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| Calendar of Events and Chamber Updates |
The Long Lake Chamber of Commerce and surrounding neighbors lost a dear friend this past year. Roger Jacobs passed away October 7, 2010. Roger was 59 years young and owned and operated The Pioneer Resort on Long Lake with Tom Haack for close to 20 years. Roger loved people, loved a good joke, loved to play a good joke, and we all loved him! RIP Roger! You just made Heaven a better place!
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BE SURE TO TURN OUT FOR THE SPRING DNR VOTE!
Quoting "Damman, Larry R - DNR" :
I just found out a few days ago that my superiors proposed a walleye/ bass study across the north. Lakes in the study will have a no minimum bass size limit, an 18 inch 3 bag for walleye and will be given extra priority to get stocked with extended growth fall walleye fingerlings from the state hatchery system. The problem with the later point is that the hatcheries still won't be able to produce enough of the large fall fingerlings to fill all the priority quotas. Your large fingerling stocking program would still be vitally important to make something like this work well on Long Lake.
Lakes nominated for the study include Long Lake and the other 4 area walleye lakes where the bass size limit was already removed in 2005. Logical choices since they are walleye lakes that shifted toward bass and the regulation package is already half way in effect. I just wish I would have had more time for public education before the lakes were chosen. Each of the lakes will be voted in or out of the study at the spring Conservation Congress Hearing. I think that will be Monday April 12th this year.
The theory behind this is that angler harvest of bass does not necessary reduce bass reproduction rates. It can be a very long, hard process to knock bass dominance down by angling alone. We probably need to simultaneously build up adult walleye populations faster. Theoretically, at some point the walleye population should reach a tipping point and regain dominance in the fishery. That could restore natural reproduction as the main or only necessary source for walleye recruitment.
A few years ago the Chamber and LLPA leadership expressed some interest in going to the 18 inch, 3 bag for walleye and I suggested waiting to see if walleye fingerling and wagon fry survival would pick up just from liberal bass regulations. It has not to this point, so this is a good opportunity to take the extra step. Increasing the size limit will give the fish an extra two years or so before they are legal to harvest and most females in Long Lake don't spawn the first time until they are about 17 inches.
If you have any questions, meetings or newsletters coming up that you would like me to address let me know. Whatever, your organizations might say at the hearing will be very influential on the vote.
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2009 Fish Survey
Thought you all might like some preliminary results from this years fish survey for the LLPA meeting this weekend.
The preliminary population estimate this spring was 6478 adult walleye or 2.0 per acre. This figure is preliminary because the data sheets haven't been carefully proofed yet, but should be real close.
That compares to 3.1 per acre in 1994 and only 1.5 per acre in 2001. The recent rebound is due to a large year class in 2005. The males from that age class spawned this year so are part of the adult estimate. The females in that year class are already 15 to 18 inches long but aren't part of the estimate as adults because they won't spawn for the first time until next year. So there are more legal fish out there than population would indicate. Fishing should be pretty good this year.
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Water Management on Long Lake
Myself and other DNR staff will be meeting with the county highway department tomorrow about a serious water management problem. Its probably not what you think. By law the county is required to past a minimum flow not only to sustain fish and wildlife downstream, but users like power companies, waste discharge facilities, crop irrigators have some property rights and obligations that hinge on that minimum flow being maintained. The dam has been totally shut except for some leakage of about 2 cubic feet per second. The minimum flow is about 7 times that.
I realize that low water on the lake causes considerable inconvenience for recreational boating but low water on the lake is not particularly damaging to fish and wildlife. If the lake does not completely fill or drops even lower, the impact to fish and wildlife in is minimal. In any case there is no wiggle room to balance lake interests versus downstream interests. Both DNR and the County are legally obligated to assure the minimum outflow is maintained.
A major factor in lake level management problems the last few years is the winter drawdown. There is no requirement to do a winter draw of any particular amount. My recollection is this practice started by request from property owners concerned about ice damage to shorelines and permanent docks and boathouses. Considering the difficulties in refilling the lake, the lake owner groups may want to reconsider how much of a drawdown is really needed or beneficial.
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The 2010 Long Lake Ice Fishing Contest is already underway. It will
be held Saturday, February 13th in front of Sandy's Reel 'Em Inn and Dave's
Outboard. Much more information to come!
2009 Long Lake Ice Fishing Contest was a success!
Here are the winners!
It will be held Saturday February 14th at The Pioneer Bar and Resort
N 1690 CTY HWY M 715-354-3500
Prize Drawings 3pm Need not present to win
1st prize: $1000 cash-Waldo Johnson
2nd prize:$500 cash- Dan Minor
3rd prize: 19 inch Digital TV-Ray and Denese Briggs
4th prize: Artizian Gas Auger-Steve Vrellend
5th prize: $250 Savings Bond-Theodore Moravoc
You can purchase your tickets all over the area!
Lic. #R0008659A-83120
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WALLEYE STOCKING INFORMATION:Walleyes released at Dave's Outboard.
They are putting in 5000 instead of the 4000.
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The First Portable Fish Hatchery has been started on Long Lake. There is more information to come, but here are some pictures of the netting and milking. We collected over 4 MILLION SPAWN!!!!
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The Business Members of the Long Lake Chamber started on Saturday October 4th a complete sign restoration project around the lake. As any local resident or tourist could see our informational signs at certain intersections looked hideous!For many years the Chamber has been granted permission to keep these posts up and maintain them.
Thank you to all the Business Members who put in a hard day's work!
 
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Here are some past pictures of the Long Lake Ice Fishing Contest
 The Crappy JalopyInside the Crappy Jalopy>
The winner of the largest pan fish! (Crappy) The Grand Prize Winner of $1000!
Al Weissinger
Hi Beth!
The Fish Weighing In Station and the Tumbler of prizes!
The Brave Fishermen await the drawing of their ticket!
And the Gang of Volunteers that made it all possible!
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To become a member of the Chamber, please click on "coupon" and send into Michelle with proper amount enclosed! Thanks for the support!
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Currently, our Aluminum Trailer for the Stocking of Walleye has been moved next to the Long Lake Town Hall! Please feel free to donate as many cans as you can!We appreciate your patronage!
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 Please attend and become informed of the new and upcoming projects!
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If you like the looks of this web site, please click on the tab "Our Website"
P.O. Box 19
Sarona, WI 54870
Walleye Capital of Wisconsin
Website Technology by Bangsberg Software Engineering
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