What's New (Log In To access SLEEK and spiderLines)

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!

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.

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.

Below is an update from Max Wolter (June 2024):

The DNR Fisheries Team from Hayward and DNR 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.

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-Aug    Yellow Flag Iris Removal & Control

July-Oct    Picnic Island Restoration (details pending)

Sept. 1      Annual Member Picnic (Spider Lake Town Hall 4:00-6:00 pm).  Details pending

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.  

Annual Meeting of SCLA Members

Join your SCLA community at the annual meeting of members Saturday May 25

When: Saturday, May 25, 8:30 - 10 a.m.

Where: Spider Lake Town Hall 

Join us for coffee and treats at 8:30 followed by the meeting at 9:00. Please stay for socializing after the meeting!

Click here for the 2024 issue of Spring Spider Lines.  Many Thanks to Cate Amery, whose expertise, artistry, and tenacity created this wonderful issue.  Index of Articles (page #) is below. Links to various resources are embedded in each article.

Boating Ordinance Update (3)

AIS & Water Quality Update (5)

Thank You Benefactors  (8)

Loon Rangers (Who Ya Gonna Call?)  (9)

WDNR Seeks Public Comments on Wake Boats (11)

Meet Your Neighbor: Filmmaker Abby Horton (12)

Town Survey Results 2023 (14)

Managing SCLA For the Long Term (16)

New WDNR Musky Research Project (18)

DO YOU RECEIVE SPIDER LINES?

Because SCLA uses email exclusively for communications (updates, gift receipts, and member renewal confirmations), we need accurate email addresses for our members.  If you have changed your email address and/or are not receiving communications from SCLA, please send us a note at SpiderChainOfLakes@gmail.com with your preferred email address.

HELP US CLEAN UP OUR MEMBER RECORDS TOO:  Two people who live at the same address are included in each SCLA membership (along with two emails).  If you have duplicate memberships and would lke us to delete one, please contact us at SpiderChainOfLakes@gmail.com

Town of Spider Lake Supervisors continue to work to restore the "Quiet Hours" boating ordinance.  As discussed in the "Informational Session" on March 13, town leaders anticipate a public hearing in April.  Send your opinion on the need to restore the boating ordinance to town leaders at Tim.Sheldon@TownOfSpiderLakeWi.gov

Boating Ordinance Informational Session March 13, 2024:  For full summary and details go to TownOfSpiderLakeWi.gov/

From the summary of the 3/13/24 session: "The main goal of Board Action is to have an ordinance in place soon for the 2024 boating season.  The new ordinance is intended to resemble the old Ordinance #12 and contains similar restrictions."  The March 13, 2024 informational session was intended to increase understanding and transparency about the ordinance process.  "This session did not and will not replace the formal public hearing, which will likely be scheduled in April, 2024."

Background

On October 11, 2023 a circuit judge issued an Order For Summary Judgement that found waterskiing hours on Spider Lake and the “Quiet Lakes” speed limit of 10 mph on all other lakes in the town to be invalid and “of no legal effect.”  This change overturns nearly 70 years of partial quiet hours on the Spider Chain of Lakes.  It also removes the “Quiet Lakes” designation of Teal, Lost Land, and Ghost lakes.  

The current town boating ordinance for Spider Lake was first drafted in the 1950s as a compromise.  It was designed to accommodate folks who wanted unlimited speed 24/7 and those who wanted a quiet, safe place to fish, paddle, swim, or simply enjoy the serenity of the lake.

With a minor administrative adjustment, this nearly 70 year old “quiet hours” ordinance can be re-instated by the Town Board of Supervisors.  In advance of that vote, a public hearing will be held to allow members of the public to voice their thoughts.  

To share your thoughts with town leaders, contact them (email addresses on TownOfSpiderLakeWI.gov). You can also attend any Town Board Meeting in person or by Zoom.  You can request (a day in advance) to speak at ANY Town Board Meeting. You can submit email to be read at ANY Town Board Meeting. To learn more, including dates and agenda packets for meetings email the Town Clerk, Ann Schultz or call her at (715) 462-3977.