bays include Kabekona, Walker, Agency and Shingobee, which are oligotrophic with lower levels of aquatic plants.

Inlets and outlets Leech Lake receives flow from seven main inlets and many smaller streams. Leech River, the outlet on the east side of the lake, flows into the Mississippi River. The outlet is controlled by a dam that regulates water levels of the lake. In its original state, Leech Lake covered a smaller surface area; however, when the Federal Dam was built on the Leech River in 1884, the water levels on the lake rose approximately two feet and increased the surface area by several thousand acres to its present size.

Protect Leech continued on page 10

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

VITAL STATISTICS

Leech Lake

64

Leech Lake

371 Walker

200

371

34

200

5 10

Laura Lake

Akeley

5

7

1015 20

7 54

34 6

12

84

Little Boy

Woman Lake

Thunder Lake

Hackensack

8

Backus

87

Hattie

43

5

Eagle

Mildred

Norway

Pistol

56

Big Trout

Clamshell

Bertha

16 Grass

145

5

371 East Twin 107

E.V.

Nisswa

Roy

1

15

Wilson Bay

Motley

210

55 65 75 371 75 210 75 Baxter 150 15 Wise

146

15

Sylvan

18

48

an ny Bu ul Pa

ippi siss Mis

35 E.V.

pi

2

Ri

ver

Lake Alexander

kas No

Hamlet

5

Russell

7565

Crooked

Scott

10

25

65 75 85

121

169

er Nokasippi Riv

131

23 2

2

2

Round

21

28

Rabbit Lake

10 15

15

20

47

4

18

2

65

35 25

5

Dag ett B

20

10

ro

15 20

ok

le F

139

alls

169 27

27

Wahkon

10

30

18

E.V.

5

10 15

15

10 25

5

5

20 20

30

30 Isle

E.V.

5

15

47

8

5

2

20 25

25 15

10

10

Bear Island

38

35

30

10

27

10

20

Mille Lacs Lake

5

27

10

15

20

30

Mille Lacs Lake

10

25

10 Pelican Island 5

5

10

10

10

5

13

Sugar Lake

5

25

10

16

Rice Lake

47

White Fish

35

65

Swamp Lake

Clear Lake

5

McGregor

20

12

20

25

Long Lake

Twenty Lake

15

10

20

8

v

Section Twelve Lake Elm Island Lake

26

22

22

25

Lone Lake

18

30 35

Garrison 144

20

Turtle Round

South Long Lake

25

21

5

Borden

8

15

Dam Lake

Birch

10

18

Rice

24

169

11

Tame Fish

Partridge

8 Portage

20

Hanging Kettle Lake Ripple Lake 12

40

Farm Island Lake

14

Bay Lake

Clearwater 124

Nokay

Portage Lake

10 4

Nord Lake

35 20 25 15 20 169

Eagle

Grave

Fleming Lake

20

Aitkin

40

28

133

102

159

23

144

5

5

10

Portage

8

Mud

18

31

E.V.

g

Sebre

To Litt

Randall

12 28

Lookout

Twin Island

6

Rock Lake

Sissabagamah Lake Cedar Lake

6

159

Minnewawa Lake

Flowage Lake

Wilkins Lake

10

111

210 Deerwood

12

Wolf

Island Lake Horseshoe Lake

Round Lake

210

32

121

131

Crow Wing

Fort Ripley

123

75

er Riv

Mud

Cushing

ay ssw pre Ex

44

CROW WING STATE PARK

25

45 45

48

85

371

142

Brainerd

White Sand

10

Fish Trap Lake

Rice

Whipple

Hardy

CAMP RIPLEY NATIONAL GUARD RESERVATION

20

Red Sand

36

Pillager

Gilbert

77

77

210

49

Mud

1

Shamineau Lake

Horseshoe

Agate

Serpent Lake

102

20 15 10

5

30

Carlson

Ironton

3

35 Gun Lake

25 30 35 40

er

20

31

Black Hoof

210 15 10 5

Sorenson

25

Rat Lake

3

105

i Riv ssipp

East Rabbit

Crosby 25

Menomin

Riverton

Campbell

Merrifield 119

Hartley

Gul

Pillager

Staples

127

127

126 125

77

PILLSBURY STATE FOREST

Little Hubert

North Long Lake

iver

64

115 Round Lake

115

35

5

20 25 30

141

11

West Rabbit

128

Crystal

lR

Rock

15

11

Fawn

3

Nelson

Lower Dean

15

30

Black Bear

19 Bass

3

14

Glacier Lake

Blind Lake

Stark

Missi

Miller Lake Edward

4

Gladstone

Sandy River Lake

Palisade

French Lake

6

Mollie

137 Hubert

Gull Lake

77

5

Upper Mission

Aitkin Lake

105

19

13

13

371

CROW WING STATE FOREST

Lower Mission

116

Garden

Clark

5

77

Bass

109

Perch

10

1

Ross

Upper Dean

Fool

Lougee

Nisswa

Goose Island E.V.

r ive

109

Markee

118

Upper Gull

15 25

Little Pelican

Lower

107

Margaret

45 65 8595

5

Upper

llen CuMiddle

West Twin Edna

5

4

3

25 Waukenabo Lake

Round Lake

36 36

30

Big Sandy Lake

Perry

eR Pin

11

E.V.

Horseshoe

Pelican Lake

29

106

114

Lizard

Breezy Point

Bass

Mud

Rogers

Adney

Goggle

5 10 15

Esquagamah Lake

Snodgrass

Island

36

ne Pi River

11

Mayo

Pickeral

Greer

E.V.

3

11

168

Lake Shore

Pine

Fawn

15

10

36

103

103

Pequot Lakes

Sibley Loon

29

Duck

17

10

Upper Loon

E.V.

39

10

Birchdale

O'Brien

Crosslake

Ossawinnaamakee

Emily

Dolney

3

Star

Kimball

Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

66

25 Lows

Goodrich

gett Dag

Rush

Cross Lake

Ideal Corners

Lower Hay

112

5

Lower Whitefish

16

Minnesota IslandJenkins 17

Little Pine

Mud Lake

Upper Whitefish

15

65

5

Mary

Sand

15 10 5

20 25

18

Duck

1

Ruth

Emily

1

5

Ox

371

1

Butterfield

Manhattan Beach

Arrowhead

10

6

West Fox

134

1

15

5

Anna

Eagle

1

1

Blue

Fifty Lakes

Swanburg

84

Pine River

64

Kego

54

15

Squaw

E.V.

20

169

Little Pine

Papoose Mitchell

371 2

Morrison

Lawrence

Roosevelt

136

E.V. Clough

29

Outing

Jail Lake 56

Lizzie

84 Horseshoe

15

58

Lake Leavitt Blind

48

371

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

160 48

Lake Ada

Lind Lake

15

Washburn Lake

49

87

Pine Mountain

5 10 15

54

84

64

40 30 40

Lake George

47

87

20

55

Lake Wabedo

10 5

15

Island Lake

371

15

20

Iguadona Lake

Ten Mile Lake

ip

is

LEECH LAKE

27

47

169 27 47 8

65

Onamia

27 3

Pomroy Lake

3 Knife Lake

39

21

5

169

33

20

Location: Walker Area: 110,311 acres Deepest Point: 150 feet, located in Walker Bay Defining Characteristics: The lake is the third largest lake entirely within Minnesota’s boundaries and covers approximately 112,000 surface acres, nearly 80 percent of the lake is less than 35 feet deep. It is geographically located in three glacial zones and has an irregular shape with many large and small bays.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Water quality: Mesotrophic - clear water with some submerged aquatic plants, medium levels of nutrients Number of aquatic plant species: 169 49 Fish: crappie, sunfish, bowfin, bullhead, catfish eelpout, large/small/rock bass, muskellunge, northern pike, tullibee, walleye, white sucker, perch.

Historic Fact: The Battle of Sugar Point in 1898 between U.S. Federal troops and the resident 34

Ann Lake

47

16

Ogilvie

11

6

12

18

1

24

11

22

Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians was the last true Indian battle in the United States. This is largely ignored in history, quite likely because the Indians won the battle. The battle began a chain of events that eventually led to government control of national forest lands and the creation of the Chippewa National Forest.

65

6

37

32

19

8

23

5

70

65

Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, leech-lake.com and Wikipedia

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

9

10

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

watershed monitoring approach where chemical and biological monitoring was conducted on the streams and select lakes within the watershed.

Water quality data was assessed in 2014 and used to identify priority areas for water quality protection and restoration efforts.

Since this watershed has few, if any, water body impairments other than mercury, protection will be the primary focus of the WRAPS project going forward.

The LLAWF has taken the lead on developing the final WRAP report, which is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2016.

“Ultimately, citizens and many partners will play a vital part in ‘keeping clean waters clean’ for future enjoyment,” said Lindsey Ketchel, LLAWF executive director.

Cass County and the DNR have worked together to identify sensitive shoreland areas on all lakes greater than 500 acres in Cass County, including Leech Lake.

“These sensitive shoreland areas represent the most critical fish and wildlife habitat areas for protection and will be evaluated for zoning reclassification to Resource Protection Districts,” said John Ringle, Cass County environmental services district manager.

Protect Leech continued on page 58

Hwy. 371, Nisswa

800-322-3525 | info@nisswadock.com

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Shorelands The 188-mile shoreline has multiple public agency and private ownerships, including the Chippewa National Forest, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, state of Minnesota, Cass County and private lands. Shoreland development includes the city of Walker on the west shore, resorts and private residential homes. Lake access is available through 10 public boat launches and numerous private harbors and resorts.

Leech Lake fishery The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that the fish community in Leech Lake is dominated by species in the perch and pike families. Walleye, northern pike and muskellunge are the primary predator species, while yellow perch and cisco serve as the principal forage.

Leech Lake is well known among anglers as a tremendous multi-species fishery, including excellent fishing opportunities for walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, sunfish and black crappie.

Leech Lake River Watershed Leech Lake is a significant feature of the Leech Lake River Watershed, which contains some of the most pristine natural resources in Minnesota. A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that drains off of it goes into the same place - a river, stream or lake. This watershed has a very high degree of biodiversity in its more than 1,300 square miles of forests and surface waters.

One-half of Minnesota’s naturally producing muskie lakes and a quarter of the natural muskie habitat in the United States is located in the Leech Lake River Watershed.

Forests in the watershed boast the largest number of breeding eagle pairs in the lower 48 states, as well as many other healthy wildlife populations.

Watershed health Currently, the surface water resources within the Leech Lake River Watershed meet Minnesota’s surface water quality standards for conventional pollutants (not including mercury).

However, these water resources are experiencing increased pressure from development and subsequent loss of shoreline and aquatic habitat; increased nutrient, contaminant and sedimentation loading from stormwater runoff; and loss of biodiversity due to competition from invasive species.

The surface water resources within this watershed are highly prized for their recreational value, and these resources attract several hundred thousand vacationers to the area each year. The protection of these resources is vital in sustaining the local economy and natural heritage and character of this watershed.

Community protecting water quality It is critical that both individuals and communities within the watershed work together to protect water quality.

“You don’t have to live on a lake or river to have an impact on water quality. We all live in a watershed and our collective actions will determine the future quality of our water.”

- from Stewardship Guide for Leech Lake Lands, University of Minnesota Extension and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Division of Resource Management.

Leech Lake and its watershed are an important focus for a team of agencies and nonprofit organizations who work together to protect and manage its resources.

These organizations include the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass County, Leech Lake Association, Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation (LLAWF), DNR, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) and U.S. Forest Service.

PCA is leading a team of water resource managers and nonprofit organizations to identify protection strategies to preserve water quality within the watershed.

The Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) for this watershed began in 2012. Since then, watershed monitoring data has been collected through an intensive

www.NISSWADOCK.com

Protect Leech continued from page 8

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

11

FEATURE

Photos from Logsleds to Snowmobiles Top/bottom left: The dam power house, the Norway Brook Dam was once the location of a hydroelectric plant. Top right: The dam was once a popular location for fish fry gatherings. Bottom right: Dick Houston attempted to ride his snowmobile from one side of the lake to the other at Pine River’s centennial celebration.

A river runs through it

History of the dam park in Pine River

BY TRAVIS GRIMLER Norway Lake, along with the Pine River running through both ends of the lake, has always been the lifeblood of the city of Pine River. After all, the river is where the city got its name.

“It’s a cornerstone of the town,” said John Wetrosky, Pine River Chamber of Commerce executive director. “It’s what everything focuses on, that river. Not every town has a river running through like that. It’s a focal point. I always tell people, if they want to see the pretty part of Pine River, that’s where to go. Of course, we’ve had the duck races down there for many years.

Without the river we wouldn’t be able to do that.”

The logging community that eventually became the city of Pine River depended on the river and the lake for transport of valuable lumber in the times before the local railroad became the most popular form of transportation.

“It’s one of the reasons the town is here,” Wetrosky said. “There is a tremendous logging history. Lots of logs floated down that back in the late 1800s. “ According to the “Logsleds to Snowmobiles Pine River Centennial” book, E.W. Backus’ lumber company once banked 10 million feet of logs on Norway Lake during a dry year as they

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

awaited a rise in water levels that would push their cargo to Brainerd.

To give a small degree of control over river levels, sluice dams were constructed on area waterways to allow control of flooding that would make transportation more predictable. The first Pine River dam was constructed on the outflow of Norway Lake after 1890 with the authorization of Cass County commissioners. That dam is no longer there, but the lake - and especially the length of river between its outflow and the current Norway Brook dam - remains an important commodity to the city.

The current dam and park location came together as a result of complicated business and land ventures. The Pine River dam itself was constructed in part by a partnership between Charles E. Webber and Harry H. Hill, though a bridge spanned the river in the same location much earlier.

The land on the upper section of the dam, on the other hand, was one of many sections of properties owned by attorney Eugene L. Forbes, who partnered with Judge W.W. Spurrier under the Spurrier Land Development Company.

The dam once included a hydroelectric com-

pany owned by the Arvig company, who sold it in 1926 to the Minnesota Hydro-Electric Company.

It changed hands two more times before being purchased by Minnesota Power. It was operated until the 1950s, according to the “Logsleds to Snowmobiles” book.

“I think it had a big tourist draw,” said Dick Houston, former Chamber of Commerce board member. “It was a power dam. Just below the dam was the Land O’Lakes Creamery, which was a real plus for the city.”

The power plant on the dam was eventually decommissioned and demolished.

In the early 1900s, Pine River received donations of land from the Forbes family, both in the upper section of the dam and at today’s Forbes Park Campground.

In 1910, the city hosted annual summer fish fry events at the location of today’s Norway Brook park area. Huge fire pits with culvert chimneys fed crispy fried fish to scores of locals who gathered at the park. From that point on, the park became a recreation center for the city.

Some time after being founded in 1935, the Works Progress Administration constructed a divRiver history continued on page 14

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

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Defining Characteristics: UpperNorway Loon Lake was 1 named for Norway pines lining its banks. The river running Loon through both ends of the lake serves an important purpose for this shallow lake which is estimated to be only 12 feet at its deepest point. It is noted as having very thick weed cover that is popular to bluegills and bass species. 107

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ing platform and steps on the upper side of the Norway Brook dam, both of which increased the dam’s recreational popularity. It has ever since been a favorite swimming place.

“I was born in Pine River, raised there as a child,” Houston said. “There was a 22-foot tall swim and dive tower there where the steps are. It had 10 feet up one platform and 22 feet to the top one. As kids, the whole town played there. It was a great summer place to go for swimming and having fun with people.”

Houston was one of many who learned to swim at the dam.

“Sometimes it was very cold,” said Sundey Christensen, who was a Red Cross swim instructor and lifeguard at the dam in the summers of 1989-91. “There would be some kids that would be the ‘dam rats.’ They would come in early in the morning on their bikes and spend hours and hours at the dam. Some kids would just come in for special occasions. Some kids would only make it in around swimming lesson times. It was mostly locals.”

During the summers the dam became popular not only because it was the neighborhood “swimming hole” on hot days, but because the local children saw it as an opportunity to socialize with friends they no longer spent time with since classes ended.

“It was one of the only places to go and do something for younger kids,” Christensen said.

“There were hundreds of kids that would go through the first two-week session and then the second two-week session of swimming lessons. I probably didn’t realize at the time that it was one of the few places the kids could hang out and do something healthy, fun, cooperative, being able to meet other kids, having it as a social time in the summer.”

The city staffed the swimming area with swim instructors and lifeguards all summer long, making it not only popular, but also safe. Christensen said it only cost $1 per student for each two-week

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“It wasn’t an expensive way for kids to have something organized in their day, to be able to see people and do something healthy. It didn’t involve being in a marching band, buying an instrument or paying for a basketball camp or something like that,” Christensen said. “It was also a place for moms to sit together and watch the kids.”

A recreation building where kids could buy bait and refreshments sat near the upper part of the dam. The location is now a pharmacy.

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somewhat.

The swimming area first moved from the steps next to the dam, then to the other side of the diving block and finally, today the swimming area is opposite the fishing pier where the Greater Pine River Area Healthy Green Communities Partnership worked to build a sand beach outside of the sluiceway in 2014.

“I think we still see it (popularity),” Wetrosky said. “It’s just in different forms. They just put in a new swimming beach and it gets used a lot. There are always people down there with kids. I’ve noticed that throughout the summer. It’s just used in different ways. It’s always there.”

“At first, the swimming area was right on the sluiceway, then construction moved it farther away so there wasn’t as much drag,” Christensen said.

Aside from swimming and fish fry events, the dam park has always attracted events that the city’s various organizations host.

The Pine River Lions showed their appreciation for the park at Norway Brook by constructing a pavilion that they use every year for their annual Take-a-Kid-Fishing event. In the 1980s, canoe races on the river were a popular event.

“The canoe races, the Lions sponsored those,” Wetrosky said. “One year we raced from the dam into Norway Lake and then came back. Another year we put pylons out there and had the racers

race around those in front of the swimming beach.

We did that a couple years.”

The lower dam section is the location of the weekly duck races in Pine River during the summers as well as magic shows and at one time a lumberjack show during the city’s annual Summerfest event.

“We have had a lot of Summerfest activities there over the years,” Wetrosky said. “We used to have the big barbecue down there on a big pit where we barbecued beef. That was a big hit during Summerfest.”

Perhaps one of the most memorable of the dam’s community events was the city’s centennial celebration in 1973.

“I remember one time one of the big stories in town was Dick Houston was going to ride across the dam in a snowmobile,” Wetrosky said. “He took off and there was a huge crowd watching. He took off from the east side, and he made it just in front of the swimming steps just before he sunk.”

The Chamber of Commerce was trying to find a way to make the city’s centennial a real tourist draw.

“I was on the Pine River Chamber of Commerce at the time,” Houston said. “Walt Silbaugh was one of the head people on the centennial book.

There were a lot of people working on it, but he was also on the chamber. At the chamber meeting River history continued on page 16

Photos from Logsleds to Snowmobiles At one time the swimming area at the dam was a popular place for children to learn to swim under supervision of a lifeguard. Today, people still swim there, but a new sand beach further from the water flowing into the dam has become a preferred location.

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he kept asking what we could do to make it special. ‘What can we do to make it a tourist draw and get lots of people to come to our centennial?’”

Houston had recently been taking snowmobiles across open water to get from lake to lake on the Whitefish Chain, which gave him an idea.

“When you are going 40 miles per hour behind a water ski boat and you take a tumble, you can’t get into the water,” Houston said.

“You are hooking your arms out trying to get into the water so you can stop the flapping and pain flying across the water. I used that as a theory that the snowmobile wouldn’t sink within a distance of 50 or 60 feet. I started going across there (the channel between Trout Lake and Whitefish Lake) and it was true.”

He offered to do the same above the dam.

“Their comments were, ‘No, we want to do this this summer while celebrating the centennial.’” Houston said, “I told them, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it this summer.’”

Houston said there was an estimated 3,000 people at the centennial celebration to watch him cross the water on a snowmobile.

“We booked it and I actually put a ramp on the far side where the diving tower was,” Houston said. “I built a wooden ramp and ended up getting about 15 feet from the other side. I lost enough speed that the machine went down.”

Houston didn’t make it, but the event was a success. The chamber had attracted its crowd.

“It was really good,” Houston said. “There were a lot of people who put an effort into that and the book and all the festivities. It was a good feeling to be a part of it. We gave a lot of people a good time in town.”

Aside from officially organized events, the lower side of the dam is a popular launching point for kayaks and canoes traveling the Department of Natural Resources’ water trail, and bow fishing from the trees overhanging the river is growing in popularity.

The dam has experienced near constant change since its construction. There are currently changes on the horizon as well.

Through DNR inspections the current dam has been determined to be deteriorating.

Though it is not dangerous, Pine River city engineer Bryan Drown of Bolton & Menk said the city is taking steps to plan for its eventual replacement.

“There is some deterioration of concrete and so at some point the city needs to do something,” Drown said. “They aren’t absolutely being forced to do anything right now, but they are looking for the best time to do something.”

The dam will likely look very different in the future. The Minnesota Department of Transportation intends to separate its highway River history continued on page 17

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

from the city’s dam. Doing so would mean the creation of a separate bridge and a dam with a pedestrian walkway. What the end product will look like, however, is uncertain.

“The preferred alternative is new dam with sluice gate, similar to what is currently there,” Drown said.

There are several other alternative designs for the future dam, including a “rock riffle” dam, but which choice the city makes will be partially determined by funding that is available, especially since the preferred design is among the most expensive options. The city will not likely begin work on the dam until MnDOT constructs its bridge, and though they had once estimated a construction time in 2016 or 2017, that plan has been delayed.

In addition, Drown said there has been some interest in possibly installing hydroelectric systems to the dam once again, though a study in the 1990s or 1980s had indicated the return on investment might not be worthwhile.

Whatever the future holds, the dam will remain an important part of the city of Pine River. u Travis Grimler is a staff writer for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal. Contact him at travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com. Follow him at facebook.com/PEJTravis and on Twitter @PEJ_Travis.

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FEATURE

Photos by Pete Mohs Left: The Fairview Township Town Hall is located on the west side of Gull Lake. Right: Jim Weizenegger is the Fairview Township board chair.

Township ‘gets no respect’

Fairview Township struggles with its identity

BY PETE MOHS Many citizens in Fairview Township, located in Cass County along the west shore of Gull Lake, have something in common with the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield as they both have made claims of “getting no respect.”

For many years, Fairview Township’s name has almost been forgotten to the point that township officials put up road signs identifying the Fairview name. That lack of recognition is often frustrating, said township clerk Marla Yoho.

“Nobody ever says ‘Fairview Township,’” Yoho said. “It’s always been that way. We even once had the billing paperwork for our published legals sent to us as ‘Fairfield Township.’ After a while, it became kind of a running joke.”

Although the name may be unfamiliar, the township does have numerous familiar landmarks - like Pillsbury State Forest, the Department of Natural Resource’s Rock Lake Campground and the famous painted rock, popular attractions like Mount Ski Gull and the Lakeshore Conservation Club, and

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

famous resorts or restaurants over the years like Quarterdeck, Birch Bay Golf Course and Resort, and Jake’s City Grille.

“Two-third of our township is Pillsbury Forest, which is 10,000 acres,” Yoho said.

“Pillsbury, as well as most of our township, suffered extensive tree damage from the storm that went through our area last year.

“We also have a fire department (Pillager Fire Association building No. 2) connected to our town hall that was originally built in the 1960s,” Yoho said.

Yoho adds that Fairview Township is home of a young celebrity.

“Rebecca Yeh, who was Miss Minnesota in 2013, is from Fairview. But Brainerd usually gets credit for Rebecca,” she said.

Nearby communities like Brainerd, Nisswa and Lake Shore are often references instead of Fairview Township.

“We joke about it, but at the same time it’s a little irritating,” said Jim Weizenegger, township board chair. “We’re in between a couple cities, so people forget that we exist.

We’re not a city, but we do have some nice

assets.”

Weizenegger, who is starting his 21st year on the township board, and Yoho, starting her 23rd year as clerk, are typical members of the Fairview Township board.

Other members are Walt Richmond, who has served as a supervisor since 1994; Sharon Owen, starting as treasurer before switching to deputy clerk/treasurer since 1993; and Tom Dechmann, who has served as a supervisor since 2007.

“Two of our three township supervisors are up for election this year, but we do have a lot of continuity in how our township is run,” Yoho said. “We also have a low-keyed board. Maybe that’s why nobody knows that we are here.”

Road signs were recently put up to to let motorists know they’re driving into Fairview Township.

“We thought the signs would let people know where Fairview starts, but they didn’t make any difference,” Yoho joked. “For the most part, I think all townships are ignored.

Fairview continued on page 21

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

GULL LAKE VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Cass & Crow Wing County, MN

20

64

3020 10

40

Defining Characteristics: The Gull Chain of Lakes, for which Gull Lake is the namesake and largest member, is a collection of a number of connected lakes and two bays: 71 Gull Lake, Upper Gull Lake, Nisswa Lake, Roy Lake, Margaret Lake, Spider Lake, Spring Lake, Love Lake, Round Lake, Bass Lake, Steamboat Bay, Wilson’s Bay. Park Rapids

10 20 30 50 40

34

Nevis

Ten Mile Lake

60

10 20 30 40 50

Hackensack

40

64 87

16

with occasional algal blooms in late summer.

10

30

10

10 10 3040

Number of aquatic plant species: 71 Over 35 species

48

20 30 40 50 60

64

87

5040 30 Lind Lake 20 10 Hattie

50

50

Mildred

43

Clough

371 Norway

371 2

70

1

Ox

371

16

16 Grass

145

Jenkins

80

Upper Loon

20 10

77

Duck

36

103

Pine

Fawn

ne Pi River Lizard

Horseshoe

Pelican Lake

4

Upper

109

Little Pelican

Lower

19

Markee

Nisswa Nisswa

Roy

Perch

Mille Lake Edward

13

13

19

Hubert

115

Little Hubert

Round Lake

Bass

3

4

Gladstone

Gull Lake

Black Bear

Mollie

137

371

Lower Mission

116

Garden

Clark

1

Upper Mission

Lougee

107

77

Bass

109

118

Margaret

20

Breezy Point

llen CuMiddle

West Twin Edna

77

Gree

3

Ossawinnaamakee

371 East Twin

Upper Gull

Lake Shore

O'Br

11

168

Fawn

3

Crystal

127

Riv

Campbell

Merrifield

127

Sorenson

115 119

North Long Lake

25

126 Hartley

64

20 10

20 30 40

125

77

PILLSBURY STATE FOREST

30

Pillager

146 Mud Red Sand

Sylvan

18

70

Whipple

77

48

Hardy

10 CAMP RIPLEY NATIONAL GUARD RESERVATION Shamineau Lake

20

371

Rice

Mud

Brainerd

159

371

ul Pa

23

48

144

ay ssw pre Ex n a ny Bu

123

er Riv pi sip sis Mis

5 Russell

South Long Lake

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

CROW WING STATE PARK

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142

Baxter

210 Pillager

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Gilbert

White Sand

1 36

40 30 20 10

210

49

77

77

Motley

210

Horseshoe

Wise

Wilson Bay

40

210

39

103

Pequot Lakes

Loon

10

3

11

Sibley

1

66

Crosslake

11

50

Staples

Kimball

17

107

10

10

Cross Lake

Star

Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

r

40

40 20 10

Clamshell

Bertha

ive

Verndale

10

tt gge Da

Rush

Ideal Corners

Lower Hay

15

Gu ll R

71

60

Lower Whitefish

15

17

33 70

Little Pine

Mud Lake

Upper Whitefish

40

60

Manhattan Beach

Big Trout

15

40

134

1

1

10

West Fox

Fifty Lakes

Arrowhead

Pine River

Rock

50

Kego

Swanburg

84

29

30

Mit

56 54

Mayo

40

Pistol

Jail Lake 56

Lizzie

Eagle

10

40

30 40 50 60

Blind

48

20 10

78

10

160 48

Horseshoe

30 40 50

10 20 3040

54

Lake Ada

371 50 40 30

10

10

47

49

84

40 30 20

57

Lake Wabedo

8

60

60

71

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

Little Boy

84

112

60

77

10 20 30 40 50

50 40 30 20 10

60

60

Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Wikipedia

85 40 50 30

60

60 70

60

60

10

Pine Mountain

60 50

77

Historic Fact: The site of the Gull Lake Dam has particular prehistoric archaeological significance. Under the site there have been found at least 12 burial mounds as well as several partial mounds. All are thought to originate from the Woodland American Indian tribes, which resided in the area from 800 B.C. to A.D. 200, returning later to inhabit the area from A.D. 600 to A.D. 900.

50

Backus

87

Fish: Panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, tullibee, yellow perch Menahga

84

80

10

Iguadona Lake

Woman Lake

10 20 60 40

70

7 54

60

371

30

10 2030

40 50 40 30 20 10

50

10

Water Quality:87Mesotrophic - clear water

5

10 20 30 6

200

200

10 20 30 40

60 10 20 12 10 30 40 20 30

and its shores host over 2,500 homes. The chain spans across Cass County, MN and Crow Wing County, MN.

13

371

34

Akeley

34The chain collectively covers 13,000 acres

Wadena

Walker 77

Homes Per Shoreline: 27.8

10 20

371

Leech Lake

30

30 20

Deepest Point: 80 feet, 30 percent of the lake is 15 feet deep or less

10

10 20

371

Area: 9,947 acres

87

Leech Lake

19 44

144

22

v

121 Crow Wing Mud

131

131

er Nokasippi Riv

23

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

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Fairview continued from page 18

Some people know about Sylvan Township because of its large population and location near the busy Highway 210 (west of Brainerd).”

Yoho adds that Fairview is one of 50 townships in Cass County and one of 1,788 townships in Minnesota, which is more than twice the number of cities around the state.

“Most townships are 36 square miles,” she said. “We have a few more miles in Fairview because we cover the west coastline of Gull Lake.”

Fairview Township’s most recent population total was 850 people with around 2,000 homes, although 52 percent of the evaluation is second (seasonal) homes.

“Cass County has a total population of 28,559, with 75 percent of that population living in townships,” said Yoho, who is also a board member for the Cass County Association of Townships. “Actually, 80 percent of the total market value in Cass County lies in the townships.”

Fairview Township was formed in March 1922. In November 1924, a portion of the original township that lies to the east and south of Gull Lake was “detached” and became East Gull Lake.

“That was primarily because travel was still quite difficult in those days and it was too hard to connect with the population and maintain the road system as it existed at that time,” Yoho said. u

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Warming temperatures world wide Trend is affecting lakes and land

BY MIKE RAHN One of the least compatible marriages is the wedding of science and politics.

In science there will always be unproven theories and unknowns, but we expect the discipline to be fact-based and objective. The aim of science is to seek out and share truth about the world around us, and beyond, no matter where that truth might lead.

As for politics, it takes no more than to observe our election process to know that the winning of nominations and elections sometimes leads to distortion and dishonesty, and misrepresentation of an opponent’s record, aims and character. In the calculus of what it takes to be nominated and elected, politicians sometimes adopt positions they believe will secure votes and support, rather than what they may actually believe.

One aspect of scientific inquiry that has been complicated by politics is global warming and its potential for climate change. It has become politically charged, especially in recent election cycles, and most visibly in the presidential campaign process.

Candidates seeking nomination have been grilled for their views on whether global warming is real, and - just as important - whether they believe humans bear any responsibility for it.

Scientists are sometimes even silenced by those in powerful political positions. According to the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, when current Florida Gov. Rick Scott took office Warming temp continued on page 23

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Warming temp continued from page 22

in 2010, employees of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were instructed by top officials under Scott not to use the terms “climate change” or “global warming” in their official reports. One year such references were present, the next year they were gone.

But whether one believes that man bears responsibility for rising global temperatures through the use of coal, oil and natural gas for fuels and power, or instead blame variable natural forces, there is incontestable evidence that Earth’s average temperatures have been steadily rising.

Evidence, too, that exaggerated climatic events are happening with much greater frequency, something predicted to be the consequence of rising global temperatures. If this trend continues, whatever the cause or causes, it is expected that there will be significant changes to the places we live and the recreations we enjoy.

Minnesota, due to its borderline position between warmer states to our south and cooler territory to our north, is in the bull’s-eye. Based on annual average temperature records, Minnesota is warming faster than any other Midwestern state.

While small, isolated patches of far southern Minnesota have seen no increase in average annual temperature during the 20-year period from 1992 to 2012, the rest of the state has seen substantial increases.

Almost the entire southern half of the state, split diagonally from northwest to southeast, saw an increase in average annual temperature of 1-2 degrees from 1992 to 2012. Much of the northern half of the state, again following a northwest to southeast line, has seen average temperatures rise 2-3 degrees.

Several hotspots in northern Minnesota, including one on the Canadian border and a larger one touching northern Cass and Aitkin counties, saw average annual temperatures rise more than three degrees during this 20-year period.

Minnesotans are seeing this evidence firsthand

in the transitions from fall to winter and winter to spring. Anglers waited impatiently in late 2015 for enough ice to form on the state’s lakes to allow them to travel safely and place their fishing shelters. At least two major Minnesota ice fishing tournaments, including the Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza held annually on Gull Lake near Brainerd, had to be postponed to later dates to provide more time for safe ice to form.

This trend toward diminished or delayed lake ice coverage has a direct impact on anglers who fish through the ice, and on tourism economies Warming temp continued on page 24

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Warming temp continued from page 23

that depend on winter recreation. With the warmer temperatures that have yielded a shorter ice season has also come less dependable snow cover, which has an impact on snowmobiling and skiing, two other recreations that fuel winter’s tourism economy.

Records kept over extended periods of time are of great value in pinpointing trends. One weather observer has tracked the dates of ice formation on a lake near Grand Rapids for more than a quarter century. The date when Crooked Lake became fully covered with ice has moved backward an average of a half day per year. Although there is always variability from year to year, the average “iced-over” date on this lake is now two weeks later than 30 years ago.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) records show that Lake Osakis, an extremely popular fishing and vacation lake southwest of Long Prairie and east of Alexandria, loses its ice in spring about a week earlier than was once the norm. Even more dramatic, DNR records show that during the period from 2000 to 2015, all major Minnesota lakes whose ice-out dates are tracked experienced their earliest iceouts ever recorded.

Gull Lake, widely known for its excellent fishing and other water recreations - and home to some of the state’s most prominent resorts - saw its

earliest recorded ice-out on March 26, 2012.

Lake Superior provides another dramatic example. Due to its immense size and volume, it may not always freeze over entirely, as our inland lakes do. Here, too, warmer annual average temperatures are showing their influence. Weather records for Superior, which have been religiously kept since the earliest days of Great Lakes shipping, show that the surface area covered with ice in winter has declined roughly 80 percent since the 1970s.

As one more footnote to warmer winters, the Twin Cities and a number of other Minnesota communities set warm weather records of up to

60 degrees on the last weekend of February 2016.

But changes in winter’s ice and snow cover, and the resulting disruption of winter activities and tourism, may not be the only lake effects of rising average temperatures. There is uncertainty whether the spawning success of important game fish, especially walleyes, may be affected, too.

“Water temperature and sunlight are key factors in the timing of spawning,” said Owen Baird, DNR fisheries management specialist based in Brainerd.

“But we don’t know how much the timing of spawning could be affected by consistently warmer water temperatures and earlier ice-out.

Warming temp continued on page 25

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“It’s especially important that walleye spawning happen at a time when their hatching eggs will have zooplankton and other suitable small prey available to feed on as they grow from fry to fingerlings,” Baird said.

It’s not known with certainty whether a change in the timing of spawning driven by warmer lakes and less ice will upset the interactions and interdependencies between species, potentially including both food resources and predation.

Some fish species may be better shielded than others from changes within a lake’s ecology and food chain; better protected - at least - at the critical time when they’re very young.

“Young largemouth bass and panfish have a survival advantage over young walleyes,” Baird said, “because they receive parental protection from nest-guarding adults.

Young walleyes get no parental care after the adults have spawned.”

There is a general belief among fisheries biologists that a warming lake environment would likely favor more abundant largemouth bass, perhaps at the expense of walleyes.

One of the factors in a strong walleye population - northern pike, too - is the abundance of cisco, a key prey species in a number of deep lakes. Cisco are cold water fish, and when summer temperatures rise and lakes stratify into distinct temperature layers, typically there is a narrow band of deep water that is both cold enough, and sufficiently oxygenated, for cisco to survive.

Baird is concerned that our lakes may continue to warm, and longer growing seasons may lead to more organic material decomposing and consuming oxygen in our lakes’ ultimate depths. If so, the layer of cold, oxygenated water may narrow - or the summer period of lake stratification may lengthen - to the point where it cannot support adequate numbers of this vital prey species for walleyes and pike.

One of the consequences of a warming planet that has been predicted by climatologists is greater weather instability, and more extreme weather events. One example predicted is fewer rainfall events, but larger in volume and more severe in

intensity when they do occur.

DNR climatologists have charted what could be called “mega-rain” events roughly since our statehood in 1858, based on newspaper accounts, diaries and official climate records dating back to that time. A mega-rain event was defined as one in which a six-inch average rainfall covered 100 square miles; for example, a 25- by 40-square-mile area.

Twelve such events have been recorded dating back to 1866. Of these 12, five have occurred since the year 2000. The concentration of these mega-rain events in this short span of time defies statistical probability, but aligns with forecasting models of what would happen with a warmer climate.

But what does it mean for our waters, our recreation and beyond?

For starters, such heavy rainfall events can overwhelm the land’s ability to absorb the huge volume of water flowing over it. The result is that soil, organic matter, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that we apply to our lawns and crops end up in our lakes and rivers.

One major effect can be a spike in nutrients that contributes to algae production, whose eventual decomposition reduces oxygen available to fish and other aquatic life. To say nothing of the potential effects of pesticides and herbicides that are formulated to kill organisms.

When such mega-rain events occur in mid-summer they also can increase water temperature. This is not likely to be as pronounced in lakes as it is in streams, particularly cold-water streams that support trout, which are very intolerant of warm temperatures.

For example, Stony Brook, a stream in Cass County that supports naturally reproducing brook trout and brown trout, “has seen some its highest stream flows in June and July over several of the last five years,” Baird said.

This is uncharacteristic, since high stream flows generally occur most often in spring, when the winter’s snows are melting and the water entering the stream is cold.

Such mid-summer rains pour into streams over warm soil surfaces, causing a spike in water temperature.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Warming temp continued on page 58

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1

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13 1. Shaun and Farrah Rowley shared a photo of their son Marshall at the Nisswa Turtle Races.

2. Judy LaTour snapped this sunset on Gull Lake’s Wilson Bay. 3. Shaun and Farrah Rowley’s sons as Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in Breezy Point.

4. Joan Hauer’s husky, Luna, on a lake near Backus on an early morning in June.

5. Angelo and Betty Gust shared this photo of a loon family on Rabbit Lake in Crosby.

6. Judy LaTour shared this photo of Nayeon Kim and David Uhrich enjoying a boat ride on Gull Lake.

7. The Lee and Taylor families cooling off while watching the cardboard boat races held in Moonlite Bay on the Whitefish Chain.

26

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

3

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Lake 14

Fuonnthe

4

with our

Readers

8. Shaun and Farrah Rowley shared a photo of son Marshall having fun on the beach.

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15 13. Timothy Marr’s grandson, Rowan, showing his new puppy, Tully, the art of fishing on Blackwater Lake near Longville.

14. Paul Dorweiler shared this photo of his favorite sport - especially when the grandkids are here - flying his model airplanes on Goodrich Lake in the Crosslake area.

10. Judy LaTour shared this photo of Nayeon Kim, who caught a fish on Gull Lake.

15. Marcia Clay submitted this photo of Emerson, Esther and Ezrah Clay, along with Charley, their adopted “child” from HART, enjoying Lake Ossawinamakee.

11. Greta Hoefs poses in front of one of the Cuyuna Mine Pits.

16. Shaun and Farrah Rowley show a peaceful night on the lake.

9. Jaden Stockwell, 3, enjoys Pelican Lake.

8

12. Tyler Larson and Kam & Karter Lee engaged in their own private fishing tournament.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

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Lake

Fuonnthe

2. Kathi Gallup captured the beauty of Wise Lake in Brainerd.

with our

Readers

3.

A reader shared this photo of a hazy day on North Long Lake.

8.

4.

Vivian Probasco captured this sunset on Eagle Lake in Backus.

A reader took this photo of Pelican Lake on a windy day.

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5.

Kathi Gallup captured this somber scene on Wise Lake in Brainerd.

Andy Koppy does a backflip off a Rave water trampoline on Big Trout Lake on the Whitefish Chain.

6.

Andy Koppy goes upside down while wakeboarding on the Whitefish Chain.

7.

Fall splendor on Sibley Lake, taken by Eric Utter.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

8

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1. Daniel Koppy sent this photo of son, Andy, on their trampoline on Big Trout Lake on the Whitefish Chain.

4

10. Kathi Gallup took this scenic photo of Gull Lake.

11. Vivian Probasco shared this photo of a granddaughter who caught bass on Eagle Lake in Backus.

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12. Eric Utter shared this lake sunset.

13. Fall beauty along the lake, shared by Eric Utter.

14. Eric Utter of Gull Lake took this photo of an antique wood boat.

15. Eric Utter captured this “ice heave” not during ice-out, but in December on North Long Lake.

He just happened by and crawled out on the ice to take the photo one weekday afternoon.

16. Steven L. Olson of Flying Cloud Exposures, Baxter, captured Adirondack chairs perched on a sand dune created by an ice heave in 2014 at Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake.

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

27

Submitted Photo This shows some of the July 2015 storm damage at Grand View Lodge.

Submitted Photo Madden’s on Gull Lake undertook new construction after the 2015 storm.

Large resorts not spared storm’s wrath Millions invested to improve properties

BY JENNY HOLMES

Resorts continued on page 29

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Few areas around Gull Lake were spared from the damaging winds of the July 2015 storm. Madden’s on Gull Lake was the frequent backdrop on many television newscasts, depicting twisted metal, torn off roofs and smashed vehicles.

Abbey Pieper, vice president at Madden’s, said the west shoreline of her family-owned resort suffered the most damage.

“Immediately after the storm, we began our $13 million reinvestment into the construction and rebuilding process,” Pieper said. “We managed to reopen 60 percent of our resort two weeks following the storm and have been diligently working on the remaining portions of the work to ensure we would be ready for our season opener in April (2016).”

Crews worked throughout the winter months and made great strides in providing a number of new accommodations and amenities for Madden’s guests.

“Our guests will experience more than 85 brand new accommodations that overlook beautiful Gull Lake. A brand new meeting and wedding facility has also been constructed,” Pieper said. “Forty percent of the property will consist of brand new construction, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with all of those who visit.”

Although on the northernmost end of the storm damage, Grand View Lodge in Nisswa sustained damage in three areas, lost power for 72 hours and had to repair or replace upward of 40 roofs.

“Way Beyond Real Estate” Matt Werneke

001391304r1

In addition to damage at the resort, The Pines golf course and Camp Lake Hubert were also hit hard – with a collective 3,000 trees lost.

Grand View general manager Mark Ronnei said although devastating, the experience helped make the Grand View team even stronger.

“We had chainsaws and bobcats running within 20 minutes of the storm ending,” Ronnei said. “We started calling excavation contractors on Sunday night because we knew we needed larger equipment. On Monday morning I gave two employees credit cards and told one to drive south and one to drive north and purchase six chainsaws each with extra chains and supplies.

By Monday afternoon we had 30 chainsaws, 250 employees, 35 contract employees, eight bobcats and loaders, and 25 vehicles hauling debris – all going full speed. In the first week, we put in 4,500 man hours, between contractors and employees.”

Although the repairs and reconstruction continued into the spring months, Ronnei said the resort was back up and operating at 100 percent within seven days following the storm and “all systems are go” for the 2016 summer season.

On the west shores of Gull, Cragun’s Resort was also hit hard.

“We had 650-plus guests staying the night of the storm, as well as a busy day at The Legacy Golf Course,” said Eric Peterson, general manager of both Cragun’s Resort and the Legacy Courses. “We were extremely fortunate that all of our guests and employees were safe and had no injuries as a result of the storm.

We spent the first day helping our guests check out and clearing the roads so they could safely leave the resort. The following days were spent assessing the damage and starting the cleanup process. The entire Cragun’s team worked tirelessly the next two weeks to reopen the resort and golf course.”

As for building damage, Peterson said nearly every building both at the resort and The Legacy Golf Course sustained some damage, with a majority of the damage sustained to roofs and shingles. The Legacy Golf Course had thousands of trees blown down; however, Peterson assured golfers not to worry, as there are still “more than enough” trees lining all fairways.

Cleanup and recovery continued throughout the winter and was slated to be complete in the spring, including remodeling 32 existing lodge rooms, adding a new hospitality room with three new guest rooms, a new six-bedroom cabin, and numerous other projects that will be complete for summer season.

“Our upcoming bookings are extremely strong,” Peterson said, “and we are forecasting the best summer season in recent history.”. u

Matt Werneke 612-716-5524 or matt@yourbestcatch.com www.yourbestcatch.com

PO Box 370 • Crosslake, MN 56442

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Jenny Holmes is a freelance writer who lives in Nisswa with her husband, Tim, and their two children.

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Resorts continued from page 28

After

w BY JENNY HOLMES

the storm

Submitted Photos Christopher and Gina Padrnos clean up Gull Four Seasons Resort on Gull Lake after the storm.

What has been dubbed the lakes area’s “storm of the century” did its best to knock out at least one local mom and pop resort on Gull Lake. But hard work, community support and a passion to preserve family tradition proved to be enough to successfully survive the severe windstorm.

Sunday, July 12, 2015, was a hot and sunny day - perfect for recreating on Gull Lake. Dan Padrnos, owner of Gull Four Seasons Resort on the eastern shore of Gull near Nisswa, recalls the day well. Weather reports buzzed of the chance of severe weather in the evening, while a near-full house of guests enjoyed their time at the family resort.

The summer of 2015 had, to this point, proved to be a successful one, Padrnos said, with the busiest part of the season yet to come. But that July evening delivered a devastating blow no one could have predicted.

Padrnos recalled the “feeling in the air” that Sunday that something was headed their direction. He gassed up the generators, located flashlights and began communicating with guests regarding the “what ifs” of an impending storm.

It was just after suppertime when the lights began to flicker, then abruptly went out. Five minutes later, the wind began to blow.

“It was something we’d never seen before,” Padrnos said.

All it took was 20 minutes of tornado-level

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

winds to wipe out nearly 40 years of family history.

Dan and wife Sue walked outside to complete and total devastation. Tall, towering pines with a history long past his family’s property were gone - blown onto cabins and vehicles, some snapped in half like matchsticks.

“I guess it didn’t seem overwhelming at the time,” Padrnos said. “There was just too much to do. We went cabin to cabin to make sure everyone was OK, and then we got to work pushing trees out of the way to allow for emergency vehicles if they needed to get in. We moved guests around and did what we could to meet their needs right away.”

It wasn’t until the sun came up Monday morning that the reality of the devastation set in.

“The whole thing just goes beyond words,” Padrnos said. “Your mind really can’t go there.

Our youngest son, Aaron, had talked to Sue about the damage but then came up on Monday to help.”

Choked up and fighting back tears, Padrnos continued. “He got here and said, ‘Mom never said it was this bad.’ He’s helped us pick up after storms in the past, but this was just such an overwhelming mess.”

Nearly every building on the resort property had been damaged or destroyed. Some had branches poking through the roof, while others were crushed under the weight of trees. Friends

and family quickly came to the family’s aid to help cut trees and create paths for guests’ vehicles to leave.

“We spent two solid days pulling trees off roofs, patching holes, cleaning up glass. The cleanup continued for two weeks, sun up to sun down. I owe a lot to my kids, Christopher and Scott, and my daughter, Gina. They contributed enormously and never lost hope,” Padrnos said.

Faith was also a large contributor to the Padrnoses’ persistence. Dan said their church family from St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Nisswa and other nearby parishes helped by providing meals to raking and cleaning up the property.

“We were supported by the community all the way through. It helped morally, mentally and it helped get the job done,” Padrnos said.

And in just two short weeks, Gull Four Seasons Resort reopened to guests. While not at full operating capacity, Padrnos said it was important to his family to honor and accommodate guests who had made summer vacation plans.

“July and August are two of our busiest months, so we worked hard to reopen and take care of our guests,” he said.

Nisswa remained open for business In the days, weeks and months following the storm, Nisswa Chamber president and chief

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Community support, family tradition fuel recovery

Submitted Photos Volunteers helped clean up after the July 2015 storm severely damaged Gull Four Seasons Resort.

executive officer Shawn Hansen remained a tireless cheerleader for the area - sharing, statewide, that Nisswa was still open for business.

“As a community that thrives on tourism, Nisswa is located in the heart of the Brainerd lakes area.

Prime summer travel happens in July, right when the storms hit Gull Lake in 2015,” Hansen said.

“We recognized immediately, after the storms hit, that it was critical for us to get the ‘doors opened’ as quickly as possible, to accommodate the existing guests, as well as prepare for the next week’s visitors. No one was killed, no one was seriously injured and all of our businesses were able to recover.”

The Nisswa Chamber stood alongside emergency crews and critical human services organizations, including the Salvation Army and Bridges of Hope, to expedite the delivery of services to those affected.

“Our community of residents, business owners and volunteers rallied together, along with great EMS plans within our Crow Wing County agencies,” Hansen said, “and within days, the Brainerd lakes area was open for business.”

Hansen said albeit with a few less trees and some new utility poles, the Nisswa business and resort community stands ready to greet and serve visitors in the summer of 2016.

“I am humbled from the experience and confident that, if posed with a similar situation, we

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Submitted Photo Friends, families and volunteers from their church helped the Padrnos family with storm cleanup.

would react relatively the same and we will unite as a community,” she said.

Ready for business A mild winter provided for the expedient construction and finish work of three cabins and major renovations to a condo unit at the Gull Four Seasons Resort, but Padrnos said his family would be ready for “go time” come Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s what we do. We take care of things. When something like that happens, you just take care of it. There were people who didn’t think we could get the resort going again, thought we would throw in the towel. But we didn’t. It just wasn’t an option.

We knew it was going to be a big challenge, but we accepted it,” Padrnos said. u Jenny Holmes is a freelance writer who lives in Nisswa with her husband, Tim, and their two children.

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31

LOON WATCH

Breezy Point resident blogs about loon activity on Pelican Lake bay

Kris Kristufek For many years, Breezy Point resident Kris Kristufek has shared via email with friends and family the day-to-day activities of a pair of loons - Loon E Tune and Claire D Loon - that takes up residence in a nest Kristufek puts out on Pelican Lake’s Mousseau Bay each spring.

Following is an abbreviated version of Kristufek’s blogs through the 2015 nesting season, along with a few of the hundreds of photos Kristufek took last spring and summer.

Starting this spring, Kristufek planned to stream live video of the floating loon nest.

“This is and has been a dream of mine for some time. Now it is coming to reality,” Kristufek said. “I want to watch along with anyone else that is interested what actually goes on in the loon nest. There are other loon cams, but this one will be special in that it will be in our bay!”

Log into the “Mousseau Bay Loon Cam” at http://mousseaubay-looncam.from-mn.com.

The password is “guest.”

Anyone who would like to be added to Kristufek’s loon watch emails may make that request at rodbuilder@lakeladyrods.com. Kristufek shares information and photos on a weekly basis or as something exciting happens in the nest.

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Now, take a look back at the loons’ activity in 2015: APRIL 15, 2015: They ARE back Our loons arrived early this morning, waking us up just at sunrise. What a neat sound to be awakened by! Loon E Tune and Claire D Loon are our black and white-feathered parent friends who faithfully raise at least one chick a year.

Tonight both adults are in the reeds next to our shoreline.

We went out to greet them, with a hoot and a holler to find them receptive to our calls and welcome for another season of surprises. These are our loons, for sure. Way too many years of greeting them to count, but each year is a surprise and a welcome day of exciting things to come.

APRIL 16, 2015: Nest launched - occupied!

Excitement in the neighborhood this afternoon. After a false start this morning to get the nest anchored, it did happen.

Looks pretty good and inviting! Our neighbors stopped by to take a look and explore the potential of their new digs. A lot of “cooing” was going on, then just as quickly as they arrived, off to the end of the swamp they went looking for a snack or maybe just to get away for a bit.

Update: Claire is in the nest tonight!

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APRIL 24, 2015: Getting comfortable After a chilly week in the bog, our loons have been active in the bay, and occasionally visiting their digs of the floating bog. They circle around and inspect, seemingly to give approval. Rearranging the furniture is the order of the day. Not much else is happening. It’s a bit early for active participation.

MAY 1, 2015: Will we have twins?

It’s been a busy week in the swamp! Lots of activity in the floating bog, with repeated visits from our neighbors. A pair of geese stopped by to survey the floating bog, only to have the bald-headed dude frighten them away. Then a double-crested cormorant intruded too close to the bog only to be “attacked” by both loons. It was quite a fight. The cormorant has not been back!

A quick launch of the boat on Wednesday found a deposit in the nest! Yepper, we have

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an egg!

So, count all your toes and fingers twice then add 7-10 and we should have a youngster in that many days from April 28.

On Thursday April 30, there is a second egg in the nest. So we could have twins in late May! MAY 8, 2015: Day 13 of 27 to 30 days of nesting Both loons are taking turns sitting on the two eggs in the nest, watching carefully for intruders.

Loon E seems more interested in other bay activity but he does help out. Occasionally they go down to the “sand bar”’ for a slider and a short drink, then a cooling off swim in the bay.

Mr. Blue Heron has been watching the doings with interest as has Mr. Eagle perched high above just waiting for the chance for an easy meal. Mr. Rat swims by

every evening seemingly unaware of what is going on in the floating bog.

MAY 15, 2015: Day 20 of 27-30 Both of our neighbors take turns guarding and protecting the two brown, oval treasures in the floating bog, keeping a sharp eye out for intruders. They do not enjoy being disturbed at this time, but rather are alone doing their thing.

MAY 22, 2015: Day 24 of 27-30 There are three active loon nesting sites in the bay! Ours at the west end of the bay, a wild nest on the shore near the channel to the big lake, and another artificial nest just outside the bay on the big lake. Each is occupied. The wild nest has two eggs, ours has two, not sure about the other artificial nest. Then there is a third artificial platform that appears not to be occupied.

Loon blog continued on page 42

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33

Paddling the Pine River w BY KATE PERKINS

Minnesota may be the land of 10,000 lakes, but its rivers are flying under the radar.

While speedboats, pontoons and Jet Skis roar across open lakes, rivers flow silently across the state. They cross through quiet forests, provide a home to abundant wildlife and carry kayakers and canoeists along with their slow, steady current.

Minnesota has a network of state water trails: rivers that are mapped out and dotted with shoreline campsites and public accesses.

Among those is the Pine River, which originates north of Backus, travels through the city of Pine River, the Whitefish Chain of Lakes and the city of Crosslake before making its winding way to the Mississippi River.

There are nearly 60 miles of the Pine River marked as a water trail for travel before the Pine dumps into the Mississippi­, which is also a state water trail.

“Often these are relatively quiet and not

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

used by a lot of people,” said Curt Westerman, assistant area supervisor for parks and trails at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). He added that the river doesn’t accommodate the larger boats one would find on lakes.

This means the river is quiet, and it feels very wild, as there are few houses on its banks. Much of the river is surrounded by state­-managed or Potlatch lands.

The DNR provides free maps for each of its water trails, which can be picked up at DNR offices, viewed online or requested for delivery by mail. The maps show campsites, many of them reachable only from the river; chart mileage; show obstructions and portages; and identify any rapids, as well as list the class of rapid.

Rapids are categorized into classes ranging from Class I to Class VI. Class I is easily navigated, while Class VI is the most danger-

ous. The Pine River, though, has only Class I and II rapids at most water levels. Those classes are easily navigated.

Jim Bergquist owns Wind, Water and Wheels and Crow Wing Kayaks, two businesses based out of Crosslake. Wind, Water and Wheels rents kayaks for day trips and offers shuttle service. Bergquist agreed that just about anyone can handle the Pine River.

“It’s good for everybody, from little kids to experienced paddlers,” Bergquist said.

Throughout the summer he and his staff frequently shuttle groups of paddlers who spend a few hours or the whole day exploring the river. Wind, Water and Wheels offers more than 15 options for river trips, but Bergquist’s favorite place to paddle is from just below the dam in the city of Pine River to County Road 15, just before the river enters the Whitefish Chain on the chain’s northwest corner. It’s a roughly eight mile trip.

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WANT TO PADDLE THE RIVER? w Find DNR resources, including maps and river level reports, at http://www.dnr.state. mn.us/watertrails/pineriver. w Rent kayaks for a shuttled trip on the Pine River from Wind, Water and Wheels in Crosslake: http://www.windwaterandwheels.com or 218-­692-­1200.

Photo by Kate Perkins A group of Kayakers enters the Pine River at the Rock Dam on Pine Lake.

“It’s a lot more narrow and not so open,” Bergquist said of that area, adding that it’s a little faster moving than other portions of the river.

Westerman, on the other hand, recommends the lower portion of the Pine River. He suggests starting at the Rock Dam, which is southeast of Crosslake on Pine Lake. Then, paddle the river down to the Harvey Drake Landing, which is about one mile from where the Pine River enters the Mississippi.

Westerman said that depending on the flow of the river, paddlers can generally expect to maintain a speed of three miles an hour. From the Rock Dam to Harvey Drake Landing, then, would be about a five­-hour trip, perfect for bringing along a picnic.

Multi­ day trips are also an option. The campsites that are along the Pine River are free to use. They are primitive sites, though, often with only a few amenities: a fire ring,

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w Join the Crow Wing Paddlers club to join in on monthly paddles on area rivers and lakes by searching “Crow Wing Paddlers” on Facebook, or join the email list and learn more by calling 218-­692-­1200. ­ w Learn about all of Minnesota’s water trails at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails.

picnic table and a wilderness latrine.

The sites are non-­reservable, but also not frequently used. Westerman added that camping is allowed on any DNR forestry land along the banks of the river. Campers just need to be sure they’re not on private land.

River travel comes with the benefit of advantageous wildlife viewing. Because the Pine River is generally narrow, Westerman said, paddlers are never far from shore. Travel in canoes and kayaks is nearly silent, too, so paddlers are less likely to scare animals away before seeing them.

“We’ve seen deer, otter, beavers, muskrats, eagles and pelicans,” Bergquist said of his many trips down the river. “There’s no end to the wildlife.”

River flow and depth can be an issue when paddling the river. Though rare, high water can be dangerous to paddlers. Low water is a more common problem, especially late in the

summer, and causes paddlers to carry their canoes and kayaks through shallow areas.

Paddlers can check water flow and depth on the DNR water trails website before they hit the river.

The scenery of the river is varied. Some areas are open and marshy, while other areas are narrow and heavily wooded. And while the scenery is beautiful, and the wildlife sightings exciting, Bergquist thinks there’s one main reason that people enjoy the Pine River.

“I think it’s the solitude,” he said. “You’re going where there aren’t a lot of people, and getting away from the heavily used areas.”

From the seats in their canoes and kayaks, paddlers like Bergquist take to the Pine to enjoy the sunshine, the woods and the quiet, steady flow of the river. u Kate Perkins is a freelance writer who lives in Crosslake.

She is a former Echo Publishing staff writer.

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35

Photo by Bryce Johnson Bryce Johnson is pictured in a self portrait taken with a GoPro.

KITING’S POPULARITY

ON THE

RISE w BY DAN DETERMAN

Minnesota lake-goers, particularly those visiting larger lakes like Mille Lacs, may have noticed a new activity take to the water in the past decade.

Kiteboarding - commonly referred to as kiting - is a board-based water sport that sees participants harness wind power to move. It can take place both in the summer and winter months. The sport’s origins go back as far as the 1970s, but its popularity has spiked in recent years, especially in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

“In the last few years, especially in Minnesota in the winter, it has gotten a lot more accessible in terms of kites being a lot better and everything being a lot safer than

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

it used to be,” said Bryce Johnson of Crosslake, a kiteboarding enthusiast. “We have a lot of lakes in Minnesota so there are a lot of places to try it.” “(Kiting) is constantly growing,” said Katie Egle, avid kiter and coordinator of the Mille Lacs Kite Crossing. “Almost once a month, someone is on the local news somewhere kiting. I have seen commercials for Caribbean vacations and things like that that have someone kitesurfing (oceanic kiting) in the background. I have been told that Minnesota has the largest snowkiting population in the U.S.” Equipment needed for kiting includes a kite – which has more in common with an

inflatable parachute or paraglider than a standard diamond-shaped kite – a harness and a kiteboard, which resembles a flatter wakeboard.

In the winter season, a snowboard or downhill skis may be used as an alternative to a kiteboard. Other suggested equipment includes a wetsuit, helmet and impact vest.

For safety’s sake, kiters should make sure they have a clear “safety zone” of at least 150 feet downwind, as kiting will pull you in that direction.

Kiting can be viewed as a low-impact alternative to other water sports. Health and Fitness says the average person can burn roughly 750 calories by kiting for one

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Photo by Bryce Johnson With a camera mounted on his kite lines, Bryce Johnson captured the wide open expanse of Mille Lacs in the winter, a popular area for kiteboarders.

hour, and eliminating the need to be pulled by a boat can greatly reduce pain in arms and shoulders.

“I was intrigued to try wakeboarding, and when I tried it I could only go for five minutes at a time before my arms start to hurt,” Egle said. “With kiting, you are hooked to a harness and the bar pressure is little to none. You can kiteboard off the power of the wind all day long if you want - I have done it before. That makes it so much more enjoyable than sitting on a boat with the fumes, waiting your turn to get slammed into the water with each crash.”

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A primary attraction of kiting is an action known as “controlled flying,” which allows a kiter to achieve lift off of the water or ice by flying the kite overhead and creating tension in the line. This allows experienced kiters to perform tricks.

Johnson, who has been an avid kiteboarder for more than a decade, recalls feeling a sensation as if he were in a lowgravity area when he first began kiting.

Kiting continued on page 38 Photo by Kate Perkins Bottom right: Todd Hanson, pulled by a huge kite, glides across a frozen lake on his snowboard.

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

37

Photo by Kate Perkins Bryce Johnson is pictured mid-jump while kiteskiing on Mille Lacs in the winter.

Photo by Bryce Johnson Kate Perkins is pictured kiteboarding during an early summer session. Kiters use large kites, harnessed to their waists, to propel them across the water, along with a board similar to a wake board but designed specifically for kiting.

Kiting continued from page 37

“You really get a feeling of weightlessness as you are coming down,” Johnson said.

“You are not coming down at the regular speed of gravity, and you really feel like there is a parachute above you, which I guess there kind of is.”

While beginners can learn in either the winter or summer seasons, Johnson feels as though rookie kiters will have an easier time when waves are not a concern.

“All of the kite skills and technique will transfer between summer and winter pretty well,” Johnson said. “Winter tends to be a whole lot easier because you don’t have to worry about being in the water and things like that.”

There are, h o w e v e r, dangers to k i t i n g .

Kiteboarders are encouraged to participate with a friend, as injury can occur when a kiter is dragged, blown off course or collides with a hard object.

Mille Lacs and other large lakes are ideal for kiting as the wind off the lakes allows for

greater lift. With its fairly consistent winds, Mille Lacs, with a surface area of more than 200 square miles, is viewed as one of the best areas for kiting in the state.

“The wind gets cleaner as it goes across an open area,” Johnson said. “In Minnesota, the biggest open areas are the lakes, so if you get the wind going across Mille Lacs or Pelican (Lake), it is pretty strong.”

Not only has the sport become significantly more popular on Mille Lacs Lake, but the lake now hosts one of the largest kiting events in the nation in the form of the annual Mille Lacs Kite Crossing, which celebrated its 12th year March 4-6, 2016.

Egle began helping with the Mille Lacs Kite Crossing eight years ago, and took over as event coordinator three years ago, with participation numbers increasing steadily each year.

The event started simply as a race across the lake - from Garrison to Malmo Bay. Now with the three-day Crossing, the

“…once you learn it, you can do it forever…”

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roughly 20-mile race is just a small portion of a weekend that allows like-minded kiters from all over the Midwest to gather and socialize.

“There is a lot of good energy,” Egle said.

“Everyone is having fun. You have a lot of kids running around and we have live music playing. A couple of Minneapolis breweries come up and bring samples for everyone.”

Moving forward, Egle hopes to see the Crossing continue to grow and attract kiters from across the nation. She also expects to see many of the same faces for years to come, as the sport is easy enough to learn and is possible for a wide age range, from children and young adults to seniors.

“It’s like riding a bike,” Egle said. “Some people catch on right away and others may take a while, but once you learn it, you can do it forever … People look at it as an extreme sport, but anyone can do it. You can go out on a light-wind day and just kind of putz around and still have fun.” u Dan Determan is a staff writer for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal. Contact him at dan.determan@pineandlakes. com. Follow him at facebook.com/PEJDan and on Twitter @PEJ_Dan.

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Eagle

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Duck

1

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102

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133

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23

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169

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18

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440th Ave

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8

6

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51

18 Turtle Round

18 Scott

South Long Lake

25

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22

Mille Lacs Lake

Mille Lacs Lake

8

18

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2

445th Ave

2

250th St

38

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220th St

25

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21

220th St

Pomroy Lake

3 Knife Lake

39

47

20

18

27

169

230th St

15

20

19

8 Ann Lake

47

210th St

65

169 34

2

310th Ave

47

Ave

10

18

Lake Rd

Wahkon

435th

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280th Ave

27

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10

27

8

25

240th Ln

18

18 240th St

47

6

37 32

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16

30

24

169

18

Allen Rd

18

70

Garrison

Monroe St

12

47

35

11

Central St

310th Ave

6

5

23

11

Broadway St

22

Ogilvie

18

65

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18

190th St

169

26

26

25 30

180th

58

295th Ave

5 10 15 20

26

26

47 170th St

80

35

170th St

310th Ave

38

35 Linden St

18

160th St 300th Pl

5 169

40th Ave

138

132 475th St

138

150th St

470th St

132 18

5 10

460th St

465th St

47

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15 5

20

169

5

25 25 20 15 10

30th Ave

25

5

440th St

Location: Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing County, MN

47

169

Shoreline: 76 miles with more than 70% developed

25 20 15

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30

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27

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126

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27

26

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360th St

360th St

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Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural 25 Resources and Wikipedia

156 25

25

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350th St

22 22

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27

Wahkon

128

Fish: Walleye, northern pike, muskie, jumbo perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, burbot, and tullibee

280th Ave

47

5 169

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141

5

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141

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Water Quality: Mesotrophic - clear water with some submerged aquatic plants, medium levels of nutrients

Historic Fact: Archaeologists indicate that it is one of the earliest known sites of human settlement in the state of Minnesota. In Ojibwe, the lake is known as Misi-zaaga’igan...

30 25 20 15 10

5

30th Ave

Deepest Point: 42 feet

35 30 25 20 15 10 5

25

55th Ave

Area: 132,516 acres

30th Ave

22

v

40th Ave

144

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Timber Trail Rd

44

Tame Fish Lake Rd Sugar Lake

Rice

144

Russell

Birch

10 Partridge

8

18

27

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Clear Lake

11

Tame Fish

Bay Lake

Clearwater 124

Mud

159

47

12

440th Ave

210 25

Rabbit Lake

28 Farm Island Lake

14 Eagle

Brainerd

4 27

Lone Lake

6 102

142

Long Lake

Portage

Lookout

Rice Lake

Section Twelve Lake Elm Island Lake

Wolf

Horseshoe

4

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60th Ave

Crystal

13

Cedar Lake

Deerwood

Serpent Lake

Dam Lake

Sissabagamah Lake

111

210

Stevens Rd

3

Agate

Crosby

Aitkin

30

Carlson

31

Menomin

Black Bear

19

East Rabbit

West Rabbit

30

Miller

65

11

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116

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109

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36

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36

103

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3

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10

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360th Ave

16

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Waukenabo Lake Round Lake

29

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106

360th Ave

r Whitefish

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Little Pine

Esquagamah Lake

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385th Ave

Fifty Lakes

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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27

Brainerd Dispatch File Photo This giant walleye greets visitors to Garrison on Mille Lacs Lake.

Brainerd Dispatch File Photo Releasing walleye back into the waters of Mille Lacs Lake.

Fishing for Mille Lacs walleye

Anglers must release all walleye, but can use real bait

BY MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Seeking to protect the fish needed to rebuild Mille Lacs Lake’s walleye population, anglers are being required to immediately release all walleye caught.

“A catch-and-release walleye season allows us to protect future spawners yet acknowledges the desire that fishing remain open,” said Don Pereira, fisheries chief for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Not allowing harvest is a difficult decision but it provides our best option.”

From May 14 to Dec. 1, anglers targeting walleye must immediately release all walleye caught. Pereira said an initial decision to include a live-bait ban for Mille Lacs regulations - which was later reversed - reflected the desire of anglers and area businesses to keep walleye fishing open as long as possible.

Removing the live bait restriction did not pose any conservation risk because the state’s walleye allotment of 28,600 pounds established by the DNR and eight Chippewa bands remains in place. A federal court decision requires that walleye fishing on

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Mille Lacs be suspended if anglers exceed the limit.

Anglers and Mille Lacs Advisory Committee members said live bait is an important part of the Mille Lacs fishing experience.

Concerns about the live-bait ban were expressed locally around the Mille Lacs community as well as from members of the public visiting the Northwest Sports Show in the spring.

DNR staff learned that it would be difficult for some anglers to adapt to using only artificial bait, and it could particularly discourage young anglers. Bobber fishing with live bait has a long tradition on the lake.

Other changed regulations for the 2016 season on Mille Lacs include: • Walleye: Night closure beginning Monday, May 16, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and continuing through Dec. 1.

Muskellunge anglers may fish at night but all baits, live or artificial, in possession must be at least 8 inches long.

• Northern pike: Five fish with only one longer than 40 inches. All northern 30-40 inches long must be immediately released.

• Bass: Four fish with only one longer than 21 inches. All fish 17-21 inches long must be immediately released.

“These new regulations reflect the DNR’s commitment to continue providing worldclass fishing at one of Minnesota’s premier vacation destinations,” Pereira said.

Last year on Mille Lacs, walleye anglers could use live bait and keep one walleye 19-21 inches long or longer than 28 inches.

Walleye fishing closed in August when fishing pressure, the number of fish caught and temperatures combined to push the state over its 28,600-pound walleye limit. Fishing re-opened Dec. 1, 2015, with a walleye limit of one 18-20 inches or one longer than 28 inches.

“The possibility of closing Mille Lacs to walleye fishing is greater this year than it was Walleye fishing continued on page 41

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last,” Pereira said. “Even with our catch-andrelease approach, the risk remains considerable.”

Concern stems from the additional pressure that hooking mortality – an estimate of the number of fish that die after being caught and returned to the water – has on walleye harvest. Hooking mortality rates also increase as water temperatures warm. Both factors were at play in Mille Lacs this year.

The DNR expects more small- and intermediate-sized fish to be caught, including fish hatched in 2013 that biologists are counting on to rebuild Mille Lacs’ walleye population. These immature fish, which are approaching a more catchable but comparatively small size of 14 inches and longer, need to be protected so they can spawn. Ice opened on lakes earlier this year, increasing the likelihood that water temperatures warmed faster and sooner.

“A low level of allowed harvest doesn’t necessarily mean slow walleye fishing,” Pereira said. “As we saw last year, factors can combine to alter estimates and require adjustments. We believe that allowing no walleye harvest through catch-and-release is a reasonable yet cautious response based on in-depth analysis and citizen input from the Mille Lacs Advisory Committee.”

As part of a more comprehensive study to better understand and estimate hooking mortality, the DNR will collect a variety of fishing information on Mille Lacs this summer. Temperature sensors will be placed in different parts of the lake at different depths to more accurately record temperatures where walleye congregate. Information on fishing methods and catches will be collected, too.

Bass regulations compromise Anglers can keep four bass in any combination of largemouth and smallmouth, down from last year’s limit of six fish. The new regulations add a requirement that all fish 17-21 inches be immediately released, and the length restriction for the largest fish an angler may keep increased from 18 to 21 inches.

The early harvest offered on Mille Lacs also was eliminated, requiring that – like the rest of the state – all bass caught during the first two weeks of the season be immediately released.

Mille Lacs’ exemption to the statewide fall closure of the smallmouth bass season remains, meaning that anglers may keep smallmouth bass they catch on Mille Lacs through Feb. 28, 2017.

DNR changed the regulation to balance bass angling groups’ call for stricter regulations to protect Mille Lacs Lake’s world-class smallmouth fishery with the desire and need

to provide anglers opportunities to harvest fish.

“Bass regulations are a compromise,” Pereira said. “Last year’s regulations were biologically sound but it was important that DNR also factor in the emerging social aspects in this year’s regulations.”

The ability to exempt large bass tournaments from the size regulation and bag limits remains.

Northern pike regulations change Mille Lacs anglers can keep five northern pike, only one of which can be longer than

More information about Mille Lacs is available on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/millelacslake.

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40 inches. All fish 30-40 inches must be immediately released.

The five-fish limit was initially enacted last December. The protected slot limit replaces the provision that allowed anglers to keep only one fish longer than 30 inches.

The earn-a-trophy provision that required anglers to harvest two smaller pike before one larger one was eliminated for the 2016 open water season. u

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Walleye fishing continued from page 40

34420 County Road 3 · Crosslake NorthlandPetLodge.com info@NorthlandPetLodge.com 2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

41

MAY 29, 2015: Day 34 We were certain that we’d be able to report on the increase of our new neighbors over the Memorial Day weekend. Not to be. Our pair is still paying close attention to the details at hand on the floating bog. BUT, there is only one egg now. What happened to the other? It’s a mystery.

JUNE 2, 2015: Day 37 Sad day. Our nest is empty. Our neighbors abandoned the floating bog about noon Monday (yesterday) without hatching the remaining egg. At least the remaining egg is not in the nest either. Nor are the adult loons visible on the swamp. They have gone elsewhere. The weather, wind, over 6 inches of rain and maybe a prowler late at night was more than they could manage.

Late Sunday evening, one of the adults laid very low in the nest. We had not observed this behavior prior. Nothing was lurking that we could see.

Then yesterday morning I observed a changing of the guard. Both adults were in the nest, seemingly talking things over. One continued to re-arrange the straw and grasses, then it left the nest. The other seemed to “roll” the treasure around just a bit with its long beak, and then did the protective sitting maneuver as we have often observed. Then about noon, gone.

I launched the boat to take a look. The nest has been abandoned. No egg shell remnants observed as has been the case in years past.

Just an empty nest. There is a perfect indention in the used furniture.

This morning both adults are swimming several hundred yards away from the floating bog. I spent several minutes glassing the bay, looking for a little one … nothing. Think our neighbors are in mourning too.

JUNE 5, 2015: Day 41 Still have not figured out why our neighbors abandoned the floating bog without leaving a trace. They have been back several times, have gotten into the nest as if looking for something left behind, then quickly depart again. They both were in the nest again yesterday just for a minute or two. There is a possibility that they will attempt to nest again; however, time is short to get all of this done and the young ones ready to migrate later this fall.

The wild nest down the shoreline still has two unhatched eggs. The adult pair was nowhere to be seen while I took several pictures yesterday.

Then out to the big lake to check out the other artificial nest, and what a find! Two-day-old chicks being fed by the adults about 300 yards off shore. It was fun watching them for a few minutes, protecting their new offspring.

JUNE 12, 2015: Interesting week Our loon neighbors have been in and out of the floating bog numerous times, again rearranging the digs to their liking. We believe they have mated again and are preparing to lay another oval orb. Time is very short for not only a successful hatch, should the egg be laid, but to get the little one(s) able to migrate before freeze-up.

The other platform nest in the big lake that has produced two young chicks is the focus for our lake! The little ones, now a week or 10 days old, are diving for their own dinner! The parents are not far away and display a dislike for any intrusion into the classroom teachings going on.

Yesterday I observed two adult pairs swimming and feeding in the big lake outside our bay. Certainly one of those pairs is Claire D Loon and Loon E Tune, our neighbors.

JUNE 14, 2015: Excitement in the swamp There is renewed excitement in the floating bog! Another egg was observed today and is being taken care of by our new neighbors!

We noticed increased activity by the pair last Sunday, a week ago, when both were in the nest for a mating session in the early evening.

During the week, they have come and gone multiple times, indicating there was something happening.

So, we should have a hatch on or about the weekend of July 10-13. The “no vacancy” sign is up in the floating digs. It will be a tough four weeks of incubation, as warmer weather, storms and a big holiday weekend with a lot of boat traffic and noise could be disruptive. Then the little one will have to eat a lot to get big and strong before cold weather and ice set in, trapping anything that must migrate out of here.

JUNE 19, 2015: Quiet on the bay Both adults are paying close attention to the brown/olive green oval in the floating bog.

Much better attention this time vs. the earlier attempt. Have not heard Loon E Toon for several days now; wonder if he is out of the picture! Maybe we have a new Claire D Loon watching over the digs too. Both of the adults are taking turns managing the details at hand, sometimes at the same time in the nest.

JUNE 26, 2015: Day 13, a second time Our loon neighbors continue to pay close attention to the oval orb in the floating bog.

They are about halfway through the incubation period with an anticipated hatch date of July 10-12, 2105. Apparently the learning curve is sharp as they are not leaving the nest other than to catch a snack in the bay, then right back to business.

Loon blog continued on page 43

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Loon blog continued from page 33

Loon blog continued from page 42

JULY 7, 2015: Day 24 Today I got a surprise. There are two eggs in the floating bog! Then even a bigger surprise when I was able to watch Claire D Loon climb back into the nest and rearrange the brown ovals! This is a treat I have been waiting for for years to observe up close. It happens fast and it is over. So, If my count is accurate, we should have a hatch this weekend. The weather forecast is good, so maybe we’ll have a pair of twins to report very soon.

JULY 9, 2015: Welcome, our new neighbor We have had a hatch and welcome a new neighbor! At least one of the two eggs in the floating bog has hatched on Day 26 of the second try this year. Not sure about the other egg, but Claire is paying attention to it right now.

The little guy within minutes of the hatch was in the water swimming among the lily pads within the watchful red eye of Claire. The little one even tried to climb on a lily pad to rest. She lifted her left wing and the little guy climbed aboard for a rest. They stayed close to the bog for maybe 15-20 minutes, then Claire climbed back into the bog to take care of egg No. 2 where she is now some 2 hours later.

Not sure where the little guy is right now.

JULY 13, 2015: Another sad day Well, they tried to please us; tried twice they did, our new neighbors, to hatch loon chicks.

But we have a failure. I did get to see one little one take to the water last Thursday, but it disappeared soon after. Then on Friday the second egg was just the remains in the nest, but no chick was sighted. The adult pair stayed close to each other in the bay. There was some calling - think it was a sad, mourning call.

Our area is too far north to have a successful second hatch before freeze-up. It is a rare occasion when success occurs. Mother Nature has a way of taking care of these things. u

?

Did you know

Loon facts w There are five species of loons. The “common loon” is the only species that nests in the lower 48 states. w Loons arrive in our northern lakes as soon as the ice is out. w Small shallow ponds are attractive nesting sites, generally between 12and 125-acre ponds. w Loons are often referred to as “feathered fish,” as they spend as much time underwater as they do above the water. They touch land only at birth, during mating and while nesting. w Loons mate for life, but will switch mates if a previous mate does not return in the spring or is displaced by a rival bachelor loon during the breeding season (spring). w One or two eggs, rarely three, are laid one to three days apart and are incubated by both parents for 26-30 days. w Adult loons have four basic calls: wail, tremolo, yodel and hoot. Each has a different meaning.

w MINNESOTA’S Total Area Covered by Lakes and Rivers (deep water) is 2,560,299 acres

w Unlike other marine birds, loons have dense bones, which permit them to dive to depths of 200 feet and remain submerged for 5 to 10 minutes.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

w The red eye is caused by a pigment in the retina that filters light when loons dive beneath the water’s surface and allows for sight. They are great fisherman.

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w Baby loons reach adulthood and acquire their full black-white plumage at about 3 years of age, but they will not start nesting until they are 5 years old. w Loons will not return to their birth lakes until they are 26 months old or older and might not breed until they are 6 or 7 years old. w Adult loons migrate to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean to over-winter in October and November.

The young will follow on their own, often just before ice forms on the lake. w Baby chicks are covered in brownblack down and occasionally will appear riding on a parent’s back during the first three weeks of life to rest, conserve heat and to avoid predators. w Common predators of loon eggs are raccoons, otter, mink, gulls, crows, ravens and eagles.

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w Loon chicks are often eaten by eagles, snapping turtles, northern pike and occasionally by muskie. w After their first day of life, the chicks do not ever return to the nest.

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

43

FEATURE

Submitted Photos The Costas installed a retaining wall and rain garden in 2013. The Costas installed coir logs and native plants in 2014 to prevent shoreline erosion.

Shoreland restoration projects WAPOA offers financial support

BY WHITEFISH AREA PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION Each year in June, lakeshore property owners interested in learning about the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association’s Shoreland Restoration Contest attend an open house at Moonlite Bay Restaurant in Crosslake, where they receive information about how to apply for monetary support and get ideas and expert advice on how to improve their shorelines.

WAPOA encourages property owners to restore their shorelines when needed to protect water quality by offering to provide financial support and expert advice. Projects eligible for support include actions to prevent erosion and storm water runoff into the lake by creating rain gardens, vegetation buffer strips at the shoreline, and swales or basins on property to catch and absorb storm water.

Contest funding comes from grants from the Soil and Water Conservation District and Department of Natural Resources to WAPOA, from donations to WAPOA that are earmarked for the contest, and from WAPOA dollars.

After the open house, property owners who are interested in applying for WAPOA fund-

44 

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

ing to complete a shoreland restoration project are invited to describe their project at a project review session later in June. Each contestant has 30 minutes to present their project to experts from the DNR, WAPOA and other professional gardeners and water quality researchers.

Contestants describe what they want to do to improve or restore their shoreline. The experts ask each contestant questions regarding the project plan and goals, and they review sketches and/or professionally provided landscaping plans, discuss the anticipated project costs and provide guidance.

The experts then become judges. They review each application for feasibility, environmental need, long-term maintenance plans, budget and timeline necessary to complete the project and the overall effectiveness. Then they award funding.

Each winning contestant receives funding to assist in completing the shoreland restoration project. The total amount awarded to applicants ranges from $10,000 to $15,000 annually. If requested, some contest winners

also receive a day of free labor from the Minnesota Conservation Corps to complete their project.

Applicants with large projects that cannot be completed in one year because of cost or resources are encouraged to break the projects into smaller pieces, and to finish them over a few years.

An example of this approach is the restoration project undertaken by Julie and Charles Costa on Lake Ossawinnamakee. The Costas broke their bigger project into four sections. Separate sections of their shoreline were restored with support from a Soil and Water Conservation District grant in 2012, and two more sections under WAPOA funding in 2013 and 2014.

The Costas inherited their lake property, built in 1959, and had always had issues with runoff from the roof and had trouble growing grass on the sloping landscape.

After considering selling the property a few years ago - and after much objection by their children (and grandchildren), who love the lake - they decided to keep the property and Shoreland continued on page 46

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55

Lake Wabedo

371

Lake George

3

47 8

54

66

87

160

48

Lake Ada

Blind

48

Hattie

Pistol

43

Clough

30 30 20 20

60 60

1

134

1

Big Trout

17 17

Lower Whitefish

16

Bertha

16

Clamshell Grass

Kimball

Clear Lake

130 130 135 135

Lower Whitefish

15 15

39

Cross Lake

16

Pequot Lakes

Sibley

Pine

3

Lizard

Adney

ne Riv er

Goggle

11

Pi

Perry r ive

R ne

CROW WING STATE FOREST

Horseshoe

103

10 10

4

15 15 30 30 40 40 46 46

23 23

80 80

50 50

10 10

10 10

77

39

50 50

29 29

15 15

10 10

40 40

50 50

88 88

r

ive

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16

40 40

60 60

50 50

24 24

10 10

g

21 21

69 69

ip p

20 20

iR i

Fish Trap Lake

11 11

50 50

30 30

50 50

Shamineau Lake

24 24

30 30

10 10

55 55

10 20 20

ok ro

139 Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and whitefish.org

le F 40 40

60 60

86 86

70 70

alls

25

40 40

10 10

10 10

16

50 50

50 50

Randall

t To Lit

Cushing

60 60

15 15

10 10

10 10

210

15 15

70 70

46 46

Gu

40 40

80 80

20 20

60 60

56 56

Motley

210

66 66

10 10

60 60

20 20

10 10

90 90 70 70

103 103

100 100

90 90

Pelican Lake

Roge

U

114

Greer

Pi

11

36

36

40 40

90 90

20 20

70 70 80 80

10 10

90 90

77 10 10

100 100

168

60 60

O'Brien

36

103 Fawn

Ossawinnaamakee

Breezy Point

Island Dolney

3

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6

Location: Crosslake, Manhattan Fool 109 371 East Twin Upper Mayo Beach, Ideal Township, Jenkins Little Pelican Bass 109 llen Upper Mission CuMiddle Township, Northern Crow Wing11 11 West Twin Lougee 107 Edna Lower 19 Markee County 107 Lower Mission Perch East 118 West 116 acres Rabbit 29 Upper Gull Rabbit Area: 13,660 Nisswa 30 Nisswa C Garden Miller Roy Lake Deepest Point: 138 feet, Whitefish Clark Lake Edward 31 Menomin Shore Agate Lake. About half of the 77 Black Bear lake is less 13 19 13 Crosby Mollie Margaret than 30 feet in depth and more 371 Hubert 137 Bass Fawn 3 4 Gladstone Serpent Lake Black than 1/3rd is 15 feet or less in Gull Lake 3 Hoof 128 77 Crystal 115 127 Little Hubert Campbell 12 Riverton depth.

Ironton 28 Merrifield 1 Round Lake 127 Defining Characteristics: The chain 12 Sorenson 210 115 Po of lakes includes Arrowhead, Lookout 102 15 119 8 25 North Long Lake Rock Bertha, Big Trout, Clamshell, Wolf 126 Cross, Daggett, Island, Little Hartley Horseshoe 125 Wise Pine, Loon, Upper Hay, Lower 102 77 Eagle Wilson Bay 146 49 Hay, Lower 210 Whitefish, Middle Clearwater PILLSBURY Gilbert Mud 25 142 STATE and Upper159 77 RiceWhitefish, Pig, Rush, 77 Mud 20 FOREST Red Sand Nokay Sylvan Whitefish.

Cr 371 Twin Island Whipple Pillager 18 159 - clear 8 WaterBrainerd quality: Mesotrophic White Sand Portage water with occasional 18 algal 1 Baxter 210 Grave Ric 23 blooms in late summer.

48 36 48 144 Number of aquatic plant24 species: Pillager 123 45 species 8 5 ay ssw Russellwalleye, Hardy South Long bass, Lake Fish: panfish, northern pre x E n 25 a pike, perch, lake whitefish, ny Bu 21 ul tullibee.

371 Pa 144 22 CAMP RIPLEY 22 44 CROW WING NATIONAL GUARD Historic Fact: In 1836, Congress STATE PARK 8 RESERVATION v r appropriated funds to start the ive iR ipp s s 121 ssi Pine River Dam, which was Mi Upper er Nokasippi Riv 23 131 131 Crow Wing completed by 1886.

Back then Whitefish 2 Mud 2 the sole industry was logging, the Round 121 ver Lake Alexander chain of lakes were connected in 2 kas No 21 5 order to move the logs from place g Sebre Da ett B Logging continued from to place.

Fort Ripley the early 1870s until 1912.

Loon

23 23

130 130

Upper Loon

1

66

Crosslake

Duck

17

17

Pickeral

Star

103

20 20

Upper Hay 16

112

50 50

Emily

Goodrich

tt gge Da

Rush

Ideal Corners

Lower Hay

145 112

10

1

Mary

1 Sand

Little Pine

Mud Lake

15

371

Jenkins

64

Ruth

Emily

Ox

Upper Whitefish

15

134

Butterfield

Manhattan Beach

Arrowhead

Pine River

6

Fifty Lakes

Swanburg

84

1

20 20 50 50 70 70 90 90 100 100 110 110 130 90 90 130 120 120

Anna

West Fox

11

20 20

Blue Eagle

371

10 10

Squaw

Kego

54

2

Staples

Papoose

Mitchell

56

Eagle

Norway

Lawrence

VITAL STATISTICS

Horseshoe

Mildred

64

Outing Roosevelt

136

Jail Lake 56

Lizzie

84

371

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

36

WHITEFISH

Lind Lake

Backus

Washburn Lake

49

87

Pine Mountain

103

87

Crosslake

84

64

47

145

10 10

27

39

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES 

45

Shoreland continued from page 44

do whatever they could to protect the lake and their shoreline.

They added gutters to the house, contacted Soil and Water and Lakeside Landscaping for help, and got started with their projects, doing a little more each year.

The grants helped them add two rain gardens and native plants along the shoreline in 2012; a retaining wall and a native plants rain garden to slow down storm water as it ran down a slope to the lake in 2013; and coir logs (made of coconut husks) and plants on a third, adjacent section of their shore in 2014.

They also received funding in 2015 to add more coir logs and native plants along another section of adjacent shoreline.

All contest winners sign a maintenance contract to be sure they maintain the restored property.

Julie Costa said there are some annual maintenance tasks, like weeding, grass removal and replanting a few plants each year, but the results are effective, beautiful and require less mowing, which means more free time at the lake.

The Costas continue to get advice from WAPOA and other experts, like the DNR and Bonnie Hiniker of Sunshine Gardens, on how

Submitted Photo Julie and Charles Costa at the 2014 WAPOA Shoreland Restoration Contest open house.

to best maintain the restored property. Julie sometimes sends Hiniker a picture of a plant to determine if it is a weed or was planted during the restoration.

The Costas are an example of responsible property owners who have taken advantage of programs from Soil and Water and WAPOA to take action to prevent runoff and

erosion, protect water quality, and provide an opportunity for their grandchildren to enjoy the lake for many years.

Their shoreline improvements set an example for their neighbors and other lakeshore owners to follow when evaluating their lakeshore, the impact it has on water quality, and how to fix any problems. u

Restore Your Shore - Add a Buffer Zone

Homes

Add a vegetation strip of native trees, shrubs, and grasses at the water’s edge to slow down storm water run-off, allowing it to infiltrate the soil, and preventing it from running into the lake.

Recreation

Vehicles

Loans

Photo copied from MN DNR Website

BENEFITS OF A BUFFER ZONE

• Provide underwater cover for fish, amphibians, birds, insects,

14521 Edgewood Drive Baxter, MN 218.822.4480

and other organisms; provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife

• Enjoy abundant nature: flowers, shrubs, trees, aquatic plants,

35197 County Road 3 Crosslake, MN 218.692.4472

fish, insects, birds

• Filter out pollutants and runoff that degrade water quality • Prevent shoreline erosion by absorbing wave action • More leisure time to relax and enjoy life at the lake!

Kirk Larson

JP Elsenpeter

Troy Friberg

600 Minnesota Ave Walker, MN 218.547.1160

www.fnbwalker.com

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

001390841r1

620 Washburn Ave E Backus, MN 218.947.3111 001384817r1

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Wendy Flategraff

30886 2nd Street Pequot Lakes, MN 218.568.4473

Wonder if your shoreland needs improvements?

Go to http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/restoreyourshore/index.html for tools to evaluate the shoreland and habitat on your shoreland.

46

Cami Haberman

001383771r1

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

47

Submitted Photo Nancy Adams, Nate Schilling and Tom Adams snowshoe at the Mayo Lake Nature Preserve.

FEATURE

Photo by Nancy Vogt Tom Adams and Kay Triden take a break from snowshoeing at a spot overlooking Mayo Lake.

Submitted Photo Wildlife at work at the Mayo Lake Nature Preserve.

A peaceful, natural setting

Mayo Lake Nature Preserve has year-round opportunities

BY NANCY VOGT In less than five minutes, travelers can leave busy Highway 371 just south of Pequot Lakes and find themselves secluded in a peaceful, natural setting.

Mayo Lake Nature Preserve is a relatively new offering on the south side of Mayo Lake. The preserve consists of 67 acres of land in both Crow Wing (11.3 acres) and Cass (55.6 acres) counties.

The city of Pequot Lakes acquired the land a few years ago, and at that point because of a land use covenant determined the preserve would become a non-motorized outdoor recreation area with no structures being built. Plans are to keep the land in a rustic, park-like condition.

Then-Pequot Lakes mayor Nancy Adams was among those who led the efforts to secure the land. She and her husband, Tom, frequently use the park, including for snowshoeing in the winter.

Their friends and East Twin Lake neighbors, Nate Schilling and Kay Triden of Shorewood, also enjoy the preserve, where they snowshoe several times each winter and hike during the summer.

“We come out quite a bit,” Triden said. “This is just the most beautiful walk. I like it because it is so wild. It’s just a little path through the wilderness.”

A cleared path that loops through the land

48

2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

takes them about 45 minutes on snowshoes.

Trails on the property are used for recreational activities and management access. The land is mostly gently rolling, with some steep slopes down to the Mayo Lake shoreline.

In 2004, the former property owner conveyed a perpetual conservation easement to the Minnesota Land Trust, which was recorded in Cass and Crow Wing counties. Upon acquiring the property, the city of Pequot Lakes prepared a forest management plan, which was a condition of that conservation easement.

The city’s goals for the property are outlined on the city website: • To use these lands for non-motorized recreational activities.

• To develop recreational trails for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing; erect picnic tables and benches; and construct a small parking area for vehicles.

• To keep the lands rustic with no development of structural facilities.

• To maintain the environmental integrity of the Mayo Lake shoreline, including no development.

• To maintain big, colorful trees in a park-like setting over a long period of time.

Jane Erickson of Pequot Lakes enjoys frequent walks on the Mayo Lake Nature Preserve trail with her Labrador, Pete.

“Round trip on the trail is about a mile, and he loves to smell the smells and I love the chance to get out and enjoy nature in a quiet setting,” Erickson said. “We have seen interesting wildlife along the way, such as a porcupine, deer and beaver who built a house visible from the trail.

“The eastern trail loop is the most interesting because a person can get an entire view of Mayo Lake and watch the seasons change,” she said.

Visitors to the preserve will cross the Mayo Lake Dam. According to information included in the forest management plan, the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the dam during the Great Depression era of the 1930s and ‘40s. This program employed millions of unemployed people to carry out public works projects, including infrastructure projects, such as public buildings and roads.

The WPA operated its own projects in cooperation with state and local governments. The Mayo Lake Dam was constructed from AugustMayo Lake continued on page 50

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

VITAL STATISTICS

64

Lower Hay

15

16 Grass

145

Jenkins

Mayo Lake

MAYO LAKE

Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

VITAL STATISTICS 112

N Sluetter Rd SW

11 Upper Loon

Hurig Rd

Sibley

S Sluetter Rd SW

1

Loon

5

168

W Mayo Ln

15

lue

tte

rR

5

29

10

15

5 S Sluetter Rd SW

10

Rd Hurig ills

Rd

15

Rock 11th S Ave W

Gladstone

Deepest GullPoint: Lake 22 feet and about 95% of the lake is 15 feet deep115 or less

Number of aquatic plant species: 31 aquatic plant species.

Little Hubert

18

Gu

Motley

371

White Sand

Historic Fact: The Mayo Lake Dam was constructed by the federal Works Progress Administration in August through October of 48 36The WPA cooperated with 1936. the Minnesota Department of Conservation division of Drainage and Waters to create this “type C” dam. The purpose of this type of dam is to control the water level of a lake. Hardy

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Defining Characteristics: Mayo Round Lake 127 lake is a moderately developed lake with 15 homes or cabins 115 per shoreline mile. The lake is connected via Mayo Creek to North Long Lake Upper Gull Lake.

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Nisswa

Location: Near Pequot Lakes, Crow Wing County Area: 162.18 acres

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Mayo Lake Nature Preserve w TO FIND MAYO LAKE NATURE PRESERVE: Turn west off Highway 371 onto County Road 168 at the Timberjack Smokehouse in Pequot Lakes. A blue sign on County Road 168 announces “Mayo Lake Park – 2 miles.�

Take the first left onto Hurtig Road.

Go about 2 miles and turn right at the intersection of Ninth Avenue Southwest and 69th Street Southwest. You’ll see another “Mayo Lake Nature Preserve� sign.

A small parking lot will be on the right, just after crossing the dam.

Mayo Lake continued from page 48

October 1936. The cooperating agency was the unofficial landing area that is not maintained but good spot for young anglers to try their luck,� she Minnesota Department of Conservation-Division gets good use, Erickson said. said. “Watch out for snapping turtles in the spring of Drainage and Waters. The structure is an old “This is a good spot for sucker fishing early because they’re out laying eggs on the road area.� “Type C� dam with the purpose of controlling the in the spring, and throughout the summer it’s a Mayo Lake continued on page 51 water level of a lake.

The state of Minnesota accepted the Mayo Lake Dam in 1938, the forest management plan says.

A small parking lot and picnic table are located near the dam, as is the start of trails through the woods along Mayo Lake for hiking, wildlife viewing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. “The trail is rustic, meaning you have to watch your step as there are stumps and lumps along the way,â€? Erickson said. “But Pequot maintenance • KAYAKS, SUPPLIES AND GEAR for sale & rent keeps the brush and weeds down and cuts trees out should they fall across the trail.â€? (including sails) Tom Beaver of Nisswa has hopes for further • Stand-up PADDLE BOARDS for sale & rent use of Mayo Lake Nature Preserve. With the city s +!9!+3 3500,)%3 !.$ '%!2 FOR SALE RENT of Pequot Lakes’ blessing, he is spearheading • BIKES for rent efforts to form a “Citizens for Mayo Lake Nature INCLUDING SAILS • FURNITURE, locally made Preserve,â€? a group charged with preserving and s 3

TAND UP 0!$$,% "/!2$3 FOR SALE RENT • SHUTTLE SERVICE to Pine River and area enhancing this natural wooded area. s ")+%3 FOR RENT Beaver cites the potential for expanded trails, waterways s &52.)452% LOCALLY MADE viewing areas, picnic and resting areas, as well as • FLOATING FOAM PARTY PADS! a possible fishing dock and cross country ski trails. s 3(544,% 3%26)#% TO 0INE 2IVER AND AREA #ALL TO PLAN YOUR PADDLE PEDAL THIS YEAR s 'ROUP 2ATES !VAILABLE Erickson said each season has something to ask about our TRY BEFORE YOU BUY kayak policy WATERWAYS offer, and her favorite time of year to walk the Our amazing kayaks are stable, durable, portable and affordable. We make them on site! #ALL TO PLAN YOUR PADDLE PEDAL THIS YEAR s 'ROUP 2ATES !VAILABLE trail is in the fall - in September and October because the weather is moderate and the bugs Our durable, and affordable. affordable.We Wemake makethem themononsite! site!

Ouramazing amazingkayaks kayaks are are stable, durable, stable, portable and have subsided. “In the spring, you can see the trees budding and several types of wildflowers blooming.

Summer is delightful, but wear your bug spray.

Winter can be fun if you don’t mind the cold and have a pair of snowshoes should the snow get too deep,� she said.

People enjoy fishing at the south end of the lake next to the DQ in Crosslake nextjust to the DQ inof Crosslake north DQ in the spring and summer, where there is a small, 001386365r1

s +!9!+3 3500,)%3 !.$ '%!2 FOR SALE RENT INCLUDING SAILS s 3TAND UP 0!$$,% "/!2$3 FOR SALE RENT s ")+%3 FOR RENT s &52.)452% LOCALLY MADE s 3(544,% 3%26)#% TO 0INE 2IVER AND AREA WATERWAYS

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Mayo Lake continued from page 50

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Mayo Lake Association Ed Freiermuth, vice president of the Mayo Lake Association for the past two years and former president for 10 years, said the lake association’s main goal is to control weeds on the lake. Mayo Lake was once full of curly leaf pondweed, an invasive species, he said. The lake association worked with the Department of Natural Resources and got the curly leaf pondweed under control, and the lake was good for several years.

“The problem is, when we got rid of that, coontail came in and took its place. That really spreads fast and thick. That’s been a problem the past few years,” Freiermuth said. “The DNR says it’s a native plant and you can’t kill a native plant.”

The association has the option to cut the weeds, he said, but that’s very expensive. Mayo Lake has about 50 landowners, and only about half are lake association members, he said.

“So that makes it more difficult yet.”

Another problem threatening Mayo Lake is pollution. The lake is listed as an impaired lake, and state, county and DNR officials are working to help the lake.

Freiermuth said people fish on the lake all the time - the lake boasts crappies, sunfish, bass and northerns. Five years ago, the lake association with help from private donations stocked 1,300 walleye fingerlings in the lake.

“So we’re starting to see bigger walleye now,” Freiermuth said.

However, he wouldn’t consider Mayo Lake a recreational lake because of the weed problems.

“You can’t navigate the whole lake,” Freiermuth said. “We just want to get rid of some of the weeds so we can navigate the lake. We’re still plugging away at it. If we don’t do anything and let it go, eventually we’re going to be living on a swamp. We’re working on it.”

Freiermuth hopes for better participation in the lake association. Annual dues are $50, though people can contribute more to go toward weed control. u

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Counties continue aquatic invasive species battle Cass and Crow Wing Cass County Cass County will inspect boats for aquatic invasive species on 75 days in the county this year, up from 72 days in 2015.

Rima Smith-Keprios, county AIS coordinator, and Environmental Services Director John Ringle said inspectors found 230 boaters had failed to remove drain plugs when transporting their boats between lakes in 2015. That represents a 2.4 percent violation rate, but is less than the 4 percent statewide violation rate.

State certified inspectors found weeds on boats arriving at boat landings 135 times throughout the season for a 1.4 percent violation rate.

The inspectors checked 16,917 boats on 42 Cass lakes during 2015.

The largest numbers of inspections were done at public landings on Leech, Ten Mile, Birch, Woman, Gull, Roosevelt, Pleasant, Boy, Sylvan and Pine Mountain lakes.

There were no new invasive species infestations found in any Cass County lakes during 2015.

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The county board’s 2016 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Management program will be paid by Cass’ share of a state AIS prevention program.

The Cass program will continue boat inspections using statetrained inspectors hired by an outside agency to check boats for compliance with state laws and to verify boats, tackle, trailers and boat lifts are AIS-free when moved between lakes.

It also will pay to hire sheriff’s deputies to do some inspections.

It will pay for inspector training classes, public education about AIS prevention, testing some lakes for zebra mussels and to decontaminate boats inspectors find infested.

Cass has one public decontamination service in Crooked Lake Township and hopes to open another at Federal Dam this summer. There is one service at Gull Dam in Crow Wing County and several owned by businesses in central Cass. Businesses generally charge a fee.

The county program also partners with local lake associations to share

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special project costs. The total $510,000 2016 county AIS budget also covers the $53,800 AIS coordinator’s salary and benefits, a Purple Loosestrife control project with Leech Lake Band and Dr. Pat Welle of Bemidji State University’s AIS resort participation study. u Monica Lundquist is a freelance writer who covers Cass County news for area publications.

Crow Wing County Nearly 43,000 watercraft inspections for aquatic invasive species were conducted in 2015 by inspectors at about 50 landings within Crow Wing County.

Crow Wing County Land Services reported these inspections, conducted by both county and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources inspectors, represented more than 10 percent of the total watercraft inspections conducted statewide.

Of those inspected, 57 percent were incoming watercraft to a Crow Wing County landing. More than 97 percent of boaters had their drain plug out upon arriving at the landing. In addition, 98.8 percent were clean upon entry (no plants, animals or zebra mussels).

The county reported 20 of the 43,000 inspections found zebra mussels attached to a boat or trailer prior to launch. Two new infestations of AIS were documented in 2015 in Crow Wing County: zebra mussels in Ruth Lake and Eurasian milfoil in White Sand Lake. The infestations in both cases were subsequently treated and contained.

Other key findings from the data include: • Cass, Aitkin, and Hennepin counties were the top three outside counties where boaters were coming from, followed by Washington, Mille Lacs, Wright, Carver, Stearns and St. Louis counties.

• Iowa (528), Wisconsin (363), North Dakota (211), Illinois (150) and South Dakota (146) were the top five states where boaters were coming from, based on vehicle license plate.

• Cross, Bay, Gull, Pelican, North Long, Lower Hay, Big Trout, Hubert, Mille Lacs and Whitefish were the most common lakes boaters had come from when entering another lake.

Lake Minnetonka (the highest non-county lake) was No. 19.

Information specific to the Aquatic Invasive Species Program, including the 2016 plan, can be found on www.crowwing.us by searching “AIS.” Water protection activities conducted by the environmental services office is compiled annually into a Water Protection Report, also available on the county’s website. The Land Services Department encourages residents to contact the environmental services office at 218-824-1125 or environmental.services@ crowwing.us to discuss AIS or other land userelated activities. u

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Big Trout Lake suffers from pollution

Plan is in place to protect lake on Whitefish Chain Since the 1900s, families have vacationed in the Crosslake area to enjoy cool, clean water and fishing, including fishing for trout on Big Lake Trout on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes.

Today, many scientists and community members are concerned about the overall health of Big Trout Lake, where water clarity has declined about 10 feet since 1992.

“Big Trout Lake is the only lake in Crow Wing County that is managed for lake trout,” said Owen Baird, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries specialist.

The majority of lake trout in Minnesota are found in Boundary Waters lakes and Lake Superior. Because Big Trout Lake on the Whitefish Chain is so clean and deep, it has the cool water with plenty of dissolved oxygen to support lake trout.

However, the lake is also very sensitive to polluted runoff, which can have major effects on the fish habitat for lake trout and the related lake whitefish and cisco (tullibee).

For that reason, state and local experts have developed a plan to address: • Pollution prevention.

• Polluted runoff.

• Upstream land and water conservation.

• Fish habitat.

“A $310,000 Clean Water Legacy Grant was awarded to solve a 20-year pollution Big Trout Lake continued on page 55

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CCBoatWorks www.ccboatworks.com 36448 County Road 66 Crosslake MN, 56442

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Big Trout Lake continued from page 54

problem,” said Melissa Barrick, district manager with the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District.

The funds will be used to construct a series of underground filters and pipes that will help stop debris, sand and chemicals from going into the lake. This is a community project with state, city, county and citizen involvement and funds.

Project plans are scheduled to be complete this summer, with project installation slated for this fall or next spring. By summer 2017, officials will ensure the project is working and will maintain it.

The main problem is that three dump trucks of sand (50 tons of sediment) and 50 pounds of phosphorus (which creates 250,000 pounds of algae) are flowing directly into Big Trout Lake every year via the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 66 curb and gutter system and the ditch system.

The solution will be to install Downstream Defenders - designed to capture sediments, trash and hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff - and a series of pipes within the CSAH 66 right-of-way to capture the sediment and phosphorus before pollutants reach the lake.

An improved stormwater treatment system will be installed to treat a one-inch rain event with an outflow pipe to Big Trout Lake.

Entities involved said this project will reduce 40 tons of sediment and 40 pounds of phosphorus from entering Big Trout Lake.

Site Inspections will be required to determine sediment level. When the sediment level reaches 75 percent of the maximum clean-out depth, a commercial sump-vac pump will be used to remove the sediment.

Recommended pumping is two times a year.

After grants funds are received, a formal maintenance plan will be developed between Crow Wing County, the city of Manhattan Beach and the lake association.

A contribution agreement will be developed

to handle annual maintenance and site inspections. Estimated annual maintenance cost is $500.

Big Trout Lake is a unique and rare resource. Those involved in this project are

excited for this opportunity to protect this lake for the next generation of vacationers and fisherman. u The Crow Wing County Soil and Water Conservation District submitted this story.

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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Submitted Photos Left: The 2015 Northern Lakes Junior Bass Bandits included, back row from left, Wendy Day, tournament director; Dawson Rickard, 13; Jaden Bray, 13; Blake Millner, 13; Gavin Norring, 13; Tim Bray, club administrator; front row from left, Quady Bernu,12; Ethan Johnson, 13; Emmett Johnson, 11; Jack Hennies, 12; Ryan Monahan, 12; Cooper Andersen, 12. Right: The Pine River-Backus fishing league members Burke Netland, Cody Deplazes, Lexie Trout and assistant Brandon Hedlund are shown on a Leech Lake fishing trip.

Youth teams hooked on fishing

Young anglers cast a line to win fishing scholarships

BY JODIE TWEED The Brainerd lakes area has long been known for its abundant lakes and world-class fishing. It is home to several fishing industry innovations, such as the Lindy Rig and Aqua-Vu. A new generation of diehard anglers is now fielding opportunities that fishing giants like Al and Ron Lindner could have only dreamed about as children. Youth club fishing teams, a relatively new competitive sport, have become hugely popular and could reshape the industry as we know it.

Last year coach Jason Bahr and local fishing personality “Walleye” Dan Eigen formed the Brainerd Warrior fishing team. This team has grown to over 80 student members in seventh through 12th grades. The team, a member of the Student Angler Federation, is among the largest high school teams in the nation.

Since then, Steven Anderson has started a Pine River-Backus fishing team, and more schools are sure to follow. Bahr said Grand Rapids and Bemidji are close to launching their own high school fishing teams. There have been informal discussions in Pequot Lakes about starting a youth fishing team.

In the meantime, Tim Bray formed a youth bass fishing team with a small group of Pequot Lakes eighth-graders - the Northern Lakes Junior Bass Bandits - last year.

These teams are open to boys and girls.

Brainerd’s fishing team, which started its second season this spring, was able to secure several local

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2016 LOVE OF THE LAKES

and national sponsors to help financially support the team. The team fished in four tournaments last year and had 16 two-person teams qualify for state.

Team members took four of the top five spots at the state high school fishing tournament on Lake Mille Lacs, where they mostly competed against Twin Cities area teams. Top prizes are college scholarships. Brainerd eighth-grader Kyle Bahr, Jason’s son, and 10th-grader Logan Beto netted the state championship title, landing a spot to compete at regionals in Illinois.

Jason Bahr said his team has parents who are heavily involved in the program, by volunteering to be boat captains for two-person teams and helping with fundraisers.

Brainerd Warrior fishing team members also volunteer at area adult competitive fishing tournaments, helping to dock boats and weigh fish. Many of them want to fish in tournaments after high school.

“We have a definite group of kids who aspire to be professional anglers at some point,” Bahr said.

“The Lindners didn’t have the opportunities that these kids do. They’re being exposed to sponsors, the media and tournaments. When I was a kid, I loved to fish. I’d walk down to the river and I sat on the bank and fished. I wasn’t hopping into a $50,000 boat earning scholarships. We’re going to have kids who turn fishing into a career.”

“I certainly wish this program was offered when

I was going to school,” added Eigen, who helped secure sponsors for the Brainerd team, where his son is a member. “I would have been all over it.

The kids love it, and I think it’s great that we have another activity for kids to choose from. Being involved in the sport of fishing has taught me a lot over the years and has put me in touch with a lot of awesome people.”

Bray formed the youth bass fishing team for his son, Jaden, 13, and his friends last year because of their strong interest in wanting to fish competitively. Bray had been driving his son to the Twin Cities to participate in a club fishing team

Submitted Photo Hunter Wendt of the Bass Bandits shows a catch.

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N to 13 13

Submitted Photo The Brainerd Warrior fishing team.

and he figured, why not start a team here?

The team has memberships with Fishing League Worldwide, or FLW, which sponsors the Student Angler Federation, and Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, or B.A.S.S., so they can compete in tournaments sanctioned by both fishing league organizations this summer.

Ironically, the B.A.S.S. youth state tournament is on the Whitefish Chain in June and the SAF/FLW youth state tournament is once again on Mille Lacs Lake in late July.

Unlike high school fishing teams, Bray’s goal is to keep the Bass Bandits team small to keep it manageable and to make it easier to find fishing mentors for its young anglers. Last year they participated in five organized tournaments, competing against each other for prizes and tackle.

“We’re lining up the best bass fishermen who know the lakes to get the team out,” Bray said.

“Because of that, I needed to contain it.”

Bray has been talking with Pequot Lakes school officials about the need for a high school fishing team. Bray feels he’s got too much on his plate to step up as coach, but he’d love to help get a fishing team started.

“I’m hoping we can work with our high school and get something going,” said Bray. “I think there is enough interest that it would be a huge team.”

Anderson, who likes to competitively fish himself, WESTGATE MALL Friday-Sunday Noon-5pm formed the Pine River-Backus Tigers fishing team last winter and serves as coach. The team currently has seven members, ages 10-14, but Anderson is confident the team will grow. Bahr helped him get the team up and running.

The Tigers team went ice fishing together on Leech Lake in February in fish houses donated by Ice Castle, where Anderson is employed. Station 371 in Pine River donated the bait.

They hosted an ice fishing competition for the team during the ice fishing season, with competition in three categories: walleye, northern and panfish. The team member with the biggest fish - they send photos of their fish against a tape measure to Anderson - wins an Aqua-Vu

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

underwater camera. Aqua-vu is one of their team sponsors.

The Brainerd Warrior fishing team also participates in an ice fishing competition within the team where the top angler also wins an Aqua-Vu. Team members can add inches to any of their fish by getting good grades and perfect attendance, Bahr said.

“You should see all the pictures of all the fish on my phone,” Bahr said with a laugh. “It’s pretty fun to watch.”

Youth fishing teams provide a sense of

camaraderie and cultivate a love of the outdoors.

And who knows? Maybe one of these young anglers will be the next Marv Koep or Al Lindner.

“When I was a kid, I had to write an essay on what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to be a fishing guide,” said Bahr. “These kids have a real opportunity to do that. Instead of being that kid dreaming about it, they have the chance to go meet Al Lindner and Walleye Dan and find out how to market themselves.” u Jodie Tweed is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Pequot Lakes.

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Photo courtesy of Jerry Eklund Photography Sunrises and sunsets are different every day in the lake country. Here is a serene scene of Leech Lake.

Protect Leech continued from page 10

LLAWF uses these sensitive shorelands for fish and wildlife habitat to prioritize areas for permanent protection. LLAWF works with landowners who are interested in permanently protecting their land and leaving a legacy for future generations.

Landowners may donate or sell their land for the purpose of managing it in public ownership into perpetuity for aquatic and wildlife habitat protection and public use and enjoyment. Landowners may also place conservation easements on their property, where they retain ownership and use of the property while future development is prohibited or limited.

The Leech Lake community composed of landowners, recreationists, resorts, guides, businesses, lake associations and agencies are working together to prevent further introductions and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to the lake.

AIS include plants, animals, diseases and parasites that increasingly threaten

Minnesota’s aquatic ecosystems. These nonnative species thrive in new environments and cause economic loss, environmental damage and harm to human health.

AIS currently found in Leech Lake include rusty crayfish, heterosporosis, curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, purple loosestrife and banded mystery snail. Other aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny waterflea are increasing in prevalence throughout Minnesota and pose a likely risk.

Help from those who use the lake is needed to prevent further invasions and the spread of invasive species not only by cleaning and draining all recreational equipment when leaving a lake, according to current laws and best practices, but also by staying informed and aware.

Prevention is less costly than the economic consequences of AIS. The LLAWF successfully continues toward its mission to fund, promote and enable activities

Warming temp continued from page 25

hundred miles northward, and be replaced by forests dominated by maples and oaks, if global warming continues.

There are already indications that warming temperatures may be contributing - along with other factors - to a decline in Minnesota’s moose population in the northern reaches of our state.

Central Minnesota, where prairie has historically met forest, could see more grassland interspersed with fewer trees - an ecosystem known as “oak savannah.”

Those who believe man bears no responsibility for such changes are not likely to advocate for

Such high temperature events can kill mature trout outright, and can also reduce the survival of young fish. Stony Brook has, in fact, seen a drop in survival of young trout during this period, which Baird suspects can be attributed at least in part to these high flows during peak warmth periods of summer.

Just as our waters may change due to a warming environment, so too, might the tree and plant communities on the land where we live. It is being predicted that the range of pines, spruce, balsam fir, birch and aspen could move several

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that will protect the natural environment of the Leech Lake Watershed. Through these efforts, numerous land conservation projects have been implemented since 1997, including the preservation and protection of over 20 miles of wild shoreline.

The foundation has been able to purchase critical lands on Leech Lake and transfer them to public ownership and use, protecting these special places and insuring public use for future generations.

“LLAWF, Leech Lake Association and Muskies, Inc. have been important partners in protecting Five Mile Point Aquatic Management Area, which is one of only seven known muskie spawning areas on Leech Lake,” said Henry Drewes, DNR Northwest Regional Fisheries manager.

The recently updated fisheries management plan for Leech Lake identifies the goal of continuing to protect high priority aquatic habitat. LLAWF and the DNR are currently working on land acquisition projects in Miller Bay (also known as Rogers Bay) to protect other muskie spawning areas in Leech Lake.

Miller Bay is the sole source of muskie eggs collected from Leech Lake and is used to replenish the genetic stock of the Leech Lake strain of muskellunge for the DNR’s muskie stocking program. Reducing future development and increased boat traffic in Miller Bay is critical to the future of muskie fishing in Minnesota.

Stewardship is vital Everyone benefits from the healthy waters of Leech Lake. And as beneficiaries of this natural feature, everyone has responsibilities for their actions to not threaten - and instead protect - this resource. Support from landowners, visitors, businesses, anglers, hunters, wildlife watchers and lake enthusiasts is critical to continued efforts to protect these resources for current and future generations. u The Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation submitted this story.

change in our lifestyles. Those who believe we are at least partially at fault through carbon emissions from fossil-fueled vehicles and power production would like to see a concerted effort to make greater use of renewable power, including solar, wind, geothermal, perhaps even greater use of hydroelectric and nuclear energy.

The overriding questions seem to be these: Can we do anything about it? And if so, have we the will and the innovative “right stuff” to get it done? u Mike Rahn writes Inside the Outdoors, an outdoor column published in area publications.

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