SCLA IS TURNING 70!!!

Like many in our community who preceded it, the Spider Chain of Lakes Association turns 70 this year.

Join us in planning a celebration this summer, including bringing back the 4th of July BOAT DECORATING CONTEST.

To join the SCLA BIRTHDAY TEAM send an email to SpiderChainOfLakes@gmail.com

The 2025 Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention is taking place March 26-28 in Stevens Point. 

Learn from experts, grassroots organizers, and passionate water advocates!

Engage in the pre- and post-convention workshops and 60+ concurrent sessions.

Enhance your network of water-focused professionals and citizens by connecting with attendees, speakers, and exhibitors. 

A virtual option will be available for concurrent sessions on Thursday (all day) and Friday morning.

Learn more at wisconsinwaterweek.org.  

Reserve Your Lodging Now!

The Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center is the location for the 2025 Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention. 

To learn about the Spider Lake Musky Research Project go to 2024 Spring SpiderLines article (p. 18) by Max Wolter, WDNR Fisheries Biologist. Or download the article here.  To download the presentation from the July 5, 2024 "Kick-Off" meeting click here.

UPDATES from Max Wolter:

July 12, 2024:  Colin and I were very pleased with the kickoff meeting last week! I attached the presentation from the meeting for anyone who was unable to attend Please let us know if that generates any questions we can answer!

After the meeting, the excitement for the project was contagious. In fact, my team wasted no time getting back out there to continue our work. We spent a day this week looking for juvenile pike and musky. It’s going to be a challenge, but we are learning a lot about what’s possible there. The photo below shows a pike we caught that was born this year. They are currently about 3” long, which creates a bit of a “needle in a haystack” scenario with all the expansive weedy bays.  

June 2024: The WDNR Fisheries Team from Hayward and WDNR Research Team from Spooner have been working hard to ramp up the Spider Lake Musky and Pike Project. This spring saw a flurry of survey activity, with a netting effort shortly after ice out targeting walleye, northern pike and muskellunge. Several electrofishing surveys are also being conducted, targeting bass and panfish in addition to the previously mentioned species. 

This is a larger survey effort than we have previously attempted on Spider Lake. In fact, it is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious survey efforts in northern Wisconsin in recent history. At the end of the year we should have estimates to the total number of northern pike and walleye. In 2025 we will complete an estimate of the total number of muskellunge.

Several hundred northern pike were removed during the survey effort. We encourage anglers to harvest pike they catch as well (remember, the bag limit has been increased to 10 per day!). WDNR teams are also working to deploy tags in muskellunge and northern pike and a sophisticated array of sensors to track their movement and interactions.

This project has been supported by private individuals and groups both locally and statewide. This project is the first of its kind for these species. The high tech equipment and approach will lead to insights into the fishery and will help us develop strategies to maximize opportunities for muskellunge and improved quality of pike.

The equipment is also pricey, and any additional financial support is welcome! If you or your family want to “sponsor” a tagged fish please reach out to max.wolter@wisconsin.gov. Project donors will receive periodic updates about what their fish is up to. All research and survey results will be shared with the Spider Chain of Lakes Association over time as the project progresses. We expect the project to last 2-4 years.

Chinese Mystery Snail was recently discovered near the Heineman Road boat landing. It is spreading

Narrow Leaf Cattail was discovered in a very large area on the west side of East Bay.

Photos and further details will be forthcoming.  To report sightings of these two invasives please send an email to:
SpiderChainOfLakes@gmail.com
ATTN: AIS Chair Ray Langer

Picnic Island Restoration Begins Monday July 29

On Monday July 29 SCLA volunteers and contractor, Nile of Chequamagon Environmental will work to restore the shoreland of Picnic Island on Big Spider by installing two erosion control practices: diversion and rock infiltration. 

Native plants (the final element of the restoration) will be planted in the fall 2024.  SCLA will send an email to members when a date is set for planting.

Feel free to boat or kayak to Picnic Island between 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Monday, July 29 to watch FROM YOUR BOAT (!)  the installation in progress.

To view the site plans click here.  For background information and more details see below or go to the Picnic Island Project page of the website.

_____

On June 18, WDNR Lake Biologist Scott Van Egeren and Picnic Island Project Contractor Nile Merton of Chequamegon Environmental presented an energizing summary of shoreland practices and the science behind the most effective lake protection methods.

Click here for a copy of the presentation which gives you practical ideas on how to manage your property while protecting the lake.  

Education Committee Vice Chair Mary Keating is coordinating the "Picnic Island Restoration Project" which is a living tutorial on ways you can manage your shoreland.  A call to action for volunteers to work on Picnic Island is underway.  Volunteering for this project is a win-win: you help restore the island while learning tips on how to improve your own shoreland.

Thank you Mary and the Education Committee for your energizing work to teach us how to protect Spider Lake.

Go to the Shoreline Stewardship and Picnic Island Project pages for more details and resources.

Over 60 boats, kayaks and canoes full of folks celebrated the 4th of July with our lake community at the boat house of Shay and Phyllis.  Soloist Lily Mamminga, a 5th generation Spider Laker, who along with her family, "The Mamminga Band" bestowed their gifts of music on all.  Lily's Uncle Bob played "Taps" in honor of those who passed during the year.  

  

Commodore Jerry Keating welcomed everyone and thanked SCLA volunteers for their work, especially in controlling invasive species like Yellow Flag Iris and Eurasian Watermilfoil.  He led us in a moment of silence for all who passed on in the past year, including three SCLA members and volunteers:  Loren Pilling, Michael O'Sullivan, and Georgina Frankel. 

Many Thanks to Shay Berkowitz and Phyllis Wiener for hosting, and to all volunteers who helped organize the boat parade!

Click here to download the newsletter for people who love Wisconsin lakes.  Click here to read the online (color) version

Some of the Articles In this issue:  

Fireworks Near Our Lakes: Community, Conservation & Cost: Alternatives to fireworks

Snapshot Day (Aug 10): Statewide AIS scavenger hunt coordinated by UW-Madison, WDNR, and Extension Lakes.  

2024  Wisc. Lakes & Rivers Convention Recap: Searchable directory of presentations, recordings and convention materials is combined with articles from the Lake Tides newsletter.

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• Mission:  Northern Pike are an invasive species in the Spider Chain of Lakes.  Our aim is to eradicate 750 Northern Pike in 2024 Catch Them All Year!

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1.         Harvesting Northern Pike will reduce the pike population and help improve musky, walleye and other native fish habitat.
2.     All pike must be legally caught.  The new limit in 2024 is 10 pike per person per day.  Pike must be removed from the lake and transported home or donated.

4.  Log your catch on SpiderLakePikeProject.com   

SUMMER CALENDAR

FOR DETAILS on all events Go To EVENTS TAB on SpiderChainOfLakes.org.

To REGISTER for SCLA Member Only Events You Must First Log-In to SCLA Website

May 25     Annual Meeting of Members (Town Hall 8:30-10:00 a.m.)

May 25     Spider Lake Pike Project: 2024 Launch (new 2024 limit: 10/day/person)  Clear Lake Boat Launch 7am - 7 pm -  Coolers For Drop Off; Details in Events Tab (Top Toolbar)

May 26     Spider Lake Pike Project - Coolers for Drop Off (Clear Lake Boat Launch 7 am – 7 pm) Details in Events Tab (Top Toolbar)

May 27     Spider Lake Pike Project  - Coolers for Drop Off (Clear Lake Boat Launch 7 am – 1 pm) Details in Events Tab (Top Toolbar)

June 15-23  My Shoreline Week

June 18    Picnic Island Restoration: Zoom Info Session (6:30 - 7:30 pm) - see Events Tab for details 

June 21    NW Wisc. Lakes Conference (Spooner High School). see EVENTS TAB for details

June 23    Lake Monitor Training & Refresher (1-2:30 pm, Free Pizza, Soda, and T-Shirt! BlackIron Grill) see EVENTS TAB for details

July 4        Boat Parade (10 am, Little Spider)

July 7     Town of Spider Lake Picnic (Noon-5 pm, Town Hall)  Details and tickets: go to TownOfSpiderLakeWi.gov

July 13      S.L.E.E.K. (9:30-11:30 Registration Required: EVENTS tab; for active SCLA members & their families only).  NEW THIS YEAR: FOR ADULTS TOO - No need to be accompanied by a Child!!! Register by JULY 12 

July 29  Picnic Island Living Lab: Shoreland Restoration Launch (9:30-1:30)  Watch from your boat as volunteers and professional Nile launch two "best practices" 

July-Oct    Yellow Flag Iris Removal & Control

July-Oct    Picnic Island Restoration/Living Lab. Details: go to Picnic Island page of website.

Sept. 1      Annual Member Picnic (Spider Lake Town Hall 4:00-6:00 pm).  Details on EVENTS/2024 Annual Member Picnic page of website.

Join your SCLA friends and neighbors this summer, to celebrate the lakes and our community.  Log-in with your password and then check the "Events" tab on the top toolbar  for details and (if needed), to register.

S.L.E.E.K., Picnic Island Restoration Project and the Annual Member Picnic require membership to access (log in with your password to register; forgot pwd? Reset pwd).  

HAPPY SUMMER!

The re-instatement of the quiet hours boating ordinance is expected to take effect May, 20, 2024.  For more information go to TownOfSpiderLakeWi.gov.

Town of Spider Lake Supervisors met on May 8 to

consider the Town's new boating ordinance (Ord. #02-2024). A

special Town Board Meeting will be held on Monday, May 20

to authorize the new ordinance, which will be

effective immediately after the decision.

THANK YOU, TOWN LEADERS, FOR YOUR WORK, and

thank you SCLA members for raising your voices in support of

protecting and preserving the Spider Chain

of Lakes!

BACKGROUND: Town website or download: DRAFT OF ORDINANCE 

SHARE YOUR GRATITUDE with Town Leaders: email Chair Sheldon

Go to Spring Spider Lines (article on page 3) for more information about this important issue, including a SUMMARY and history of quiet hours in the Town of Spider Lake.