FISHERY We have an active fish committee that is keeping tabs on our fish population and are also investigating fish stocking. They keep in contact with the WDNR and inform us about the fish surveys and fyke netting.

AQUATIC PLANT MANAGEMENT | SLOW, NO WAKE BUOYS By: Tom Stram Over the past 5 years we have watched the invasive aquatic plant, called Eurasian water- milfoil (EWM), gradually spread in Muskie Bay of Connors Lake. Our Aquatic Plant Management Plan, dictated by the Wisconsin DNR, states we cannot treat with herbicide until the frequency of occurrence in Muskie Bay reaches 50%. The Fall 2019 survey found a 49% frequency of occurrence so we planned to treat the milfoil in the spring of 2020. Because of the price tag to treat with the newest and most effective herbicide ($16,000), we applied for a treatment grant from the DNR which was denied because there was too much competition for limited funds. Rather than treating and assuming the entire cost, we decided to wait until 2021 and reapply for another grant. The Fall 2020 survey of Connors Lake revealed the good news that, for some unknown reason, the frequency of occurrence dropped from 49% to 31%. So, again, we are in the no treatment mode for 2021, but there is still a significant amount of EWM in Muskie Bay. Hopefully the downward trend will continue, but there is also the possibility that the frequency of EWM will increase in Muskie Bay, and it could also spread to other parts of Connors Lake outside of the bay. Remember that EWM spreads easily when plants are fragmented and small pieces (6 inches long) can drift and then sink to the bottom, thereby starting new colonies. This fragmentation can occur easily when motor powered boats or personal watercraft go through Muskie Bay at high speeds. To try to reduce this fragmentation from happening, the Board of Directors of your Lake Association voted on October 10, 2020 to place three lighted buoys tagged with “Slow, No Wake” at the outer borders of Muskie Bay at a total cost of about $5,000. But, in order for DNR wardens to enforce this “Slow, No Wake” zone in Muskie Bay, the Lake Association needs to propose to the Town of Winter that they pass a “Slow No Wake Ordinance” for Muskie Bay on Connors Lake. This is a three-step process. First, the Lake Association needs to submit a draft ordinance to the Town of Winter Board of Supervisors with justification for the area of Muskie Bay to be marked with the appropriate buoys. Second, if the Town Board approves the draft ordinance, they will then schedule and advertise a public hearing. Third, after the public hearing, the Town Board needs to approve the ordinance at their next regular board meeting. Because of the time needed to accomplish this, (and any legal ordinance), we needed to proceed early in 2021 so that we can protect Connors Lake from the spread of EWM at ice-out. The Ordinance was finally approved in late summer of 2021; too late for placement this calendar year. The buoys were ordered by Gene Johnson. We have accepted possession of the buoys, and they will be placed in Muskie Bay in the spring of 2022 by the Flambeau River State Forest DNR. CLEAN BOATS CLEAN WATERS (CBCW) Remove plants and weeds from boats, personal watercraft, and trailers. These invasive plants and weeds can easily take over our lakes. Watch this video to see how boat inspections are done. CBCW helps to educate boaters and inspect watercraft that are entering and leaving Connors Lake and Lake of the Pines. “JUST GIVE US TWO” by Don Bluhm Volunteering for CBCW is the front line for our association. This is where we educate boaters about preventing invasive species from entering into our lakes. It is the most important thing we do as an association. If you want to make a big impact on the lakes’ ecosystems, volunteer for TWO HOURS with CBCW. This is one of the easiest and most flexible ways to volunteer. Anytime the lakes are busy, we need volunteers at the landings. If you want to volunteer, see me at one of our meetings, and I will show you how to get started. Make a difference, get involved, and GIVE US TWO! If you can volunteer your time, please contact us.

WISCONSIN CITIZENS LAKE MONITORING NETWORK (WCLMN) By: Dave Schiotz The falling leaves and boats removed from the lake signal that the open water sampling is over for another year! The important work of monitoring the water of our two lakes could not be done without this dedicated group of volunteers. On Lake of the Pines (LOP) we have Larry Anderson, Carl Edwardson, and Jim Schofield. On Connors are Don Bluhm, Gordie Dukerschein, Bob Feller, Jeff & Sherry Hansen, Mark LaVick, Rich Marusinec, Dave & Karen Schiotz, and Tom Stram. There is always a need for more volunteers, especially on LOP. Larry, Carl, and Jim have been doing all the sampling on LOP for several years and could use some help! For any new volunteers, materials and training are provided and we set the schedule so two people will work together. The data we collect is very important in assessing the health of our lakes and guiding future management decisions. We can ask the question, “What do people want to know about their lakes?” Generally, there are five parameters that most people are interested in: 1). Clarity of the water (Secchi Disk) 2). Chlorophyll a (Algae) 3). Total Phosphorus (acts as fertilizer for aquatic life) 4). Dissolved Oxygen (DO. Necessary for fish and other aquatic animal life) 5). How do our lakes compare to regional averages for the above values? Let’s look at each parameter separately. The values we use represent averages for July and August. Generally, both lakes are Mesotrophic (middle- aged) and are healthy. We are truly fortunate to be able to use two “gems” like Connors and LOP, and it is our responsibility to protect them! This winter, as you sit by the fire and wonder about all the data we collect and input into the CLMN database, just do this: Type in “WI DNR CLMN.” Click on Citizen Lake Monitoring Network Reports Sawyer County. Click Connors details or LOP details. All the data for the lakes will be there since we started collecting! This will be my last CLMN article as I am retiring! This was my fourteenth year coordinating the program for both lakes, and it’s time to get some youth into the leadership. We are fortunate to have Don Bluhm and Ted Wilson volunteer to take over the program. To all the volunteers, I really appreciate your help through the years. You made my job much easier!

Walleye Recruitment History