Love of the Lakes 2018 by Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Journal

LOVE LAKES ECHO JOURNAL'S

2 018 E D I T I O N

OF THE

FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY

THE WATERS OF THE LAKE COUNTRY

PLUS:

Chase on the Lake Camp Shamineau Nisswa Lake Park Friendly dock attendants Fish house evolution Area yacht clubs Big Trout couple 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 1

Family, Friends, Food & Fun START YOUR SUMMER HERE

YOUR UP NORTH HOME TOWN GROCER 30581 Patriot Avenue â&#x20AC;¢ 218-568-5001 | www.pequotlakessupervalu.com Locally owned and operated

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 3

Photo by Kathy Bittner Lee While enjoying the sunset with her owner, Madi curiously watches a kayaker paddle by on Horseshoe Lake in Mission Township.

PUBLISHER

Lemonade stands aren't only on street corners. This one was found by boat on Cross Lake.

Photo by Kathy Bittner Lee

Leech Lake Feature A Leech Lake Destination since 1922, the Chase rose from the ashes................................ p.8 Leech Lake - Map.................................. p.9 Lake Shamineau Feature Camp Shamineau near Motley will celebrate 60th anniversary this year.................................................p.12 Lake Shamineau - Map........................p.13 Gull Lake Chain Feature Nisswa Lake Park taking shape with trails and picnic areas...................p.18 Gull Lake Chain - Map........................p.19 Friendly dock attendants welcome boaters to businesses..........p.22

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Nancy Vogt.............................................. nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com Travis Grimler .....................................travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com Dan Determan...................................dan.determan@pineandlakes.com Theresa Bourke............................... theresa.bourke@pineandlakes.com Mike Rahn

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

Pete Mohs .......................................... pete.mohs@brainerddispatch.com

ART DEPARTMENT STAFF

Sailing & Camaraderie: Welcome to the Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club........p.32 Sailing brought back to its roots.........p.34 65 years of water safety on Whitefish..........................................p.36 Duck hunting remains a popular pastime in Brainerd lakes area...........p.38 Spider Lake Feature Spider Lake may be known more for four-wheelers than anglers............p.40 Spider Lake - Map............................... p.41 Whitefish Feature Big Trout couple traces family history on the lake to 1914..................p.44 Whitefish Chain - Map........................p.45

Angie Hoefs .........................................angela.hoefs@pineandlakes.com Andy Goble ..................................andrew.goble@brainerddispatch.com Sue Stark ............................................... sue.stark@brainerddispatch.com

ADVERTISING STAFF

Kathy Bittner Lee ................................................................218-855-5837 kathy.bittnerlee@pineandlakes.com Derek Ostrowski...................................................................218-855-5825 derek.ostrowski@pineandlakes.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 PRODUCED BY ECHO JOURNAL P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401 (218) 829-4705 | 800-432-3703 www.pineandlakes.com Cover Design/Illustration by Angie Hoefs Cover Photo: Jade Johnson, 6, Elk River, is proud of the walleye she caught in the family’s new Ice Castle fish house on Mille Lacs Lake. Submitted photo ©2018 Echo Journal No part of the material contained herein may be reproduced without prior written consent.

In search of a 40-pounder..................p.26

Upper Hay Lake Feature Upper Hay Lake residents take water quality into their own hands................p.48

Fun on the lake with our readers.........p.28

Upper Hay Lake - Map.......................p.49

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.

Nothing grumpy or old about today's ice angling...................p.30

Picture of health: clear water, vegetation and lots of fish species......p.52

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Printed by Forum of Fargo, North Dakota The Pineandlakes Echo Journal is a weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/ Pine River and is owned by Forum Communications Company.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

2 0 18 C A L E N D A R O F A R E A E V E N T S WEEKLY TUESDAYS Kids’ Fishing Contest, 11 am,

Hackensack fishing pier (June 12-Aug. 14)

WEDNESDAYS Nisswa Turtle Races, 2 pm,

Downtown Turtle Track (June 6-Aug. 22; not July 4) Longville Turtle Races, 1 pm (June 6-Aug. 22)

FRIDAYS Pine River Duck Races, 1:45 pm,

Pine River dam (June 22-Aug. 17) Pine River Market Square Farmers Market, 2:30-5:30 pm, Pine River (May 25-Sept. 28)

MAY

12 12 12 12-13 12 26 26-28 29 30

MN Walleye & Northern Pike Fishing Opener Trout Season Opener Welcome Wannigan, Gull Lake Take a Mom Fishing Weekend Pequot Lakes Block Party MN Large/Smallmouth Bass Fishing Opener Backus Old Timers Weekend Kayaking at the Campground, Crosslake Take A Kid Fishing Day, Pine River Lions Club

JUNE

2 Muskie season opens 2 Cherry Car Show,

9 am-4 pm, Trailside Park, Pequot Lakes

2-4 Leech Lake Walleye Tournament 8-10 Take a Kid fishing weekend 8-9 Nisswa Stamman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival, Nisswa Pioneer Village 9 Crosslake-Ideal Lions Club’s Annual 3-4-5 Mixed Bag Classic Fishing Contest,

19-21 21 27-29 27

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

Moondance Jam, Walker Night Under the Stars, Camp Knutson, Crosslake Pine River Summerfest: Parade, 2 pm July 28 Paddle to the Moon and Back, 6 pm, Crosslake campground to Moonlite Bay and back

28 Kayaking at the Campground,

Brainerd Jaycees Street Fest, Brainerd Brainerd Jaycees Lil’ Rubber Duckie Race Power Boat Races, Serpent Lake, Crosby Backus Fly-in Pancake Breakfast, 7:30 am-1 pm Crow Wing County Fair, Brainerd

UGUST A 1-4 Crow Wing County Fair, Brainerd 3 Pie on Park Avenue, Pine River 4 Chokecherry Festival, Trailside Park, Pequot Lakes 4 Kids Fishing Derby, 8:30 am, Crosslake Recreation Area 4 Gull Lake Yacht Club Fun Regatta 4 Walker Bay Day 4 Pequot Lakes Fire Department street dance 8 Ideal Beef Feed, 4-8 pm, Ideal Township Fire Hall 10-11 Nisswa Crazy Days 10-13 Leech Lake Regatta 11 Dru Sjodin Purple Elephant Run, Trailside Park, Pequot Lakes

10:30 am-12:30 pm Crosslake campground 11 Backus Cornfest, Parade, 11 am; corn feast; fireworks

Moonlite Bay Family Restaurant & Bar, Crosslake

6 am-5 pm, Moonlite Bay

Cass County Fairgrounds, Pine River

24-25 Fishing Has No Boundaries, Sylvan and Gull Lakes 25 Kayaking at the Campground, 25 Gull Lake Classic Boat Show, Bar Harbor, Lake Shore

SEPTEMBER

1-2 Arts Off 84 Art Crawl, Hwy 84, Pine River 2 Paddle Palooza, Nisswa/Gull Lake 7-9 Heritage Days, Pine River 15 Nisswa Fall Festival & Smokin’ Hot BBQ Challenge 27-29 Crosslake Days

OCTOBER 6 Fishing to End Hunger Walleye Tournament 6 Gull Lake Oktoberfest and Pub Crawl 19-21 33rd Annual Oktoberfest Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge, Deerwood

OVEMBER N 3 Firearms Deer Hunting Opener 9 Kinship Taste of the Lakes 23 Nisswa City of Lights

DECEMBER

11 Kayaking at the Campground,

11 Crosslake Firefighters Pig Roast & Classic Custom Car Show, Fire Hall 11 Cardboard Boat Races, Noon-5 pm,

Brainerd International Raceway

22-26 Lakes Bluegrass Festival,

10:30 am-12:30 pm, Crosslake campground

28 28 28-29 29 31

16-19 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals,

1-31 Sertoma Winter Wonderland, Brainerd 1 Arts and Crafts Sale

Pine River Legion Auxiliary 9:00am-3:00pm

6 Schaefer’s Taste of the Holidays, Nisswa 8 Parade of Lights, Pine River 8 Santa’s Bobbin’ Into Town, Pequot Lakes

9 Kayaking at the Campground,

10:30 am-12:30 pm, Crosslake campground

15-16 Confidence Learning Center Golf & Fishing Classic 16 Pelican Lakes Conservation Club’s 44th Annual Fishing Contest 16 Whitefish Chain Antique and Classic Wood Boat Rendezvous, Moonlite Bay, Crosslake 21-23 Lakes Jam Music Festival, Brainerd International Raceway 21-23 Moondance Jammin’ Country, Walker

23 Kayaking at the Campground,

10:30 am-12:30 pm, Crosslake campground

8-7/1 Cass County Fair, Pine River Fairgrounds 2 30 Fifty Lakes Day, 10 am 30 Mission Park Independence Day Parade & activities JULY 2 Fireworks, dusk, Grand View Lodge, Nisswa 3 Special Nisswa Freedom Days Turtle Races, 2 pm 3 Nisswa Freedom Days: parade, 7 pm 3 Pequot Lakes fireworks, dusk 4 Pequot Lakes Stars & Stripes Parade, Noon 4 Fourth of July parade and fireworks, Brainerd 4 Fourth of July events, Crosby 4 Fourth of July events, Walker 6-11 Sweetheart Days, Hackensack 7 Firecracker Run, 8 am, Downtown Nisswa 7 Grandpa’s Run for the Walleye, 8:15 am, Crosslake 7 Crosslake fireworks, dusk 10-11 Bean Hole Days, Serving at noon July 11, 14 Mount Ski Gull Paul Bunyan Extreme Race 14 Kayaking at the Campground, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Crosslake campground

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 5

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Thank you, readers, for paging through our 12th annual Love of the Lakes magazine. As you go through it, you’ll notice a heavier-than-normal focus on our beloved frozen, wintertime lakes. We tend to shy away from overemphasizing winter in publications like this, especially when choosing a photo to grace the magazine’s cover. Instead, we show fun on our lakes, rivers and streams when they are wide open in the heat of the summer season. When promoting our popular “Fun on the Lake with Our Readers” photo gallery this year, we decided to ask for photos related to ice fishing and fish houses. We think you’ll enjoy the photos of people having fun catching fish in their fish houses on the ice. We hit the jackpot when scrolling through all the submitted photos when we came across Jeremy and Sarah Johnson’s photo of their daughter, Jade, 6, holding a walleye caught in the family’s new Ice Castle fish house. Jade’s expression is priceless, prompting us to take the leap and put a hard-water, heart-of-the-winter photo on the cover of our magazine. We’re sure it grabbed your attention as well. You’ll also see that we devoted space in this issue to photos and a story on the evolution of fish houses, from crude shacks to today’s fish house/camper combination. We’ve all seen the fish house villages that pop up across our lakes during the coldest months of winter. Read about the different styles of fish houses that have populated these villages through the years. Not all the features in our magazine are related to frozen lakes and ice fishing. Keep reading to find out for yourself. We hope you keep Love of the Lakes on your coffee table to enjoy all year and to share with guests. Please contact us with story and lake suggestions for our 2019 magazine. Contact Nancy Vogt at nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com or 218-855-5877. 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 7

F E AT U R E

Photo by Travis Grimler The lobby of the new Chase is all that remains from the original building.

Submitted photos The original foundation of the Chase was found to be unstable.

A Leech Lake destination since 1922, the Chase rose from the ashes BY TRAVIS GRIMLER

It's safe to say Leech Lake is largely responsible for the successes of Walker. As a major body of water, the lake’s shores were a large attraction from the logging days up to today, but for entirely different purposes. Today from the lake, a large building resembling something from Walker's early days, or a construction style from a German village, is visible. The Chase on the Lake Resort and Hotel is, in fact, a remnant from the city's earlier days and a piece of local history that was accepted into the National Historic Register. Preserving this historical location, however, was no easy feat.

Destruction

Three fire departments were called to extinguish a fire on a hot day in June of 1997 on the shore of Leech Lake, where the Chase on the Lake Resort blazed. The resort had been on the verge of a $2 million rebirth at the hands of owners Mark and Kathy Shimer, who wanted to rejuvenate the resort and make it a beacon for the city. But Mark's hopes were dashed when he heard the smoke alarms going off from the third floor.

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Fire departments from Walker, Akeley and Cass Lake converged on the building in what was then thought to be an uphill battle. The fire blazed on the east end of the building, and as they fought, the firefighters kept coming outside to be doused with water by residents and business owners. It was June 29, and even without the addition of a raging fire and 50 pounds of bunker gear, it was a very warm day. That only made fighting this fire more difficult. According to a July 3 Walker Pilot Independent newspaper story, firefighters Phil Borland and Bill Bieloh (both now deceased) witnessed first hand the ferocity of the blaze. “As the fire moved up from the waitresses' station, firefighters went to the second floor lounge to knock down the flames. Firefighters Bill Bieloh and Phil Borland attempted to knock down a door to the lounge with a high pressure hose. The rebound pressure from the water shot off the door and knocked the two down. Barely able to see six inches in front of their faces due to thick smoke, they kicked the door in to gain access to the upper lounge. A back draft of flames came out from behind the

door. Bieloh said all they could do was duck, cover their faces and knock down the flames with the water hose,” the story said. Backdrafts are deadly, even to firefighters equipped with protective gear. Bieloh and Borland were fortunate to live through the ordeal. Looking back, then-Walker Fire Chief Jan Van Vickle said the most frightening part was the very real possibility of losing a firefighter in that blaze. “I asked several fire marshals afterwards how we put that thing out,” Van Vickle said. “They said, you put the cold stuff on the hot stuff. And we got damn lucky.” Firefighters finally made some headway through positive ventilation of the building and clearing out the super-heated fumes from inside the building, which can cause flashovers that engulf entire rooms and kill absolutely anything inside. Even ventilation, though, had its complications. Walker Police Chief Wayne Tennis, then a firefighter and police officer, recalls Bieloh attempting to break one of the upper bar windows with a rock. Chase on the Lake continued on page 10

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

VITAL STATISTICS

Leech Lake

371 Walker

5 10

200

371

200

Laura Lake

Akeley

1015 20

7 54

Iguadona Lake

10 5

Ten Mile Lake

Little Boy

Woman Lake

Island Lake

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

48 Blind

Hattie

371

Pistol

Clough

Mitchell

Eagle

1 1

Ideal Corners

Clamshell

Bertha

16 Grass

145

Jenkins

103

112

168

Pequot Lakes

371 East Twin

E.V.

Upper Gull

Nisswa

Nisswa Roy

15 25

45 65 8595

40 30 40

Markee

371

Sorenson

119

North Long Lake

55 65 75 75 371 75 Baxter 210 150 15 125

Wilson Bay

Mud

Hardy

10 371

B ul Pa

nE ya un

CROW WING STATE PARK ippi siss Mis

Hamlet

35 E.V. 25

133

Wolf

45 45

Nokay

7565

Crooked

Portage Grave

144 123

159

Mud Twin Island

Russell

Garrison 144

65 75 85

121

169

er Nokasippi Riv

131

Sugar Lake

Mille Lacs Lake

White Fish

139

27 8

Isle

E.V.

10 15 15

169 25

15 20

Dag ett B

20 20

E.V.

Sebre

20 25

25 15

35 25

Bear Island

Mille Lacs Lake

Twenty Lake

Swamp Lake

10 Pelican Island 5

Round

Clear Lake

Rice Lake

5 10

Long Lake

Rabbit Lake

10 15

South Long Lake

Section Twelve Lake

169

30 35

Borden

Turtle Round

18 Scott

Birch

10 Partridge

Tame Fish

Rice

Farm Island Lake

Bay Lake

Clearwater 124

Elm Island Lake

Lone Lake

35 25 15 20

159

Portage

169

Dam Lake

Sissabagamah Lake

Nord Lake

Hanging Kettle Lake Ripple Lake 12

al ls

Randall

kas No

le F To Litt

Cushing

ver

Fort Ripley

142

5 10

121 131

Mud Lake Alexander

res xp

y wa

Deerwood

Lookout

er Riv

Crow Wing

Fish Trap Lake

Rice

102

10 65

Cedar Lake

102

Brainerd

Pillager

Shamineau Lake

White Sand

CAMP RIPLEY NATIONAL GUARD RESER VATION

Gilbert

Whipple

Gul

Motley

210

Portage Lake

Staples

McGregor

Aitkin

111

210

Eagle

Red Sand

Agate

Serpent Lake

Ironton

210

Sylvan

iver

PILLSBU RY STATE FOREST Pillager

Horseshoe

Wise

146

Carlson

Black Hoof

15 210 10 5

Hartley

Crosby

Riverton

Campbell

Merrifield

210

25 30 35 40

i Riv

ssipp

East Rabbit

West Rabbit

128

Crystal

126

20 30

E.V.

Rock Lake Fleming Lake

105

Menomin

Wilkins Lake

141

Fawn

3 127

127

115

Rock

Bass

Gladstone Little Hubert

6 Round Lake

Gun Lake

Miller

Hubert

115 Round Lake

Nelson

Lower Dean

Missi

Black Bear

Minnewawa Lake

Flowage Lake

French Lake

Lake Edward

Island Lake Horseshoe Lake

Blind Lake

Stark

Mollie

137

Gull Lake

116

Garden

Clark

20 15 10

105

Fool

Lower Mission

Perch

118

Margaret

Upper Mission

Rat Lake

Perry

CROW WING STATE FOREST

Lougee

Lower

Sandy River Lake

Palisade

Ross

Upper Dean

r ive

eR Pin

109 Bass

109

Adney

Goggle

E.V.

4 Little Pelican

107

Lake Shore

Greer

Horseshoe

Pelican Lake

Upper

llen CuMiddle

West Twin Edna

Breezy Point

Goose Island E.V.

Rogers

114

ne Ri ver

20 25 30

Big Sandy Lake

Mayo

E.V.

Lizard

25 10

Round Lake

Glacier Lake

Mud

Dolney

E.V.

Bass

106 Island

Sibley Loon

Pine

Fawn

Ossawinnaamakee

17 11

Pickeral

103

Birchdale

Snodgrass

O'Brien

Crosslake

Duck

Emily

Aitkin Lake

169

Waukenabo Lake

Mary

Goodrich

Star

Kimball

Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

Cross Lake

Sand

gett Dag

Rush

Esquagamah Lake

Lows

Little Pine Lower Whitefish

Lower Hay

Upper Loon

Mud Lake

5 10 15

Duck

Ruth

Emily

Upper Whitefish

6 Butterfield

Manhattan Beach

Big Trout

371 Minnesota Island

134

Arrowhead

Pine River 1

Anna

West Fox

Fifty Lakes

Swanburg

371

Little Pine

Blue Eagle

Norway

Squaw

Kego

Mildred

Papoose

Horseshoe

Morrison

Lawrence

Roosevelt

136

Jail Lake 56

Lizzie

15 10 5

20 25

Outing

E.V.

Lake Leavitt

E.V. 20 65

160

Lake Ada

Lind Lake

Backus

Washburn Lake

Pine Mountain

5 10 15

Lake George

Lake Wabedo

371

Thunder Lake

Hackensack

LEECH LAKE

WALKER

10 25

Wahkon

169 27 47 8

Onamia

27 3

Pomroy Lake

LOCATION: Walker, Cass County 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. NUMBER OF AQUATIC PLANT SPECIES: 49 FISH: Crappie, sunfish, bowfin, bullhead, catfish eelpout, large/small/rock bass, muskellunge, northern

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

pike, tullibee, walleye, white sucker, perch. Special 169 Fishing Regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence.Walleye: All from 20-26" must be immediately released. One over 26" allowed 169 in possession. Possession limit four. INVASIVE SPECIES: Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels PUBLIC WATER ACCESSES: Many located around lake including on northwest shore at Squaw Point off State Highway 371 and Oak Point Road; on northeast side at Battle Point off County Road 136; on southwest side at Stony Point off County Road 39

Knife Lake

Ogilvie

13; on Leech Lake River off Highway 8; on southeast corner off County Road 39; south end off State Highway 200. HISTORIC FACT: According to “Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance,” the name “Leech Lake” is historical, if not particularly glamorous. The French called it “lac Sangsue,” literally “Bloodsucker Lake.” The French adopted an earlier name, as Lac Sangsue is the French translation of the Ojibwe “Ozagaskwaajimekaag-zaaga'igan,” which translates to “Lake abundant with bloodsuckers.” 19

Ann Lake

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

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 9

Chase on the Lake continued from page 8

Birth

The Chase on the Lake Resort had once been a major attraction on the shore of Leech Lake. It was founded June 8, 1922, with much fanfare. A historical document compiled by John R. Finnegan Sr. and Cara A. Finnegan titled “Birth of a Resort: The Chase Hotel and the rise of Lakeside Tourism” says a local newspaper declared it as “one of the Grandest Events in the History of Northern Minnesota.” The Finnegans wrote that the Chase hosted an extravagant grand opening with three back-to-back, five-course banquets seating 159 people in the ballroom, music performed by the Dot Van Orchestra and attendance from Minnesota politicians and celebrities alike. H.W. Fawcett (aka Captain Billy Fawcett), who once owned Breezy Point Resort, is the seventh signature on the hotel guest register. The hotel was hailed as one of the most modern hotels in northern Minnesota with 64 rooms, all equipped with hot and cold running water, private bathrooms, bathtubs and toilets. The Finnegans reported that area newspapers reported the hotel cost either $100,000 or $175,000. Founders Bert and Louisa Chase were already established hotel owners in Walker before the grand opening, having owned the original Chase Hotel (formerly the Pameda Hotel, built in 1897) near the business district of Walker since before 1902, and the Isabelle Lodge just west of the “New Chase” on Lake May Creek. Chase on the Lake continued on page 55

10 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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The windows were notoriously tough, having occasionally resisted breaking when human beings were thrown against them in bar fights. The rock bounced back and nearly struck Bieloh. Although the fire was frightening and nearly deadly, Van Vickle told the Pilot Independent in 1997 that he “was surprised at how quickly the fire went out and that the building was still standing. 'I thought it would rekindle 16 times that night,' he said. 'It didn't do it once. I've never seen a fire go totally out like that.'” Training was likely to thank for the survival of the fire crews and the majority of the building. The local department had gone through training scenarios specifically for the Chase. Though Bert's Speakeasy lounge was heavily damaged, much of the building, including a dining area only separated by a folding divider, were spared from the fire. The building still stood, but the fire spelled the end of the Shimers’ dreams to bring the Chase back to its former glory. Because of insurance issues, structural costs and other delays, the Chase spent 12 years on the brink of irreversible decay.

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 11

F E AT U R E

Submitted Photos Camp Shamineau, a year-round religious-based camp, has attracted visitors of all ages since it first opened near Motley in 1958. At right, the camp is open to both winter activities, like ice climbing, and summer activities, like riding horses.

Camp Shamineau near Motley will celebrate 60th anniversary this year BY PETE MOHS

Camp Shamineau, a year-round, religiousbased camp that has touched the lives of many over the years, will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2018. The 215-acre camp, located on the north shore of Lake Shamineau near Motley, began in 1912 as the Scandinavian Young People’s Society on Buffalo Lake in Buffalo, Minnesota. In 1957, that land was sold to purchase the current property on Lake Shamineau, where its first summer of ministry took place in 1958. “When we moved here, there was a resort with a lumber shed and six small cabins and the rest (of the property) was undeveloped,” said Herb Bloomquist, the camp’s executive director, who added that the milestone anniversary will include an all-staff reunion on the property June 7-8, 2018. The camp steadily grew over the years, all the time protecting the environmental value of the lake. “We have a mile of lakefront, but we try not to do any building right on the lake,” Bloomquist said. “We try to keep (the lakeshore) looking undeveloped. The past

12 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

15 years we’ve focused on infrastructure. We put in septic systems designed at a higher standard.”

“We have 18,000 total guests each year, and we are full for most of our events. We also have retreats for youth and adults during the fall and winter.” Herb Bloomquist, Camp Shamineau executive director Camp Shamineau’s steady growth continued and in 1993, a 22-acre island was purchased on the north side of the lake. “During the summer weeks we host rustic camps on the island with no electricity,” Bloomquist said. “We keep the groups small

with about 40 kids on the island. But we take away all of the electronics.” Bloomquist said the island is an example of how much the lake’s water level has increased over the years. “Back in the 1920s, people could walk to our island,” he said. “Today, the lake has come up and is maybe 15 feet deep between land and the island.” The camp has flourished despite challenging economic times, Bloomquist said. “The economy was tough for all nonprofits back in 2007,” he said. “And almost 20 percent of church camps (mostly smaller) across the country disappeared. The smaller ones that survived were teamed up with larger camps. “Many of the church camps in Minnesota worked closely together and shared resources, equipment and staff with other camps. We’re a good example. We are part of Shamineau Ministries and affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America, but more than one-third of the summer campers are from other religions.” Camp Shamineau continued on page 14

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

371 64 87

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30 25 20 15 10 5 40

PUBLIC BOAT ACCESSES: 5 miles south of Motley on U.S. Highway 10, then 0.75 mile east on Morrison County Road 202.

Rid

FISH: Black bullhead, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, muskie, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead and yellow perch

INVASIVE SPECIES: Eurasian watermilfoil

Rid

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Dr Pine

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Blvd

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15 10

25 20

45 50

30 30 25

Source: Lake-Link; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder

5 10 15 20 25 30

Pine Vie w Blvd

40th

PUBLIC ACCESS FACILITIES: One concrete ramp, 10 vehicle/trailer parking spaces, one dock, one toilet.

Ave

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18th High Rd

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OVERALL CONDITION: Suitable for swimming and wading, with good clarity and low algae levels throughout the open water season. Concentrations of mercury in fish tissue exceed the water quality standard.

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

15 10 5

Bugle

SHORE LENGTH: 10.3 miles.

Rid

Backus

Cantle

LOCATION: Near Motley, Morrison County, MN DEEPEST POINT: 52 feet.

Lind L

VITAL STATISTICS

AREA: 1,434 acres.

MOTLEY

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202

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Pine Birchcrest Dr

Verndale

20 25

Birch

Rock

210

Sha

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Ave

330

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203

20th

Aztec Rd

CAMP NATION RESE Shamineau Lake

203

330

th S

71 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Fish Trap Lake 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 13 Lake Alexander

Camp Shamineau hosts a variety of activities from riding horses to fun on Lake Shamineau to broomball games in the winter months.

Camp Shamineau continued from page 12

Camp Shamineau is open year-round, with a focus on weekly youth events during the summer months. “We have 18,000 total guests each year, and we are full for most of our events,” Bloomquist said. “We also have retreats for youth and adults during the fall and winter.” As for the future, the camp hopes to expand its lodging. “We’re working on adding more camper housing by adding a facility for 40 more

campers per week in the summertime,” Bloomquist said. “That’s about the number of campers that we’re now turning away.” Besides hosting campers from around the state, Camp Shamineau also hosts local events. “We have worked hard at being an asset in our community,” said Bloomquist, who added that the camp has a good working relationship with schools in the Staples-Motley, Pillager and Brainerd areas. “Each year we host a community beach day for area residents and we do a community Christmas event

Submitted Photos

with about 825 local people. We also have open gym and open climb from 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays (except the summer months).” Camp Shamineau includes the Shamineau Ranch and Shamineau Adventures ministries, both of which provide specialized programming and trips off-site of Camp Shamineau. u Pete Mohs is publisher of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal and Brainerd Dispatch newspapers. He may be reached at 218-855-5855 or pete.mohs@brainerddispatch.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter. com/@PEJ_Pete.

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Fishing Has No Boundaries aims to help anglers with disabilities BY PETE MOHS

Submitted Photo Participants in the 2017 Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries gathered for a group photo at Confidence Learning Center in August. The photo was part of the annual weekend of fishing activities.

More than 1.4 million anglers enjoy the sport of fishing on Minnesota waters annually. But for some people with disabilities, going out on the lake to fish can be a challenge. For a group of around 130 anglers with permanent or temporary disabilities, there is one weekend in the area each year that focuses on their fishing experience. The Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries, which was formed in 2003, sets aside a weekend each August that includes a variety of events at Confidence Learning Center and a fishing experience on Gull and Sylvan lakes. The next event will be

Aug. 24-25, 2018. “It’s not a tournament, and we never give away a prize for the most fish or biggest fish,” said Bob Slaybaugh, co-chair of the local FHNB chapter and CLC camp director. “It’s just about fishing. It’s about the chance to be outdoors and make friendships.” The weekend starts Friday with a pizza festival at the camp, and then a busy Saturday with an early morning breakfast and group photo followed by the fishing experience. The day concludes back at the camp with a fish dinner, fun awards, music and a bonfire. “It’s mainly a catch-and-release event,

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

but we do keep one meal of fish that most participants take home. We have separate fish provided for our dinner at the camp, which is prepared by the Brainerd Lakes Area National Wild Turkey Federation,” Slaybaugh said. Slaybaugh said that anglers, with the largest demographic having cognitive disabilities, range in age. “A lot of kids participate and quite a few teenagers,” he said. “We also have some veterans with disabilities and some folks who had strokes. We used to have our grumpy old men boat where anglers had to be at least 70

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years old. Some of those guys have passed away. And we remember them with memorial stones placed around a (FHNB) tree at the camp.” The event is made possible by a variety of volunteers, including boat captains and assistants. “I had wanted to do a similar event, but we didn’t have the people to pull it off,” Slaybaugh said. “So I was excited when Tim (Brastrup) and Dave (Anderson) came to me with the idea.” Brastrup and Anderson, co-founders of the local FHNB event, learned about the event from a group in Bemidji. “My main motivation, after working at camp so many years, was seeing how little opportunity people had (to fish), and how much they enjoyed it so we hosted our first event. We wanted to start off slow and test the waters, but it grew fast,” Slaybaugh said. The debut event for the chapter attracted 35 anglers, a number that grew to around 130 in the years to follow - making it one of the largest FHNB events in the country. Hayward, Wisconsin, where the FHNB national organization started, traditionally hosts the largest fishing event. “After seeing all of the interest from our volunteers, we wanted to make our event the biggest in the country,” Slaybaugh said. “It’s impressive to see the number of boaters willing to help, and all the people willing to work behind the scenes. Our largest event had 132 anglers with disabilities. Plus we have 65 to 70 care attendants who are familiar with the anglers, 65 to 70 boat captains and about 40 first mates who assist the boat captains. That’s a lot of volunteers.”

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Submitted Photos Anglers enjoy the annual Fishing Has No Boundaries event on Gull and Sylvan lakes.

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Pete Mohs is publisher of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal and Brainerd Dispatch newspapers. He may be reached at 218-855-5855 or pete.mohs@brainerddispatch.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Pete.

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Scott Roesner, who took over as local chapter president and committee co-chair in 2007, is also impressed with the event’s success. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s also very pleasurable,” Roesner said of the annual FHNB event. “It’s worth all of the joy and smiles that we see all weekend long.” Roesner said the FHNB event “would not be possible without the generous support of our many sponsors and volunteers who put in countless hours. The boat captains generously provide their skills, equipment and time to ensure a safe and enjoyable event.” FHNB is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting the 53 million disabled individuals in the United States, through the world of fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. Bobby Cammack, a longtime fishing guide, founded FHNB in 1986 after he encountered a problem getting in and out of a boat with a broken leg. The first event took place in 1988 near Hayward, Wisconsin, with 80 people attending from seven states. Today, FHNB has grown into a national organization with 27 chapters in 13 states, helping thousands of disabled individuals participate fully in this recreational activity.u

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 17

F E AT U R E

Photos by Nancy Vogt Clockwise from left: Nisswa Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Hill shows a park rendering to donor Millie Gjertson. Hill shows Gjertson the public water access. A view of Nisswa Lake from the park.

Nisswa Lake Park taking shape with trails and picnic areas BY NANCY VOGT

Wooded land on Nisswa Lake just across Highway 371 from downtown Nisswa became available in 2007, and after 10 years of planning and fundraising, a 2.1-acre city park is taking shape. The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park - a fundraising group - hopes the Nisswa Lake Park & Recreational Area will open by July 4, 2018, with landscaping, signs, a picnic shelter, benches and a loop trail. Of significance is the connection of downtown Nisswa to the park and Nisswa Lake, which previously were separated by a major roadway in Highway 371. Now, residents and tourists can safely get from the lake and park to downtown and vice versa via the tunnel that goes under Highway 371. The goal is for the park to offer nature-based recreational opportunities and connectivity to water for both residents and visitors. The park will offer people the chance to meander through the woods and along the lake in a serene setting before or after shopping, eating or racing turtles in downtown Nisswa. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources owns an adjacent 3 acres of land that now includes a public water access on

18 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Nisswa Lake. The city’s park land is adjacent to and north of the DNR’s public access.

Major donors

Generous donations by Arnold and JoAnn Johnson and Millie Gjertson led to the park’s existence. The Johnsons provided a matching pledge contribution of $300,000 in 2010 toward the land purchase. In 2017, Gjertson, of Brainerd, donated $35,000 toward development of the park trails and $50,000 to completely fund a picnic shelter. "The city matched that $35,000 (from the city's park dedication fund) and is now moving forward with connecting a downtown park, a tunnel underneath 371 all the way to the bluffs on Nisswa Lake," said Nisswa Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Hill. "It's a very important first step in the development part, really connecting downtown to the lake. Nisswa has always been in the heart of lake country, and we are so close but have had no lake access to it. This is a perfect step in getting Nisswa Lake and the Gull Lake Chain of Lakes connected to downtown Nisswa."

History

Property for the park became available in

2007 when the Thurlow family offered the city of Nisswa the opportunity to buy the 2.1-acre site on the eastern shore of Nisswa Lake, directly across Highway 371 to the west of downtown Nisswa and adjacent to another parcel the DNR acquired for a public water access. The city developed a conceptual drawing of a park, and the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park formed to turn that conceptual drawing into a physical park. The city bought the land in 2010. Through the support of more than 170 individuals, businesses and organizations, the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park raised $95,000 over a year and a half to help support the land purchase. The city also received a $500,000 Parks & Trails Regional Legacy Grant (awarded in conjunction with the DNR) and the matching pledge contribution of $300,000 from the Johnsons. The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park continued fundraising efforts in 2011 to help fund a land survey and maps. Meanwhile, the tunnel under Highway 371 was built in 2013-14 when the highway was reconstructed. Nisswa Lake Park continued on page 20

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Leech Lake

371

GULL LAKE

Walker

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA Akeley

Area: 9,947 acres

Homes Per Shoreline: 27.8

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: 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. 64 The chain collectively covers 13,000 acres and its shores host over 2,500 homes. The chain87 spans across Cass County, MN and Crow Wing County, MN.

Hackensack

30 3020 20 10 10

371

Lake Marg aret

20 20

Lake Wabedo

30 30

30 30 20 20

371

10 10 20 20

40 40

10 10

20 20 Pine Mountain

30 50 30 50 40 40 10 10 20 20 30 30 40 40

60 60 10 10 20 20 10 10 30 30 FOOT 20 40 20 40 30 30 HILLS

371

Fish: Panfish, largemouth & rock bass, northern pike, walleye, bluegill, crappie, tullibee, yellow perch

40 40

10 10 10 10 30 30 40 40

Historic Fact: Nisswa Marine was once located on Nisswa Lake.

50 50

70 70

10 30 10 30

Norway

60 60

10 10 20 60 60 20 40 40

10 10

371

60 60

85 85

50 4050 3040 30

5040 50 40 30 30 20 20 10 10

Pine River

77 77 48 48

371

20 20 30 30 40 40 50 50

Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, minnesotalakes.net and Wikipedia

60 60

70 70

112

60 60

50 50

168

33 33 20 20 10 10

115

20 20 10 10

Fawn

Crystal

127

Campbell

Merrifield

127

Sorenson

119

126 Hartley

125

Pillager

146

Sylvan

1 36

210 Pillager

Gilbert

77 Red Sand

Whipple

210

49 Mud

Horseshoe

Wise

Wilson Bay

PILLSBU RY STATE FOREST

10 Motley

Bass

North Long Lake

Rock

40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10

Little Hubert

Round Lake

Mollie

137 Hubert Gladstone

Gull Lake

Lower Missio

116

Lake Edward

115

30 30

Perch

20 20 30 4030 40

Upp

Garden

Clark

371

218-829-4705 Staples | pineandlakes.com 210

Bass

109

Markee

Nisswa Roy

40 40

10 10

Little Pelican

118

10 10

Upper

Lower

1 60 60

Horseshoe

Pelican Lake

371

ive

40 40 20 1020 10

70 70 80 80

30 30 20 20

Breezy Point

Nisswa

Margaret

40 40

50 50 60 60 40 40

50 50 40 40

30 40 30 40 50 50 60 60

Pine

Lougee

Upper Gull

Lake Shore

10 10

103 Fawn

107

107 29

ll R

10 20 10 20

West Twin Edna

40 40

Duck

Lizard

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10 10

30 30 40 50 40 50 10 10

10 10 20 20 40 3040 30

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371 East Twin

Mayo

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Star

Kimball

103

Pequot Lakes

Loon

40 40 30 30 20 20

Cross Lake

11 1

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Rush

Sibley

57 57

10 10

16 Grass Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

Upper Loon

50 50

Ideal Corners

Clamshell

60 60

60 60 60 60

Bertha

145

10 10

60 60

Lower Whitefish

Lower Hay

371

Jenkins

78 78

Mud Lake

10 10

Manhattan Beach

Big Trout

60 60 60 7060 70

134

Arrowhead

Upper Whitefish

West Fox

Fifty Lakes

Swanburg

60 60

50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10

Kego

50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10

80 80

Clough 10 10 20 56 20 30 30 40 40 50 50

50 50

Pistol

Jail Lake 56

Lizzie

60 60

30 30

10 10

Horseshoe

10 10 16 16

40 40 50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10

60 60

Mildred

10 10 20 20 30 30

Public Accesses: East shore off County Road 115; north end of Boomingout Bay near Upper Gull Lake; off County Road 70 near dam; on northwest side off County State Aid Highway 77.

30 30

Eagle

10 10

Blind

10 10

20 20 Hattie

10 10 20 20 30 30 40 40 50 50

STATE FOREST

Invasive Species: Zebra mussels

Lake Ada

Lind Lake

Backus

Number of aquatic plant species: Over 35 species

40 40

Little Boy

Woman Lake

Water Quality: Mesotrophic - clear water with occasional algal blooms in late summer.

Eating Places by Boat: Places to eat by boat include Bar Harbor, Zorbaz on Gull, Sherwood Forest, Jake’s Beach Grill at Quarterdeck, Ernie’s on Gull, Cragun’s Resort, Madden’s Resort, Lost Lake Lodge.

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Deepest Point: 80 feet, 30 percent of the lake is 15 34 feet deep orNevis less

200

200 U ppe r G ull Lak e

Location: Cass & Crow Wing County, MN

VITAL STATISTICS

371

Rice

Sand 2018 White LOVE OF THE LAKES 19 Baxter 210

142

Brainerd

371

144 123

Nisswa Lake Park continued from page 18

The future

Next steps will be to build restrooms and a parking lot, create a boardwalk path along the waterfront, construct a dock system for fishing and boating, and establish the performance space. The overall goal is for the Nisswa Lake Park & Recreational Area to offer the walking trail, interpretive signs, observation areas, picnic pavilion, benches, restroom facilities, fishing pier and boat docking facilities, performance area, parking area and possibly a swimming area. The park will become a trailhead facility for the developing Gull Lake Trail, a 21-mile route connecting the city of Lake Shore, city of East Gull Lake and Fairview Township to the Paul Bunyan State Trail and downtown Nisswa. Nisswa Lake Park development will continue as funds become available. The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park continues to seek donors for the following park projects: • Lake overlook scenic plaza, $50,000. • Covered bike shelter and racks, $8,000. • Site lighting and power, $35,000. • Parking lot and access road, $110,000. • Native plant rain garden, $25,000. • ADA access trails to the waterfront, $30,000. • Waterfront boardwalk, $110,000. • Floating dock system, $60,000. • Bathrooms/pavillion facility, $150,000. • Fishing pier, $25,000. • Outdoor education/performance space, $40,000.

The Department of Natural Resources built a boat landing at Nisswa Lake Park.

Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Make checks payable to the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation with a notation of “Friends of Nisswa Lake Park” fund. Download this donation form from the city of Nisswa website (cityofnisswa.com, “Community,” “Parks & Rec,” “Nisswa Lake Park”) or send a check of support to: Friends of Nisswa Lake Park c/o Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation P.O. Box 262, Nisswa, MN 56468 For more information, contact one of the following co-chairs of the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park Committee: Brian Lehman (218-8384158), Lee Seipp (218-821-0362) or Reed Larson (218-820-5335).

Photo by Nancy Vogt

The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park is a group of citizens committed to the fundraising efforts to support the Nisswa Lake Park & Recreational Area. Federal and state grants and donations from area organizations are anticipated to cover the majority of costs, but individual donations help to generate the necessary “cash match” required of many grant projects. Contributions may be in the form of individual or business donation, “in memory or honor of” or a planned donation from an estate. To become involved or learn more, contact Nisswa Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Hill at mhill@ci.nisswa.mn.us. u Nancy Vogt is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper. She may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.

• Guestrooms with separate living room area and sofa sleeper • Premier suites featuring everything from a cinema suite to loft suites • Complimentary hot breakfast each day • 30,000 sq. ft. indoor waterpark is largest in Brainerd area • Indoor/ Outdoor hot tub/ Fitness center • Gold Mine video arcade and game room • Sand Volleyball Court , Children’s Play Ground and Yard Games • Flexible meeting and banquet space for up to 300 people 001696586r1

In 2014, a Nisswa Lake Park and Recreational Area Steering Committee, composed of 20 Nisswa residents, city staff, business owners and professionals, formed and hired the University of Minnesota Center for Rural Design to develop design concepts for the park land. The steering committee hosted an informational open house in 2015 for the public to consider three park designs - from least to most developed - and provide feedback. Working from this input as well as information provided through a community survey and a concept design developed by the University of Minnesota Center for Rural Design, Widseth Smith Nolting engineering firm created a schematic design of the park in October 2015. The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park continued raising funds, and Gjertson’s major donations in 2017 triggered trail development at the park. The trail loop was cleared, and this year the trail will be paved and picnic areas will be added. Other park amenities on tap this year include picnic tables, barbecue pits, benches and garbage cans, as well as the pavilion/ gazebo picnic shelter courtesy of Gjertson.

To donate

Donations to the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park are tax deductible through a partnership with the Brainerd Lakes Area Community

20 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

HOOkeD? DO NOT try to remove a fish hook that is deeply embedded in the skin, lodged within a joint or tendon, or located in or near an eye or artery. If you are at all unsure, it is best to seek medical attention immediately. DO NOT CUT THE HOOK. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUSH THROUGH TO CUT OFF BARB. String Yank Technique

How to remove a fish hook from your finger 1. Remove hook from lure by cutting at attachment ring; DO NOT cut the hook itself. 2. Tape any additional free hooks to prevent other hooks from also getting embedded. 3. First, wash your hands with soap and water, or disinfecting solution, and then wash the area surrounding the hook. bend eye 4. Tie off a loop with some fishing line. Place shank the loop over the hook’s shank and lightly barb pull it against the bend of the hook. 4 5. With your other hand, press down and back on the hook’s eye. 6. Continue pressing down on the hook’s eye. Quickly and firmly jerk the fishing line backward, ensuring that the line is parallel to the shank. Don’t worry; only a tiny bit of flesh is behind the barb.

n Keep electrician’s pliers with a wire-cutting blade and disinfecting solution in your fishing tackle box. n Tetanus immunization (vaccine) should occur every 10 years. If needed, it may be done any time in the 72 hours following the injury.

7. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and apply a bandage. 8. Watch the area for signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pain, or drainage.

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 21

Rachel Allen fills a boat with gas at C&C Boat Works in Crosslake, where dock attendants hope to entice tippers with this sign on the tip jar.

Photos by Nancy Vogt

Friendly dock attendants welcome boaters to businesses BY NANCY VOGT

Personality matters when it comes to Beadle said, reiterating that “dock guys are with a clientele that’s a customer club,” Nelson said, referring to customers who bought a boat working on the docks around the Whitefish the first contact with our guests.” “You come in and the dock guy comes from or store a boat at C&C and thus receive Chain of Lakes. “They are our ambassador at the gas dock,” up and says, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ You a gas discount. Nelson said he hires females because those said Jeremiah Mick, general manager at need guys with personality,” Beadle said. His Bertha Boatworks on the chain’s Lake Bertha. workers’ jobs are to tie up boats and attend to teen and early college age girls can be a little “Their professionalism, their cordialism can the boats to ensure they don’t get damaged more mature and have more of a gift of gab while their owners enjoy Manhattan Beach and personality than boys the same age. make or break.” The Boat Club in Crosslake - formerly the Outgoing and friendly personalities are a Lodge’s offerings. Bait Box - employs six to eight dock must for the people who greet boaters workers who fill boats with gas. pulling up to the docks because they “We have people coming to get are the first faces of the business those gas because we have friendly dock boaters see. They also must have workers,” said Devin Smith, manager excellent communication skills. of The Boat Club. “They are the face “Their job is to be there, be friendly, of the business and it’s them having big smile, big greeting and be our PR a friendly face and giving good representatives,” said Brad Nelson, owner of C&C Boat Works in Crosslake. Grace McGuire, dock attendant at C&C Boat Works service on the dock that keeps people coming back.” Darryl Beadle, bar manager at Like other establishments across the Manhattan Beach Lodge on the Whitefish Chain, Smith said he looks chain’s Big Trout Lake, agreed. While Manhattan Beach Lodge employs for outgoing people when hiring. “I look for guys who are willing to run up “We definitely look for people who are and down the docks and smile all day long two dock boys each summer, C&C Boat outgoing and who have a basic knowledge while they do it,” Beadle said, noting his Works hires three full-time dock girls. “My girls are strictly gas dock girls. They of boats and the lake they’re working on,” workers have to put a smile on their face from tend to the gas dock,” Nelson said, noting he said. “We are a boat club and we have a mid-May to September. “They move boats around. I like to keep it to there’s no heavy lifting as they tie off boats and lot of members of the boat club coming here and it’s their first time on the water, so we hire high school kids and early college year kids handle the gas pumps. “Most of our clientele is different from people knowledgeable about the body of because it’s a nice little job and a good way for them to pick up a little cash in the summertime,” restaurants and bars. We’re dealing primarily water they working on.”

“I enjoy being out on the lake and meeting all kinds of new people. Sunny days are the best”

22 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

SAFARI NORTH

Photo by Nancy Vogt

Noah Borleis guides a boat to the dock at Your Boat Club in Crosslake.

Angela Flategraff, bar manager at The Wharf in Crosslake, said a lot of employees are college students. Those who apply early in February and March - know how busy the chain of lakes gets in the summertime. “They know how much traffic and business comes through here, and there are some pretty pennies to be made,” she said. “Kids who come have initiative and motivation; and coming to apply early - those are the ones who are going to work hard. They know this is a really fun, fast-paced place.” Businesses that employ dock workers tend

to get the same workers back year after year. After two to three years working at The Wharf, those employees enter their final year of college before going off to the “real world” and careers, Flategraff said. “It’s kind of rewarding to know we can employ somebody for the summer and they’re earning money to sustain them through the winter months,” she said. Mick said dock workers knowledgeable about products at Bertha Boatworks can help persuade sales. And good communication can lead to good tips.

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Kameron Lee pets a dog while helping boaters at Bertha Boatworks on Lake Bertha.

Photo by Nancy Vogt

“Dock attendants will get to know the customers and vice versa,” Mick said. “It’s not uncommon to tip appropriately because they know they’re going to college. “They really are important to what we do,” Mick said of dock attendants. Flategraff said The Wharf typically has a lot more applicants for dock work than available positions. “It’s a desirable position, and if those kids work hard they make a lot of money out there,” she said.

Borleis said, noting it sometimes leads to knowing the same people or having been to the same places. “We get a mix of people,” he said. “Lots of people I talk to are up from the Cities, renting a boat or they have a place on the lake or their parents have a place on the lake.” Tyler Robinson isn’t a local graduate, but has come from Ham Lake to work at The Wharf for at least three summers. His parents bought a cabin in the area seven years ago and Robinson quickly learned to love the lakes area and the summertime people. “I like conversations with people who are having a good weekend on the water,” he said. “It’s a fun atmosphere.” Robinson identified two types of customers: Regulars and weekenders. Weekenders want to know about the lake and where to fish. “My locals are my favorites. Treat them well, they treat you well,” he said, citing $5 and $10 tips, and typically $20 from people he knows. His highest tip was $45. Gage Smith, a 2017 Crosby-Ironton graduate, has worked three years at Bertha Boatworks. His grandparents have a resort on the Whitefish Chain. “I’ve always loved it up here. And I decided a dock boy would be a pretty good job,” he said. A lot of customers are regulars, and others are tourists whom he shows how to use rental equipment. Like others, Smith said: “I love working outside and being on the lake all day.” The job is also pretty laid-back if there are no boats to gas up, allowing time to “chill out and relax,” Borleis said. u

“I really enjoy talking to people,” she said. Grace McGuire, a Pequot Lakes High School senior who will work her fourth summer at C&C this year, agrees. “I enjoy being out on the lake and meeting all kinds of new people. Sunny days are the best,” she said with a laugh, calling work as a gas dock attendant the perfect summer job for teens and one that has helped turn her into a more confident person. “I used to be very shy when I first started. It’s so much easier to talk to people (now),” she said, noting dock attendants must make small Dock attendants Dock workers enjoy one job perk - being talk as boats can take awhile to fill with gas. outside in the summertime - and talking “It has definitely helped with my people skills.” At Your Boat Club, Noah Borleis, a 2017 to people. “When it’s sunny out here - it’s great,” said Pequot Lakes High School graduate, agreed Rachel Allen, a 2015 Pequot Lakes High that conversation is an important part of School graduate who worked part of last the job. Nancy Vogt is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal “I try to instigate conversation,” he said. “I weekly Uncompromised summer at C&C Boat Works while homeUncompromised from newspaper. She may be reached at 218-855-5877 orQuality - Exceptio Quality - Exceptional Value Since 1989 don’t talk, they don’t tip and college at the University of Minnesota-Twin feel like if people Uncompromised Quality Exceptional Value nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and Uncompromised Quality - Exceptional Value Since 1989 Since 1989 it’s awkward.” on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy. Since 1989 Cities. Her older sister worked there while in It’s fun to see where the conversation leads, high school as well.

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I fished for muskies for three years before ever landing a trophy, which took third place in a Muskies Inc. International Tournament in 1975. Since that catch I was forever in search of a 40-pound muskie, what I considered a true trophy. My brother and wife were accompanying me on a lake that is known for true trophy muskies one summer day when I hooked a true 40-pounder. I had made a long cast toward a steep dropoff when my retrieve was stopped by a savage strike. I could not move the "fish" and I thought to myself, "Finally, I've got my 40-pounder!" My line moved sideways and forward as my brother and wife stood at attention with the giant muskie net. We drifted out into deep water as I grunted and contorted in an effort to bring the big "fish" to the boat. After a struggle that lasted at least 15 minutes I began to see my steel leader coming up from the depths, which meant the fight was about over. Staring down into the clear water, I sheepishly told my wife to put down the net. What I saw was my giant muskie lure hooked soundly at the very peak of an ice fishing house roof. As I pulled on the line, the fish house roof swam from side to side and darted ahead when the pressure was released, just as a giant muskie would have done. I had truly boated a 40-pounder, but it did not wear scales, only shingles. It IS a true story.

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1. Burkley Fornshell, 7, Pillager, caught this fish while ice fishing on Lake Winnibigoshish with his dad, Eric Fornshell, and friend, Reid Thiesse - before Burkley got a hook to the ear! 2. Coty Tuttle, Brainerd, of Not Another Outdoors Show, holds two 11-inch black crappies while ice fishing on a private duck pond near Deerwood. 3. Teagan Lyter, Brainerd, shows off a fish with her dad, Jamie Lyter, while they were ice fishing on Red Lake along with mom, Nikki, and sister, Kennedi. 4. Jeff Hanson, Brainerd, and his son, Hunter, show off their walleye caught on Gull Lake. 5. Ethan Koering, Brainerd, caught this crappie on South Long Lake while fishing with his dad, Andrew Koering.

28 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Lake

Fuonnthe

with our

Readers

6. Rachel Friberg, Breezy Point, caught this 27-inch walleye off a Rattle Wheel on Pelican Lake. 7. Bryanna McMillen, Garrison, was ice fishing by herself on Hanging Kettle Lake outside of Aitkin. Mille Lacs and Farm Island Lake are her favorite lakes to fish.

9. Anika and Alex Bautch hold fish they caught with Grandpa Randy Holmvig in Grandpaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new fish house on Rabbit Lake. They caught crappies and sunnies for dinner. 10. Robert Sirovy, Pequot Lakes, holds a northern pike he caught while ice fishing with his wife, Shawna, on Leech Lake. 11. Paige Vogt, Brainerd, holds a sunfish she caught while ice fishing on Lower Cullen Lake in Nisswa with her parents, Adam and Charity Vogt. 12. Josh Dalzell, of Brainerd, holds a walleye he caught ice fishing while his daughter, Chloe, was sound asleep on the pullout couch in Grandmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ice Castle fish house on Mille Lacs Lake.

8. Jackson Bluth, age 9 in this photo from 2012, of Brainerd, holds a 27-inch fish he caught while ice fishing with his dad, Jeff.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

9 1. Michael LaFlex, Brainerd, submitted this photo of his wife, Suzanne LaFlex, with a couple of Red Lake walleyes caught on the couple’s annual anniversary weekend in the fish house. 2. Jeff Bluth, Brainerd, is shown with a fish he caught around Christmas time a few years ago when he was ice fishing with his sister, Jennifer, on Gull Lake. 3. Casey Docktor, 18, rural Brainerd, shows two crappies he caught while ice fishing with family friend Leonard Skillings, of Brainerd, on Lower South Long Lake. 4. Emma Oehrlein, 6, Pillager, holds a crappie she caught while ice fishing with her parents, Justine and Nick Oehrlein, and brother and sister, Cameron and Makenna, on Sylvan Lake in the family’s new Itasca RV Edition Ice Castle.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Lake

Fuonnthe

with our

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5. Wyatt Buck, of Goodhue, shows the fish he caught while ice fishing on Buck Lake north of Nashwauk in February 2018. 6. Logan Waidelich, 18, caught this 26-inch walleye on North Long Lake, where he lives. “I am beyond thankful and grateful for where I live. … There are so many amazing lakes in the area with great fishing that I can never make up my mind on where to go.” 7. Doug Hill, Brainerd, holds a 26-inch walleye he caught on the north end of Mille Lacs Lake in his 6- by 12-foot fish house.

8. Caleb Hill, Fargo, North Dakota, holds a 24-inch walleye he caught with his new Walleye Snare rod on Otter Tail Lake in his cousin Joey Hagel‘s Ice Castle fish house. 9. Cole Baron holds up a fish he caught while ice fishing with his dad, Scotty Baron, on Upper South Long Lake near Brainerd, making memories in their Ice Castle fish house. 10. Josh Fields, Brainerd, and his son, Benjamin, 9, fish for walleyes on Mille Lacs Lake. Benjamin sits in his own Clam Nanook Thermal with his own Vex and own rod and tackle. “Very, very proud Dad moment!” 11. Seth Warwas, Brainerd, submitted this photo of Terry Warwas (right), of Brainerd, and Scott Benolken, Grand Marais. 12. Shawna Sirovy, Pequot Lakes, holds a northern pike she caught while ice fishing with her husband, Robert, on Leech Lake.

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 29

Grumpy or old NOTHING

ABOUT TODAY’S ICE ANGLING w BY MIKE RAHN

Photo by Nancy Vogt A village of fish houses pops up every winter on North Long Lake.

If the movie “Fargo” stereotyped upper Midwesterners as unsophisticated and likely to be of Scandinavian descent, the movie “Grumpy Old Men” certainly stereotyped ice fishermen. Lumberjack plaid, wool caps, tie-beneath-the-chin ear flaps and quaintly primitive fishing shanties were among the highlights shown to the world in the 1993 film. But as charming as that world seemed - not to mention its touching, never-too-late romantic thread - the movie’s portrayal is not quite in step with today’s ice fishing world, a world not only high-tech, but increasingly driven by creature comforts. Besides more refined tackle and NASA-worthy fish-finding technology, the shelters - the micro-environments that shield us from the elements - have undergone quantum changes over the decades.

Origins in antiquity

It’s hard to pin down just when fishing through the ice began, but it’s virtually certain that humans of the northern hemisphere originated the practice. Closer to our time, early explorers in North America reported native people spearing fish through holes chopped in the ice. Among them were the Anishinaabe, or Ojibwe, who had migrated to the shores of Lake Superior from eastern Canada. Earlier archaeological evidence indicates the use of spears and wooden fish decoys in our region as early as 900 to 1000 A.D. Later explorers reported tepees erected on the ice over fishing holes. It’s hard to argue

30 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

that these weren’t the original fish houses of the Upper Midwest.

Undercover

“Shelter” may be an exaggeration when describing a locally popular, simple and supremely portable cover-up for ice fishermen. Certainly it would fall well short of any definition of “fish house.” This simple contrivance - a blanket drawn over both the angler and his hole in the ice can be remarkably effective. Simply blocking out ambient light can enhance visibility of features beneath the ice - including fish - if the water is clear. In my ice fishing past, a fishing partner and I angled for trout on several wilderness lakes using nothing more than dark, opaque blankets pulled over our heads as we crouched on our knees or lay prone on the ice. Under this mantle we could see deep into clear water and could watch trout as they approached the weighted jigs we were working just off the bottom. Seeing fish react gave us feedback on what the fish found attractive - or alarming - and let us visually determine the right moment to strike, rather than relying on the movement of line or bobber to telegraph a strike. Water clarity was essential to the usefulness of this most primitive of shelters. But it’s hard to imagine anything more portable, accessible and inexpensive.

The shack

Crouching over a hole in the ice covered only by a blanket is not the most comfortable way to

fish, and certainly not for long periods of time, or when the sum of wind and temperature equals bitter cold. The appeal of toasty-warm comfort under any winter conditions ultimately led anglers to true fishing shelters. In a primitive way these do just what our dwellings do. Four walls and a roof, equipped with a stove or propane heater, can provide a snug micro-environment in which to outwait and outwit the fish. If the film “Grumpy Old Men” showed any aspect of ice fishing accurately, it revealed just how unique and personal ice fishing structures could be. Imagine a neighborhood with no building codes or covenants, and you’ll have an idea of what typical on-ice villages have looked like down through most of our ice fishing history. Nearly every building material that can be procured in sheets or rolls and is able to be penetrated by a nail or screw has been used. Cardboard, sheet metal, engineered sheathing panels - like plywood, waferboard or particle board - and probably other materials, too, have at one time or another been fastened to a skeleton of framing lumber to produce the box-like shapes so recognizable on or off the ice. Aside from the occasional local craftsman who built fish houses for others on a small scale, ice fishermen commonly made their own or made a project of it with a fishing buddy. Rarely would one fish house look just like its neighbor. Exceptions would be those fleets of houses rented by resorts serving a winter 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Photos by Mike Rahn 1. Extremely lightweight, tent-like, collapsible fishing shelters offer the ultimate on-the-ice portability, not to mention access when ice is too thin to support heavier houses or the highway vehicles that pull them. 2. A modern improvement on the smaller, homemade fish house is the lightweight, all-aluminum, production-line house like the Ice-Trek, which is made in Deerwood. 3. The modern fish house can be as luxurious inside as any recreational vehicle. Some are marketed as year-round fish-or-camp units. 4. The brand that started the trailer-based fish house revolution, Ice Castle, offers models from small and basic to large and palatial; some complete with beds, running water and even satellite TV.

If the film “Grumpy Old Men” showed any aspect of ice fishing accurately, it revealed just how unique and personal ice fishing structures could be.

fishing clientele. Theirs might exhibit a family resemblance, in part since they might have been built by the same craftsmen, not to mention the marketing value of having their ownership recognized by the fishing public. Design and size were builder’s choice. The larger and heavier, the more difficult to move to a new location when the fish were active elsewhere, or to extricate from thaw-andfreeze conditions at season’s end. Anglers commonly mounted their fish houses on ski-like runners to ease passage over snow-covered ice; the lighter the structure, the better it worked, especially if the angler hoped to be able to move it under the power of a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, rather than his trusty pickup. There have been - in fact, currently are - production-line fish houses available, specifically aimed at solving the portability problem. The material most able to offer stability, durability and light weight is, of course, aluminum. Aluminum is not an inexpensive solution, but it makes portability more achievable. One maker - IceTrek, located in nearby Deerwood, Minnesota - offers all-aluminum models in several sizes, mounted on beam-like runners with rounded, tapered ends to enhance passage over snow and ice. “Not inexpensive” in this case means prices ranging from just over $3,000 for a 4-by-6-foot model, to well over $7,000 for an 8-by-16. Even though built of lightweight aluminum, the larger sizes would obviously not be moved 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

over anything but mirror-smooth ice without serious pulling power.

The fast lane of ice fishing

In the early 1990s a bright idea came to an unclaimed freight merchant on the heavily traveled traffic artery between the Twin Cities and ice fishing mecca Mille Lacs Lake. He contacted one of his suppliers, an aluminum storage shed builder based in Montevideo, and suggested that he mount one of his storage sheds on a trailer frame and market it as a takewherever-you-go ice fishing shelter. The rest, as they say, is history. The illumination from this bright idea can be seen throughout the winter on any road or highway that leads to a popular fishing destination, pulled along mostly behind pickups and SUVs. That eureka moment became the Ice Castle line of trailer-based fish houses. Today this brand offers models that range from small and basic to large and palatial, some even complete with satellite TV, not to mention beds and running water. Some do secondary trailer duty with a wall that drops down to serve as a ramp so you can drive your all-terrain vehicle inside for transporting to your destination. The idea was both simple and obvious, and dovetails with a take-it-with mentality that has given us pickup campers, bus-like homes on wheels and pull-behind camping trailers that allow us to bring “home” with us when we travel or camp. Not coincidentally, some use their trailer-based ice fishing shelters in other

seasons for camping or hunting. In fact, Ice Castle brand touts this multi-purpose versatility with the slogan “You can camp in a fish house, but you can’t fish in a camper.” As an indication of trailerable shelter economics, prices range from about $6,500 for a basic 6 ½-by-8-foot model, on up to over $23,000 for the 8-by-21 Loon model. Not surprising, others saw the demand for these mobile ice fishing shelters begin to outstrip the supply and have jumped into the market. Among them are competitors Yetti, Legend, Core Ice and no doubt others. Fish houses and trailers have been partners for a long time. Ice fishermen have routinely used them to haul their home-built houses to on-lake destinations for decades and to haul them home again in March. What make the new breed different is that the fish house IS the trailer. Most important, the feature that enables a metamorphosis from on-the-road trailer to on-the-ice fish house is hydraulic jacks at each wheel, or at each wheel pair on the largest models. The jacks raise and lower the wheels, not much different in concept from the landing gear on a jet. Once “landed” on the ice, covers are removed from pre-cut holes in the floor, and you’re ready to drop a line down to the waiting fish below! If trailer-based fish houses have a disadvantage, it lies in their weight and the means necessary to place them on the ice, behind a vehicle capable of towing them. Fish houses continued on page 56

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 31

Sailing & Camaraderie w BY THERESA BOURKE

Welcome to the Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club

Without membership dues or regular meetings, the Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club isn’t a traditional yacht club. “It’s a legacy of memories that we’re creating,” member Norm Schultz said. “We sit around campfires, we share some cocktails, and we share some stories.” And of course there’s the Leech Lake Regatta, a long-running event that brings hundreds of sailing enthusiasts to Walker each August. The 2018 regatta - set for Aug. 10-13, will be the 47th. Though heavily driven by the Leech Lake Chamber of Commerce, the yacht club brought the event to the Shores of Leech Lake Resort in 1995. For the last 23 years, the regatta has stayed at that resort, owned by Mitch and Mara Loomis on the northwest side of Walker Bay.

32 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Mitch said the regatta attracts sailors from all over, especially groups from Lake Minnetonka and White Bear Lake, both near the Twin Cities. Lake Superior and Canada have had representation at the sailing event too. “Everyone in the marina pitches in and uses whatever gifts they have to make this thing happen,” Schultz said of the regatta, which now features three days of sailing races, live music, a Sunday night barbecue and an awards banquet. Amidst the weekend of fun comes education and philanthropy as well. The regatta committee donates a portion of the event’s proceeds to charity each year. In 2017, $500 went to the ALS Association in memory of former regatta co-chair Guy LaFontaine; $500 went to the Leukemia and

Lymphoma Society; and $500 went to the Salvation Army for hurricane relief purposes. Regatta organizers also jump on the chance to educate sailors and lake-goers about aquatic invasive species, as boats come to Leech Lake from several different bodies of water. “The last many years … they’ve had somebody from the county who works with the DNR to inspect boats for invasive species,” Mitch said. “They’ve been really good about making people aware of transferring invasive species from lake to lake.” Along with hosting the Leech Lake Regatta, the Loomises’ resort - previously owned by Mitch’s parents - has become the yacht club’s unofficial headquarters. It’s also where the group began. 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Submitted Photo The sun sets over the Shores of Leech Lake Resort in Walker, the unofficial headquarters of the Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club.

“It’s a legacy of memories that we’re creating.” Norm Schultz, Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club member

Submitted Photo Sailboats line the water at the Shores of Leech Lake Resort in Walker, where yacht club members dock their boats.

The club started in the early 1980s with a small group of sailors from Bemidji, one of whom was Harpo Dexter, former editor of the Bemidji Pioneer newspaper and the yacht club’s first commodore. Mitch said Dexter’s group discovered Leech Lake and started renting slips from the resort. “My dad never expected to rent slips to sailors,” he said, noting the only boats in the harbor at that time were fishing boats. “They (the sailors) were a tight group because they helped each other with their boats. … They were also somewhat segregated in that everybody else here and in the area were fishermen. So, a club was born.” Though officially called the Shores of Leech Lake Yacht Club, most members admit their group doesn’t quite have the level of structure one might think. 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Submitted Photo Sailors race in the waters of Walker Bay during an annual Leech Lake Regatta.

“There are no rules, and really the only thing we do that makes us a club is there are yacht club flags and an annual meeting Labor Day weekend where we elect new commodores,” club member Mark DeSchane said, adding that the commodores don’t actually have specified duties but mainly plan social events and give out silly awards for things that happen - good or bad - during their year as commodore. “The club is a pretty laid-back, family-friendly kind of a deal,” Schultz said, adding jokingly that once a sailor puts a boat in the marina, he’s basically a member of the club. “Everyone there has a passion for the sport,” he added. “We all love to use the beautiful resource of Leech Lake and use it quietly - use it with respect and use sailboats

to get around and anchor out and share camaraderie.” Regardless of the club’s seriousness or order, Schultz simply hopes Leech Lake’s yacht club continues to help the sport of sailing grow. “One of my visions, or missions, is to continually populate the sport with new faces,” he said. “Sailing’s one of those sports where it’s not gaining in popularity. … We do everything we can to make it fun and to make it accessible.” u Theresa Bourke is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. She may be reached at 218-855-5880 or theresa.bourke@ pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at @PAL_Theresa.

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 33

ailing S w BY TRAVIS GRIMLER

brought back

In 1947, a group of boat-loving people got together on Gull Lake with the promotion of sailing in mind, and to that end they created the Gull Lake Yacht Club and the Gull Lake Sailing School. “The purpose of the yacht club in the beginning was to perpetuate sailing on this lake and to provide friendships surrounding water sports, specifically sailing at that point,” said Cheryl Cote, former commodore and former head of the sailing school board. In 2017, the yacht club decided to distance itself from some of the distractions that developed over the years and rededicate itself to sailing by merging with the school. Many previous events led to this decision. It started with the club property, located at the end of Love Lake Road north of Brainerd. “Some people on Gull Lake had a vision to have this kind of be a get-together place

34 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

to meet people on the lake and keep sailing on Gull Lake and teach people to sail,” said former club Commodore D.J. Dondelinger. “The early commodores were all sailors,” said Cote. “That's how the organization started. Sailing was big on Gull Lake in 1947 to the ‘50s.” The club was primarily the place where sailors and enthusiasts went for sailing races. Wanting to keep the tradition of sailing going, the founders also started the sailing school at around the same time to pass on the knowledge and love of sailing to children and people moving to the area. The classes included everything from knot tying, wind reading and boating safety to swimming lessons. “I learned to sail there when I was a kid,” Dondelinger said. “I have been a member my whole life. I grew up next door so I went there for swimming lessons and met a lot of my good

to its roots

friends there. It was a little building. It was fun. I would go over there and learn to sail. I can still tie a bowline and a square knot because of the yacht club. You learn all of the boating rules way better than you would in boating safety (classes), it's not even a contest. You understand right away.” During his youth, Dondelinger said there was racing at the yacht club on Wednesdays and Saturdays whenever the weather was right. Early on the club began hosting regattas, including the annual August Fun Regatta. Dondelinger said in those days many boats showed up to race at the regatta. “I remember when the regatta would fill up half of Love Lake with sailboats,” Dondelinger said. Through the club's history many things have changed. Motorized watercraft have become more common and perhaps more popular due 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Photo by Kelly Humphrey Bennett Day sails during lessons on Gull Lake.

Photo by Kelly Humphrey Sailing instructor Leo Driessen explains the meaning of various signal flags during a rainy sailing lesson at the Gull Lake Sailing School.

Photo by Kelly Humphrey Bennett Day (left), Hayden Regberg, Taylor Jensen, Jackson Medeck, Lillie Lord Anderson and KK Lord Anderson sail during a lesson on Gull Lake.

to their simplicity, and the club became a place for social gatherings of non-sailing members. New people on the lake got to know their neighbors by joining the club, even if they had no sailing interests. The club was as much about networking as it was about sailing and had members from many local business families like the Cote, Mills, Dondelinger and Driessen families. During that time, student numbers fluctuated regularly from eight- to nine-student classes in early years to more. “As the sailing school evolved, the yacht club's purpose was to get people involved to help grow the sailing school,” said Mary Jetland, past yacht club board member and current sailing school board member. “The yacht club was a way to get people to come and get together and help support buying boats, hosting regattas and people coming in and volunteering. These races take a lot of volunteers.” 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Photo by Kelly Humphrey Hayden Regberg (front left), Jackson Medeck, KK Lord Anderson (back left) and Lillie Lord Anderson learn indoors during a rainy sailing lesson at the Gull Lake Sailing School.

At the school's high point there were as many as 75 students per summer; at low points it was much fewer. “It's gone up and down, really,” said Jetland. “When I was involved in the ‘70s it had gone through a dip, and then there were a ton of families again and a lot of boats in the annual regatta. It's kind of gone down a little again and now it's starting to come back up. It's had cycles over the years.” The club’s focus also shifted over the years. Promotion of sailing remained an important goal, but club members had their attention split among many other things, including the many events hosted to fund the sailing school. With that goal in mind, the club eventually opted to construct a new building for social gatherings. The group also hoped the building could help provide funds through rentals for weddings and other events. The decision backfired. Maintenance of sprinkler systems, expenses

for taxes and building construction all resulted in serious, unexpected burdens. “When the yacht club built the new facility on Gull Lake, one of the things that they thought would be beneficial for the club would be to allow the facility to be used for weddings and parties and events with the hope that would help sustain the club and sailing school and pay for the asset,” Jetland said. “Over time we realized we don't have a staff. We are not set up to operate in that kind of environment. We really looked at it as a distraction from our mission of sailing more than anything. It had definite tax ramifications for the club that weren't sustainable.” It didn't help that the new facility was constructed in the middle of the 2008 recession. To make matters more difficult, the club lost members during that time due to financial burdens. “Stuff like that just broke it,” Dondelinger said. Sailing continued on page 57

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 35

65 YEARS OF

WATER SAFETY

ON WHITEFISH w BY THERESA BOURKE

Photo by Theresa Bourke Ryan Prouty, of Crosslake, teaches youth swim lessons sponsored by the Whitefish Chain Yacht Club. The classes focus on lake safety.

or more than 65 years, the Whitefish Chain Yacht Club has been dedicated to water and boating safety on the chain of 14 lakes. The 214-member club started in 1952 with a couple people who were concerned about a rock pile in a nearby lake. “There were some property owners up here who were tired of their kids hitting the pile of rock that’s between Foley Point and O’Brien’s Point,” said Bob Nelson, secretary and former commodore of the Whitefish Chain Yacht Club. “So they decided to form a boating club to put some buoys out to mark the rock pile.” The group first called itself the Whitefish Boat Club but later morphed into the yacht club. “There are certain benefits to being an official yacht club, although we have nothing to do with yachts in particular,” Nelson said. Yacht club membership comes with privileges, such as flying the club’s burgee on your boat and access to hundreds of other yacht clubs around the country. But Nelson said those are simply perks. “We’re really a water safety organization,” he said, adding that the fundamental purpose is “promoting boating and water safety on the

36 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Whitefish Chain of Lakes.” A big part of that initiative is what started the group in the first place - buoys. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department water patrol unit decides, for the most part, where the buoys should go, but the yacht club takes over from there. “We pay to have them installed and taken out and repaired and replaced as necessary,” Nelson said. “We now have 114 or 116 buoys on the chain; we started out with probably two.” The club makes sure to replace each buoy every eight to 10 years, as they wear out over time. The buoys are just the beginning of the yacht club’s dedication to water safety though. The group also partners with other organizations and businesses to offer boating and water safety classes for both kids and adults free of charge. The sheriff’s department water patrol works with the yacht club to provide youth boating classes. These lessons also serve as a community-building activity. “It helps build a relationship between the sheriff’s water department and the boating community up here,” Nelson said. The club gives each participant a personal

flotation device for added safety. Youth swimming lessons orchestrated by longtime club member Vickey Leonard further add to the yacht club’s safety initiative. Leonard tailors her classes specifically to swimming in lakes. “We do not teach strokes to perfection like you’re teaching a swimming class,” she said. “It’s modified strokes so that the kids are able to help themselves if they get into an emergency, that they know how to keep themselves above the water, like treading water, back floating, that kind of thing.” Leonard also educates her students about different kinds of lake water, how the weather affects waves on lakes and how swimming areas are designated. Proof of the safety classes’ benefits are shown through past students who now come back to help. Ryan Prouty, of Crosslake, helped Leonard teach swim lessons last year. He said the club helped him to eventually attain his lifeguarding certification, so teaching young swimmers is his way of giving back. The last class the club offers is called Women at the Helm, which aims to teach women how to operate boats. This class began several years ago but just resurfaced in the last three years.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Photo by Theresa Bourke Jonny Wallin, of Bertha Boatworks, shows Rachael Nelson the ins and outs of driving a boat during a 2017 Women at the Helm class, sponsored by the Whitefish Chain Yacht Club.

“One of the beauties of the Crosslake area is the wealth and talent and abilities and education of the people that volunteer and retire up here.” John Pribyl, Whitefish Chain Yacht Club commodore

Photo by Theresa Bourke Children get a lesson in swimming and water safety, courtesy of the Whitefish Chain Yacht Club, at the Army Corps of Engineers Campground in Crosslake.

“If I remember correctly,” Leonard said, “a board member at that time was out boating with his wife, and he had a heart attack. And she had no idea how to get that boat in to get him in for medical treatment.” Jonny Wallin, of Bertha Boatworks in Pequot Lakes, teaches Women at the Helm classes, which Leonard said have been fairly popular in recent years. One participant, Rachael Nelson, of Winsted, took the class in 2017 so she would be able to drive her boyfriend’s boat when they go out on Little Pine Lake. Nelson said she liked that the class was geared toward women and was very hands-on. “I’ve always wanted to learn a little bit more about boats anyway,” she added. Like Rachael Nelson, many class participants do not live locally, let alone have yacht club memberships. But even the non-locals could become members. Bob Nelson stressed that owning property on the Whitefish Chain is not a stipulation for yacht club membership, nor is living locally at all. The club - just like its safety classes - is open to anyone who wants to join. “We’re always looking for new board

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

members to have different points of view, different ages, different backgrounds, different experiences,” he said. Businesses and organizations can also join. “Frankly, we think that every resort and every business that rents boats should be a member because they all benefit from the buoys. Their guests do, or their customers,” Bob Nelson said. Members pay dues that go toward paying for the buoys, compensating class instructors, buying personal flotation devices for boating class participants and keeping up club communication (printing, mailing, maintaining the website). Because of the club’s focused mission, those few costs are the only expenses it has, and donations and membership dues are its only source of income. “We have a nice, tight mission,” Bob Nelson said. “We have good focus on what we’re doing.” Leonard boiled that mission down to one key idea - safety. “With our boating safety class, we want them to learn how to be safe boaters. The Women at the Helm class, we want them to be safe boaters,” Leonard said. “And then our youth that are in the swimming and water safety classes, we want them to have a safe water environment experience

while they’re in the water playing and having fun.” Going into the 2018 summer season, yacht club Commodore John Pribyl hopes to expand on the club’s collaborations with other volunteer groups and organizations to maximize water quality efforts. “One of the beauties of the Crosslake area is the wealth and talent and abilities and education of the people that volunteer and retire up here,” he said, mentioning volunteers in groups like the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association and the Pine River Watershed. “Just because missions are a little bit different, that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to support those different missions.” Working with the business community, Pribyl said, is also important for the volunteer organizations to be successful in carrying out their missions, which is why he’s pushing for more partnerships. “I just felt that if I’m going to take on this leadership role in the yacht club, my mission is going to be … to get us going on the same page,” he said. u Theresa Bourke is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. She may be reached at 218-855-5880 or theresa.bourke@pineandlakes. com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at @PAL_Theresa.

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 37

Photos courtesy of Ryan Cerney Bodie, a young red Lab, powers through a Minnesota lake with his first duck. He was owned by the Ryan and Angie Cerney family, Fort Ripley.

This wood duck was shot with a camera vs. a gun this time around so as not to exceed a bag limit.

Duck hunting remains a popular pastime in Brainerd lakes area BY DAN DETERMAN

The lakes area is known for its wildlife and natural habitat. With that comes a variety of hunting opportunities. One overlooked aspect of that is the prevalence of duck hunting in the area, which has remained a well-utilized pastime for many years, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “I don’t believe it is necessarily thought of as being as popular as it is out in our former prairies, but it is a popular pastime,” said Robert Rabasco, assistant wildlife manager at the Brainerd DNR. “We have a number of resources for folks to hunt ducks, and they take advantage of those resources. In particular, we have a pretty good density of wild rice water - whether it be lakes, ponds or even some of our rivers.” With hundreds of bodies of water to choose from in the area, the DNR finds ducks virtually everywhere, but they tend to gravitate toward rivers and smaller lakes with less development around them. The Gull River is an extremely popular hunting location. “Our duck-hunting regulations are such that larger water is a little limited in what you can do, as are recreational lakes,” Rabasco said. “They certainly have ducks on them, but

38 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

we know what sort of aquatic resources ducks use. You may see ducks on Pelican Lake, but I wouldn’t call it a duck-hunting lake, due to its development and our regulations regarding how you can hunt.” Rabasco said the number of hunting licenses purchased has remained “fairly static” over the past few years, but that is taking into account a nationwide decrease in licensed hunters of all types. Since 2000, license sales and hunter numbers overall have dropped 15 percent nationwide. “We know that hunting license sales across the nation are going down. It is safe to assume the same is true of licensed duck hunters,” Rabasco said. Though several waterfowl species reside in the lakes area at some point of the year, the DNR says a good majority of harvested types are mallards, wood ducks and geese, with some teals often bagged early in the season. “A high percentage of our harvest for ducks is in the first couple weeks,” Rabasco said. “You have a 60-day season, but the highest percentage will be in those first three weeks. It does depend on how the migration goes. If you get early-season cold, you push those ducks off the Canadian prairies and they fly

through Minnesota pretty quickly and they don’t stay long. If you have a long, warmer fall, they trickle down and wait for that big cold blast to send them south.” Once those first few weeks are over, a large portion of the harvest changes from mallards and wood ducks to ring-necked ducks. The ring-necked duck is a wild rice eater that focuses its migratory stops on wild rice-laden bodies of water. Rabasco said the DNR sees a lot of them on the moderate-sized ponds and rivers. One prominent place to find them is the aptly named Duck Lake near Emily, which is a DNR wildlife management area. “That lake can literally look like a rice field, and you might see 1,000 ring-neckeds,” Rabasco said. “They hang on longer during the migratory season so they are one of the last ones to come through. They almost provide a sort of second season for people to hunt, if you will.” It is a somewhat common occurrence for an area hunter to hunt mallards, teals and wood ducks for two or three weeks, then take a two-week break before pursuing ring-necked ducks exclusively for the remainder of the season. 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

While duck population in the area has remained solid, some - like the scaup population near Mille Lacs Lake have decreased significantly, perhaps due to increased development. The goose population, on the other hand, has greatly increased in recent years. Rabasco said this has to do with a far greater ability to adapt to human practices over ducks. “Geese are very adapted to resources presented to them by humans. We have shifted in our agricultural processes. We have shifted from small grains to row crops, and ducks of all sorts don’t necessarily do super well at going out and foraging in fields in the Brainerd area as they do out in, say, North Dakota. Geese do though. They are very good at foraging in a corn field that has been harvested.” The waterfowl hunting season begins Sept. 22. The DNR reminds hunters to be as familiar with the area they are hunting, especially if it is public land. “Duck hunters get up early, and a good duck hunter knows to be on their spot in the dark,” Rabasco said. “If you are hunting opening weekend on the Gull River, you are not alone. If you are going out there under the cover of darkness, it is best to know where you are and what the chances are that somebody else is very close by.”

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Photo courtesy of Ryan Cerney Bodie successfully sniffed out this drake decoy and retrieved it from the cattails on a field hunt.

Rabasco also suggested hunters pay close attention to bag limits, which can change year-to-year, and pay close attention to any dogs hunters bring along. He also encourages those who own property near water to familiarize themselves with laws and regulations regarding hunting to ensure they and any hunters nearby are safe. “Almost every year, we get a call from someone saying, ‘Hey, I have some guys out in the bulrush duck hunting. Is that legal?’ We get that question a lot. If those hunters are following regulations, it is legal, and that

surprises people. I think (callers) have the mentality of, ‘This is a fishing lake and I own property here.’ If they are not trespassing and are partially concealed in vegetation, and are not within 500 feet of a structure, then it is legal.” u Dan Determan is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5879 or dan.determan@ pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Dan.

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 39

Photo by Nancy Vogt Spider Lake is located in the Spider Lake recreation area in the Foot Hills State Forest.

F E AT U R E

A group of ATV riders stops near Spider Lake.

Photo by Jim Stafford

Photo courtesy of the DNR ATV riders travel in the Spider Lake recreation area.

Spider Lake may be known more for four-wheelers than anglers BY NANCY VOGT

Spider Lake near Pine River is unique in many ways, but it’s likely this Cass County lake is best known for its location in the heart of an all-terrain vehicle trail system in the Foot Hills State Forest. Located about 12 miles west of Pine River, the Spider Lake recreation area boasts a 29-mile trail system for all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-highway vehicles, all managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The DNR says the state forest’s proximity to the St. Cloud and Twin Cities areas makes it a popular recreation spot. “Spider Lake trails allow all three uses (ATV, OHM and OHV) on different trail segments and some shared trail segments,” said Mary Straka, OHV program consultant with the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division in Brainerd. “It’s one of the few trails in the state that has off-highway vehicle opportunities as well. State forest roads are also open.”

Spider Lake

Spider Lake is unique in that houses aren’t built up along the undeveloped shores of this isolated lake in a state forest.

40 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

“It’s kind of one of those rare lakes where you can go fishing and feel like you’re up north and there’s no houses,” said Carl Mills, Fisheries specialist with the DNR in Brainerd. “This one is a little unique with the ATV trails and it’s in a state forest,” he said of the lake. Another unique aspect of Spider Lake is that it does not boast a bluegill population, Mills said. “Most lakes around here have several different types of sunfish. One of the most common is bluegill. There’s no bluegill in this lake, just pumpkinseed,” he said, noting there is no documentation of bluegills ever being found in the lake, with surveys dating back to 1964. Winterkill is possible in extreme winters with low water levels, though no recorded winterkill has been documented in the past 40-plus years. However, past winterkill may explain why bluegills have never been documented in Spider, according to an August 2017 DNR survey of Spider Lake. The lake is actually home to few species of fish, Mills said, citing the lake’s small size and isolation, and crediting those species hardy enough to survive. According to the

DNR, anglers will find black bullhead, black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed sunfish, walleye, yellow perch, white sucker and golden shiner in Spider Lake. The DNR does stock walleye in Spider Lake to the tune of 75,000 walleye fry each year, Mills said. Walleye is the primary management species in Spider Lake. “We’ve typically had average to high catches of walleye in there in the past, including this year,” Mills said, noting most are quite large with an average size of 18 inches and a majority around 20 inches. After walleye, largemouth bass is a secondary species in Spider Lake that the DNR keeps its eye on. Average length was about 12 inches with some up to 22 inches found. Surveys show the size of fish to be in the expected ranges. The 2017 survey also showed northern pike to have an average length of 21.2 inches, with 20 percent of those over 24 inches; and black crappies with an average length of 8.2 inches - all what the DNR expects to see, Mills said. Spider Lake continued on page 42

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

pids

Akeley

SPIDER LAKE

Nevis

PINE RIVER

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Near Pine River, Cass County Area: 144.91 acres. Deepest Point: 17 feet. Shore Length: 4.49 miles. Number of aquatic plant species: None listed. Fish: black bullhead, black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch, white sucker, golden shiner. Public Boat Access: Northwest shore with one concrete ramp, six vehicle/trailer parking spaces and a dock.

Interesting Fact: There are no private homes or docks on Spider Lake. Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

5 10 15

To Hwy. 64

15 10

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 41

Ten

Spider Lake continued from page 40

The 85-acre Spider Lake offers a picnic area and small public access on the lake's west side, and campsites along the north and east shores. It is fairly shallow with 88 percent of the lake measuring 15 feet deep or less. No invasive species have been discovered in Spider Lake, and lake users are reminded that they are required to inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers, as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells. Mills hopes this will help Spider Lake remain free of invasive species for years to come. Also, Mills said: “This is such a unique lake with no houses on it. It would be nice to remind everyone to respect that by not disturbing native vegetation since that impacts the aquatic ecosystem.”

Spider Lake trails

Photos by Jim Stafford Top: An aerial view of Spider Lake. Above left: Spider Lake recreation area is popular among ATV riders. Above right: An aerial view of the Spider Lake recreation area.

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42 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

RiderPlanet USA describes the Spider Lake trails on its website as “29 miles of scenic, deep woods trails that loop around numerous lakes and ponds with light to moderate hill climbs, providing plenty of scenic views throughout the forest. Most trails are smooth and hard-packed, but ruts, roots and rocks are common, which can make for challenging riding during wet weather. Trails are wide enough to accommodate wide ATVs and side by sides, but there is no single track. The trials are open year-round except during deer hunting season and spring thaw.” The DNR manages the recreational trails, describing them on its website as ranging from smooth and sandy to rough and rocky, and offering a challenging ride as they curve around lakes and ponds, follow ridges and traverse several hills and slopes. Trails are open year-round, except on groomed, signed snowmobile trails. Find parking and trail access 12 miles west of Pine River on 24th Street Southwest (Cass County State Aid Highway 2) to Spider McKinley Forest Road. Hunting, hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are also popular in the Foot Hills State Forest, which offers two state ski trails: Hiram, located off Cass County State Aid Highway 12, and Cut Lake, located off Bull Moose Forest Road. As these recreational trails became more popular and ATV use boomed in the early 2000s, the DNR responded to protect the forest’s resources. “People just love it so we felt we needed to provide some amenities to keep it a beautiful place to come to,” Straka said of the Foot Hills State Forest. A planning process occurred from 2003-08, resulting in a more actively 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

managed trail system complete with signs and maps. The development plan designated specific roads and trails for recreational use. Across the state, well over half of the routes that were created as ATVs became more popular were closed because of misuse, Straka said, saying ATV registrations likely will hit 300,000 in Minnesota in the next year. “The whole goal of the trail system is to manage people, give them a great trail experience and protect the environment,” she said, noting ATV laws have been strengthened tremendously as well. “Because of the popularity, the DNR has made improvements and you can find scattered throughout the forest picnic tables and campfire rings because it is so popular.” Campsites also are located throughout the state forest.

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Timber harvesting, reforestation, wildlife habitat improvement and recreational development occur in the forest. More than 5,000 cords of wood are harvested annually from the publicly owned forest. The DNR also protects the forest and surrounding areas from wildfires. u

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Nancy Vogt is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper. She may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 43

Photos by Theresa Bourke Jane Watson's grandparents built this cabin in 1923. The cabin still gets used by family today, and Watson and her husband, Tom, live nearby.

F E AT U R E

Submitted Photo Pfaender's Point, named for Albert Pfaender, on the north shore of Big Trout Lake looks out onto the shimmering lake.

Albert Pfaender built this cabin on Big Trout Lake in 1923. Renovations have since been made, but Pfaender's grandson now uses the cabin, keeping it in the family.

Big Trout couple traces family history on the lake to 1914 BY THERESA BOURKE

Many know it for having some of the deepest, clearest water on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, but few know the history of Big Trout Lake better than Jane Watson and her husband, Tom. “My kids always call it the ‘emerald pool,’” Jane said of the lake’s glistening green-ish water. “When you go out and jump off a pontoon in the middle of the lake and go between the pontoons, there will be this incredible green aura. … It isn’t that way on any of the other lakes.” The Watsons’ home on the lake where they spend about half the year - stands between two log cabins dating back to 1923 and 1927, both built by Jane’s relatives. Her great-uncle Albert Pfaender - who built the 1923 cabin - came to the area from New Ulm in 1914 after acquiring a mile and a half of shoreline on the north side of Big Trout. Jane’s grandparents built the latter cabin. Both cabins are still in use by family members but have since undergone renovations.

44 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

Pfaender’s first arrival to Big Trout Lake sparked a long-term family tradition. Jane has been coming to the area for 71 years - her entire life. From Pfaender and his immediate family all the way down to Jane’s grandchildren, five generations have enjoyed the water and shores of Big Trout. “My grandma always said, ‘Always keep a place to which you can retreat.’ And I think I’ve always viewed this area as being my retreat,” she said. Thanks to his wife, Tom Watson made Big Trout Lake his retreat place long ago as well. The lake, however, has definitely changed in those 71 years since Jane started visiting. Some have been positive, like an increase in wildlife. “When I was growing up, it was rare that we ever saw white-tailed deer up here,” Jane said. “My dad would just want to see deer so badly, and we wouldn’t. They weren’t around. “We never saw sandhill cranes; we never saw trumpeter swans. They’ve all come

back, which is a wonderful, wonderful rebirth. … I wish my dad would be alive to see it.” Other changes have not necessarily been as positive in the Watsons’ eyes. The buildings are bigger. The boats are bigger. And there are more of each. People aren’t building “cabins” but instead lakeside mansion-like structures. There also seems to be more year-round residents, the Watsons said, so the lake is now in use for most of the year instead of just the summer. Problems like aquatic invasive species, disappearing shorelines and decreasing water quality have popped up in recent years, most likely due to that increase of people on the lake. But the Watsons diligently work to try to combat those kinds of issues, especially with younger generations via social media. “They’re more inclined to work through Facebook and Instagram,” Tom, Whitefish Area Property Owners Association Big Trout continued on page 46

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Lake Wabedo

Lake George

47 8

160

Blind

CROSSLAKE AREA

Pistol

Morrison

Lawrence

Roosevelt

136

Jail Lake 56

Horseshoe Clough

Mitchell

Blue Anna

Eagle

West Fox

Fifty Lakes

Swanburg

134

Butterfield

Big Trout

Duck

Ruth

Emily Emily

Sand

Birchdale

Lower Whitefish

371

Ideal Corners

Lower Hay

Clamshell

Bertha

145

Jenkins

Kimball

Pine

Ossawinnaamakee

Loon

168

Breezy Point

371 East Twin

Mayo

Upper

109

Nisswa Nisswa Roy

115

20 Bass

North Long Lake

125 Bay

146

Red Sand

371

Rice

ll R

Mud

Baxter

Hardy

371

B ul Pa

n ya un

ss pre Ex

10y wa

123

5 Russell

10 South Long Lake

131

Crow Wing

Lower Hay Lake

Mud

2 10

103

39 Mille Lacs Lake

Mille Lacs Lake

169 18

kas No

Twenty Lake

Round

Cross Lake

White Fish

121

Sugar Lake

2 ver

Turtle Round

Bertha 23 Lake

er Nokasippi Riv

131

Swamp Lake

Clear Lake

Borden

v 121

Pig Lake

169

Garrison 144

Rabbit Lake

Rice

25 0 44 4

Long Lake

Section Twelve Lake

15 30 40 46

Partridge

18 Scott

ROW WING TATE PARK

r ive iR pp ssi ssi Mi

Portage 46

Grave

Birch

Rice Lake

Lone Lake

Dam Lake

Nord Lake

McGregor Portage Lake

Elm Island Lake

Rush Lake

Sissabagamah Lake

Hanging 0 8Kettle Lake 40 Ripple Lake 12

Tame Fish

Farm Island Lake

Bay Lake

169

90 50

Lower 10 Whitefish

20 Crooked

Nokay

144 24

20 133

Clearwater 124

248

18 24

Portage

Eagle

Twin Island

159

640

159

White Sand

210

142

Brainerd

ive

Whipple

Gilbert

210

100 90

Rock Lake Fleming Lake

130

20 90

103

Hamlet

10 7

0 10Cedar Lake

Deerwood 60

60 Lookout

Aitkin

7 10

111

210

102

Upper 210 Whitefish

49 Mud

Wolf

Horseshoe

Wise

Ironton

102

Hartley

Serpent Lake

0 12 1

210

126

103

g Da ett B g

Sebre

ok ro

tl e F To L it al l s

Sorenson

119

Black Hoof

128

Riverton

Merrifield

127

115

pley

Campbell 50

Agate

Crosby

70 80

Carlson

Menomin

Fawn

21Crystal

127

Little Hubert

Black Bear

Gladstone

Miller

East Rabbit

West Rabbit

50 60

11 32

116

Mollie

137

Round Lake

Lower Mission

Perch

1 Edward Lake

Hubert

Gull Lake

ylvan

Upper Mission

134

371

Garden

Clark

iver

pi R

Lougee Markee

118

Margaret

Bass

105

6 ip ississ

Flowage Lake

Island Wilkins Lake Lake

Gun Lake

20 50 70 0 French6 90 Lake 100 0 13 110 90 30 120 20 130 135 17

141

109

Little Pelican

Lower

Upper Gull

Nelson

Lower Dean

105

Fool

107

CROW WING STATE FOREST

Horseshoe

Pelican Lake

llen CuMiddle

West Twin Edna

ke ore

r ive

R ne Pi

Lizard

Pequot Lakes

Sibley

Arrowhead Perry Lake

Goggle

ne Riv er

11 11

114 Adney

Rat Lake

Blind Lake

Stark

Sandy River Lake

Palisade

Ross

Upper Dean

Round Lake

Big Trout Lake

Mud

Rogers

Greer

O'Brien

103 Fawn

Upper Loon

Crosslake

Duck

103

112

Island Dolney

Star

Clear Lake

Upper Hay 16

112

Grass

Cross Lake

Bass

106

Goodrich

tt gge Da

Rush

Waukenabo Lake

Snodgrass

Pickeral

Little Pine

Mud Lake

Upper Whitefish

Esquagamah Lake

Lows Mary

Manhattan Beach

Arrowhead

Squaw

Kego

Ai La

VITAL STATISTICS

169

Little Pine

Papoose

Outing

WHITEFISH CHAIN 58

Lake Leavitt

Lake Ada

Lizzie

Washburn Lake

47 139

BIG TROUT LAKE 169

145 16

Location: Crosslake, Manhattan Beach, Fifty Lakes, Jenkins, Pine River in Northern Crow 8 25 Wing County Area: 1,363.05 acres. Shore Length: 8.51 miless. Deepest Point: 128 feet. 47 Interesting Characteristics: Big Trout Lake is the 8 only lake on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes that has lake trout. Crosslakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest brewery, 27 14 Lakes Brewery, pays tribute to the 14 lakes of the Whitefish Chain. The Whitefish Chain of Lakes offers various dining options by way

of water, including The Wharf on Rush Lake, Manhattan Beach Lodge on Big Trout Lake, Moonlite Bay Family Restaurant on Cross Lake, and Zorbaz on Cross Lake. Public Access: East shore four miles north of169 27 66, one concrete Crosslake on County Road ramp, three vehicle parking spaces, 10 Onamia vehicle/trailer parking spaces, one dock. Invasive Species: Zebra mussels Fish: Black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, lake whitefish, largemouth bass,

northern pike, northern 27 sunfish, Isle pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco),27 27 walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, Wahkon bowfin (dogfish), greater redhorse, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, white 47 sucker, banded killifish, blackchin shiner, blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, brook silverside, common shiner, emerald shiner, finescale dace, golden shiner, Johnny darter, logperch, northern redbelly dace, spottail shiner.

Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 3 Knife Lake

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169

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 45 20

Ann Lake

Big Trout continued from page 44

Submitted Photo The sun rises on Big Trout Lake, one of the deepest and clearest lakes on the Whitefish Chain.

Submitted Photo Top: Lois Quast-Fritsche, Jane Watson's mother, spends time outside a family cabin on Big Trout Lake in the early 1930s.

Submitted Photo Lois Quast-Fritsche (left) and her mother, Aurora Quast, sit on the shore of Big Trout Lake in the 1940s. Jane Watson, Lois' daughter, spends about half her time on Big Trout Lake, where her family's history dates back to 1914.

Photo by Theresa Bourke Tom and Jane Watson built their Big Trout Lake home on family land with buildings constructed by Jane's ancestors. Her family history on the lake dates back to 1914, when her great-uncle Albert Pfaender came up from New Ulm after acquiring some land.

(WAPOA) president, said of younger lake-users. “We have more hits now on our Facebook page with younger people. We’re going to try to do more in working with that generation.” The Watsons also try to teach local students - like those at Crosslake Community School - about lake conservation as well. “Kids in school, through education, are more than anxious to learn more about this water business and these lakes and all this degradation with zebra mussels or whatever, and they take it home,” Tom said. Students at Crosslake School have done water testing projects in science class, and Tom said WAPOA recently gave the school a grant for supplies to continue those efforts. In exchange for the grant, Tom asked that the students write a couple paragraphs about what they learned through the process. “And every one of them is the same thing, which is, ‘People need to be taught to behave differently,’” he said. “And I think the biggest issue we have on any one of these lakes is just that.” Courteous behavior on lakes, though, doesn’t mean people can’t use the water for recreation.

DO YOU KNOW WHY NOT TO HAVE A CAMPFIRE ON THE BEACH? The ashes that wash out of the pit during rainfall have an adverse effect on the lake. • The ash contains calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and other micronutrients which support plant growth. So, the fire pit ashes promote growth of plants and algae in the lake. • Please move your fire pit to at least 25 feet from the lake to allow the run-off and ash to seep into the ground and be filtered before the unwanted chemicals run into the lake. • Also, clean your fire pit frequently to reduce the amount of ash that could flow into the lake.

Ramsey, MN Phone: (763) 576-1706 6781 US-10 Ramsey, MN

001601964r1

WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART TO PROTECT THE LAKES!

EVERYTHING WE DO IS RELATED TO PROTECTING THE QUALIT Y OF OUR LAKES.

WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA

Join online at: www.WAPOA.org

WAPOA, P.O. Box 342, Crosslake, MN 56442 Find us on Facebook at WAPOAMN

WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA • WAPOA

46 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

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www.NISSWADOCK.com

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Hwy. 371, Nisswa

800-322-3525 | info@nisswadock.com

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MASS SCHEDULES 4 PM Saturday 8:30 AM Sunday

For holiday weekend schedules, please visit our webpage.

www.crosslakecatholic.com 218-692-3731 Submitted photo Tom and Jane Watson enjoy a bonfire at their lake home overlooking the sunset on Big Trout Lake, tucked in among Pine River, Crosslake and Manhattan Beach.

“We can still go to the lake. We can still enjoy lakes and waters and recreate,” Tom said. “We just have to adopt some new practices.” Regardless of the changing environment and the passing years, Jane and Tom Watson still like to retreat to their haven on Big Trout at all times of the year. “We truly enjoy coming in the fall, in the winter, in the spring because it’s quieter,” Tom said. “We walk most every day up to Highway 1 and back … and we don’t have any headphones on. We’re not listening to the radio or anything else. The two of us will say: ‘Did you hear the sandhill cranes?’ ‘Did you hear the trumpeter swans?’” But a good balance between Big Trout and their home in the Twin Cities is key to truly enjoying the lake for Jane. “I think if I lived here full time, it would no longer be a retreat,” she said. “But I can come in the door, and I feel like things just kind of gear down.” u

Location/Directions

35208 County Road 37, 0.4 mile south from intersection of County Road #37 and County Road #3

001697426r1

WWW.STAPLESSPORTS.COM

Theresa Bourke is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. She may be reached at 218-855-5880 or theresa.bourke@ pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at @PAL_Theresa.

001713136r1

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 47

F E AT U R E

Submitted photos Clockwise from left, Florence and Gene DeLong restored their lakeshore to native vegetation, some of which produces showy flowers, before their lake association began to promote restoration projects. Cindy Rieck's lakeshore today (top right) has visibly eroded since her parents owned the property (bottom right).

Upper Hay Lake residents take water quality into their own hands BY TRAVIS GRIMLER

In 2014, Upper Hay Lake residents gathered to decide their best course of action to protect their lake, which sits near the Whitefish Chain of Lakes in the Pequot Lakes and Jenkins area. The lake had several issues, from a waterway connection to waters infested with aquatic invasive species, but this meeting focused on water clarity. What was causing it to degrade and what could reverse the problem? The lake's clarity had dropped from almost 20 feet to just 4 1/2 feet because of sediments and blue-green algae growth, likely fueled by phosphorous, according to Brainerd Lakers United for the Environment. Lake resident Gene DeLong provided records that supported the evidence of a water clarity issue. He had been taking various surveys and readings from the lake for 13 years, since moving to Upper Hay. Even in the beginning, clarity had already suffered. “When I first moved up here, I think the first August, I went out and took a depth reading in the middle of the lake and the best I could get was 5 1/2 feet,” DeLong said. Those interested in restoring the lake's clarity knew what to do. The solution is one

48 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

that residents on many other lakes have handled. They needed to reduce phosphorus runoff from the shoreline. “Gene DeLong, giving his reports every year, was concerned about the amount of phosphorus in our lake,” said Claire Steen,

“You can't take away all the time. You have to give back a little bit.” Gene DeLong, Upper Hay Lake resident Upper Hay Lake Association president. “There were a number of people on the lake with that concern. That was the driving force to begin looking at doing a shoreline restoration so we could have the buffer to filter it so we wouldn't have as much phosphorus. We were at a pretty high level at one time.” The popular practice of carefully manicuring and fertilizing lakefront lawns,

along with keeping a clean rock or sandy shoreline, meant that water running off of lakefront properties picked up debris, nutrients and chemicals that ran into the water unimpeded by natural buffer zones that homeowners have traditionally worked to eliminate in the name of aesthetics. Popular, groomed lawns also contribute to the loss of shoreline. Without roots, wave action can wash several feet of shoreline and soil into the water. Upper Hay resident Cindy Rieck witnessed this change at the cabin her parents bought in 1979, and which she inherited in 2007. “My parents did like everyone used to do back then,” Rieck said. “They made a beautiful sand beach from the retaining wall down to the lake. When I moved here as of 2007, I would estimate my parents had lost at least 15 feet of lakeshore from runoff and wave action. They had lost a lot. I was getting nervous that it would keep eating away and reach my retaining wall and my boat house that is for storage.” Upper Hay continued on page 50

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Walker

JENKINS

E Nelson Lake Rd

Shanty Ct

Hidden Acres Rd

UPPER HAY LAKE 371

200

VITAL STATISTICS

Akeley

n La d ke R Birch Tails

145

84 Woman Lake

5 Hackensack 10 15

Lake

15 5 10

3711015 20 20

84 20 15

Pine Mountain

10 5

N Oak Dr

15 10 5 10 15

FOOT HILLS STATE FOREST

20 371

20 15

15 5

Lizzie

Jail Lake 56

Horseshoe

43 20 15

Eagle

10 Pin

15 20

Norway

one

Mildred

Clough

371

Arrowhe

Pine 15 River 20

S Oak Dr

Upper Hay Access

Hattie

Ha yD

Old Hwy 371

Backus

Lake Ada

Lind Lake

Sources: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, minnesotalakes.net and Wikipedia

20 10 5

Norway Dr

r ay D

Lower Hay

Ln ch ea yB ad

S Upper Hay Dr

Osprey Clr

E Sandy Beach Ln

16 Grass

112

16Wild Acre Upper Hay 16

s Rd

112 112

Kimb

Clear Lake

Evenson Rd

Clamshell

Bertha

145

Jenkins

W Shady Beach Ln W

Balsam Trail

Juniper Drive

per H

Mud L

d ge R

am T rail

Upper Whitefish

371 S Up

Rid

Bals

Ossawinnaama

17 ul Pa

Bu n nya il Tra e Driv

371

elso

N Oak Dr

Location: Near Jenkins Area: 595.7 acres Deepest Point: 42 feet Shore length: 3.81 miles Overall condition: Upper Hay Lake has a diverse Ten Mile Lake plant community. It is also heavily developed. The DNR stresses the importance of protecting 12 vegetation for the quality of water. Invasive Species: Zebra Mussels. Fish: Black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, 145northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Public Boat Accesses: Concrete ramp, Upper Hay Access off County Road 145. Oak Leaf Ln Historic Fact: On the shore of Upper Hay Lake is Fort Poualak, or the Upper Hay Lake Archeological District, a National Register of Historic Places site featuring a Native American archaeological site since 1978 when it was found to have 75 linear burial mounds, including one of the states longest at 725 feet long. The site also includes a village and portage. The site was first documented in 1897 and had several excavations including one which uncovered an intact ceramic pot, known as the Fort Poualak pot, which contained Acorn Ln traces of wild rice inside and was radiocarbon dated to 550 C.E.. After reports said the site was damaged by private timber harvesting, a lidar survey in 2010 revealed that only about 50 mounds are still extant.

ver

W Nelson Lake Rd

Ackerman Trail

Sil

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

Upper Loon

2018Sibley LOVE OF THEPequot LAKES 49

Lakes

Loon

168

Breezy Point 4

Open To The Public To Rent! CURLING CLUB BUILDING

Upper Hay continued from page 48

at the Fairgrounds

More than a County Fair…

Space available for your special event: Wedding 3 Anniversary Parties 3 Family Reunions 3 Birthday Parties

3 Graduation Parties 3 Class Reunions 3 Benefits

3 Auctions 3 Craft Shows 3 Business Picnics

We are a Concert Venue too!

Boat, Classic Car and RV Storage available Early Fall thru Spring.

001706573r1

Call the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds at 218-829-6680 or Gary Doucette at 218-838-9671 for more information or to reserve a date for your event.

Crow Wing Fairgrounds

PO Box 361, Brainerd, MN 56401

www.crowwingcountyfair.com

Your Chair Awaits!

2018 FAIR DATES: JULY 3 1- AUGUST 4 001704675r1

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50 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

As a result of runoff, Upper Hay had concentrations of phosphorus above the state standard for aquatic recreation, which is no more than 30 micrograms. Upper Hay registered 58 micrograms in 2007 and 40 in 2008. Rieck also saw weed growth in areas where there never were weeds before, which can also be a sign of phosphorous. “I was seeing here all along this shore of the lake, along the southeast side, we never used to have weeds. It was beautiful, hard sand all the way out. It's still hard, sand but now there are weeds cropping up where we never used to have weeds,” Rieck said. Before the lake association decided to promote restoration, both DeLong (in 2007) and Rieck (in 2008) took the initiative to convert their own shorelines from rock, sand and lawn into native vegetation in their own efforts to reduce runoff. Rieck received guidance from Daniel Dix, of WoodSpirit Gardens in Backus, who convinced her to pursue native plants instead of a rip rap wall. “Back then people were using shore socks, which were burlap sacks filled with corn stalks,” Rieck said. “Eventually they found out those don't work so well. They stuffed those along my shoreline and put native plants in there. He encouraged me and said, 'Just let all these volunteer trees and grass grow, because it is the roots that help hold your shoreline.' Fortunately, I had a lot of white pine trees growing there.” DeLong attended lake association meetings to help promote lakeshore restoration, using his own property as an example. “I went to one of their meetings and added up the amount of houses on our lake and the average square feet of rooftops,” DeLong said. “It was tens of thousands of square feet where the water would run off right into the lake, taking anything from the yard with it. There were quite a few that listened.” It was the combined effort of several property owners that ultimately transformed the lakeshore and the health of the ecosystem in the water. In 2014, the Upper Hay Lake Association applied for a Community Partners Grant from the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District and the Clean Water Legacy funds. The funds ultimately helped pay for installation of nine buffers along the lakeshore. Two more projects were funded independently as well. “Our first year, in 2014, we were able to do eight projects on the lake. Gene DeLong had done work prior to that,” Steen said. “He did not use grant money as an incentive. He just did it on his own. He was the person who 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

inspired me to do the shoreline restoration. I was always so impressed by his shoreline. They had a beautiful shoreline at that time. They had many native plants and lots of beautiful flowers. We had eight approved for the summer of 2014 and then in the following summer we had two more projects that came on board to do the shoreline restoration without grant money.” Rieck received assistance from the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association and Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District for her second restoration project. “I put in coir logs all along our shoreline and put plants in,” Rieck said. “The next spring it was doing beautifully. I was so excited about the plants that were doing well. Then we had that 7-inch rainfall that summer and shortly after that had horrible storms come through and it just ripped down my plants.” Restoration projects are often not one-and-done events. They require maintenance and repairs, especially while property owners wait for root systems to really take hold. The first year, record high water levels (1,232.41 feet) damaged some restorations and buffer zones along with extreme weather in the years to follow. Homeowners then rebuilt or adapted to make sure all their efforts were not lost. Darren Mayers from the Crow Wing SWCD helped repair the damage, in part by sticking willow branches into the bank, which grew into an effective buffer to reinforce the shore. Effects are already measurable. In 2016, secchi disk readings on Upper Hay indicated that visibility ranged between 6 feet and 3 meters. While it cannot be guaranteed that restorations and buffer zones are responsible for the change, increased clarity is often seen as a sign of progress associated with restorations. Again, DeLong was able to see the effect first hand. “I took a reading here last year and it was 13 feet. It really went the right way,” DeLong said.

Buffer zones had reduced sediment in the water, algae blooms, weed growth and shoreline erosion, proving the advantages of natural lakeshore over rock, sand and lawn. “A lot of people like to do that, or have a beautiful green lawn down to the shoreline,” Rieck said. “I understand that. That's what we used to want. But for the health of our lakes, which are one of our biggest assets in this area, you want to have that buffer zone with natural vegetation so that not only do you maintain your shoreline, you filter things out you don't want in your lake.” DeLong is quick to point out that homeowners don't have to restore 100 percent of their shoreline. He and his wife, Florence, had 75 feet of their shore restored and left 25 feet as sandy beach for their grandchildren as a way of sharing their property with nature. “You can't take away all the time,” DeLong said. “You have to give back a little bit.” Steen and the Upper Hay Lake Association look forward to the future with the goal of restoring even more lakeshore. “I'm hoping that we can continue to get two or three more residents every year as they see the progress that's positive,” Steen said. “Hopefully we can get even more people to do it. We just have to be patient.” Steen said most residents on the lake seem positive and open regarding the lakeshore restorations.

er inn D y h & da nc ry Lu Eve

Submitted photo Top: Claire Steen tours Cindy Rieck's restored lakeshore on Upper Hay Lake. Bottom: Cindy Rieck's lakeshore restoration required extra time to take strong root because of intense storms.

“It's not a real commercial type lake where there are real fancy beaches and a lot of Jet Skis,” Steen said. “We are a more adaptable type of lake. The beauty of that is it really lends itself to lakeshore restoration. Many residents want to preserve the lake. They aren't going to want everything green and trim, so it was the perfect candidate for lakeshore restoration.” u Travis Grimler is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5853 or travis.grimler@ pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Travis.

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 51 2017

Photo courtesy of Gretchen Hansen/Minnesota DNR Several shiner or minnow species, a smallmouth bass, and a rock bass use important underwater habitat such as submersed plants and coarse woody habitat.

Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Bacigalupi/Minnesota DNR MN DNR fisheries staff use a backpack electrofishing unit to sample fish in nearshore habitat of a lake. Typically, a two-person crew is used for backpack electrofishing, where one person will operate the electrofishing unit and the other person will net fish that are temporarily stunned.

Picture of health: clear water, vegetation and lots of fish species BY DAN DETERMAN

52 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

“We have two species of frog - the green frog and the mink frog - that are really dependent on good conditions along the shore,” Radomski said. “When people remove the wildlife habitat along the shore, they disappear.” Another common lake-quality indicator is none other than the state bird. “Loons nest in very specific habitat, and they are sight feeders so they need clear water,” Radomski said. “They need adequate forage much of it - for small fish and invertebrates. They are very good indicators. Their nesting habitat is really critical for their life stage and they are really dependent on having some protected

- some of them quite severely,” Bacigalupi said. In determining a lake’s overall health, the DNR looks for a wide variety of indicators. Vegetation - particularly the white-stem pondweed, water marigold, Illinois pondweed and water celery - are often some of the best indications that a lake is healthy. “When we see those four species along a water shoreline, we will say that’s a really good spot,” DNR Research Scientist Paul Radomski said. “It has clear water and is providing excellent habitat.” Indicators of lake quality do not stop at flora, however, as a number of animal species are said to be present when a lake is healthy.

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Clear water continued on page 54

Highway 371 & County Road 16 in Jenkins — 2 miles North of Pequot Lakes LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

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The abundance of lakes in this area are a main attraction for both residents and tourists. Luckily, healthy lakes - ones with clear water, vegetation and an abundance of fish species are mostly present in the lakes area. In fact, many of the lakes throughout northeastern Minnesota - including those in the lakes area - can be counted among the state’s healthiest, according to the Department of Natural Resources’ Lake Index of Biotic Integrity program. “In a really eutrophic system, you wouldn’t have many plants, except for maybe algae,” said Jacquelyn Bacigalupi, DNR Fisheries Lake IBI Program Supervisor. “We have a gradient across the state. In northern Minnesota - the forest parts of the state - nearly every lake really has a great, healthy fish community, with some exceptions where there are things going on in the watershed or on the shoreline that changes the character of the habitat.” In examining lakes in central Minnesota - with more agriculture, urbanization and shoreline development - the DNR finds some of the more sensitive species found in northern lakes are not present, while tolerant ones like carp are much more prevalent. In looking at lakes in the southern portion of the state, the situation becomes more dire. “In most (southern) lakes, although not all of them, the biological communities are degraded

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2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES 53

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Clear water continued from page 52

areas with shoreline vegetation and shallow sloping areas. They really like to nest on islands if they are available.” Of course, some indicator species spend their time under the surface as well. Insect-eating species are often looked for in a quality lake, including sunfish and the oft-overlooked shiner. Bacigalupi said her office looks for 15 different fish community metrics to determine quality, but a lake does not need to meet every one of those standards to be considered of a high quality. “Lakes are different,” Bacigalupi said. “Biology is complicated and lakes are complicated, so you are going to have so much variability among lakes.” The DNR sums up all of the present metrics and determines a lake’s score. A lake’s overall score either shows a degraded or impaired fish community or where fish communities look “exceptional.” Bacigalupi also indicated that water quality is largely driven by the watershed in a given area. If a watershed is primarily forest - as it is in the lakes area and much of northern Minnesota - or natural grasslands, it is likely that most of the lakes in the area are healthy. If a watershed is more urbanized or agricultural, quality is more likely to fluctuate. “Particularly in lakes that have low shoreline complexity - maybe you have a really simple-shaped lake with everything kind of the same around the whole lake - activities on those lakes can really impact the near-shore fish community. If you have more removal of vegetation and woody habitat, and putting in sand

54 2018 LOVE OF THE LAKES

blankets, it seems to have an impact on the community as well.” When a lake’s quality begins to deteriorate, the DNR looks at two “main stressors:” shoreline disturbance and watershed disturbance Development along a shoreline can greatly affect those two stressors, but it can also be done in a way that minimizes issues. “Development is not necessarily a problem on shorelines,” Bacigalupi said. “It’s the decisions that landowners make and how they do that development. Do they have a buffer? Have they removed all of the trees on the shoreline? Have they put in artificial structures and docks across a large portion of land? We see some relationship with the fish community and the decisions that are made as a part of shoreline development.” Likewise, Radomski recommends property owners consider how they manage water runoff and have their septic systems pumped regularly, as those two factors can greatly affect a lake’s appearance. “As the water moves along the ground, it picks up soil particles and attaches to those soil particles, then things like phosphorus get into the water and reduce water clarity,” Radomski said. “If you add phosphorus to the water, it doesn’t take much to produce a lot of algae.” “We all recognize people like to swim and recreate in the water, but just minimize the places you alter for those activities,” Radomski said. “If you can keep that impact zone fairly small, that would be really good for the in-water stuff.” u Dan Determan is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5879 or dan.determan@ pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Dan.

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OF OPPORTUNITY ON GULL LAKE David Mernin, New Home Advisor dave@lakesareahomes.mn • 218-820-4668

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Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Bacigalupi/Minnesota DNR Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff use a 50-foot seine to sample fish in nearshore habitat of a lake. Typically, a two-person crew is used to actively pull the seine through the water along the shoreline to capture fish.

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Chase on the Lake continued from page 10

Though the Shimers' dream of rejuvenating the Chase were destroyed, in 2006, Steve Olson, of Leisure Hotels group, took an interest in the place and decided to bring it back up to speed. It would not be easy and it would not be cheap. It had a long way to go before the doors could open again. Plans changed dramatically when two-thirds of the foundation were discovered to be deteriorated. The project went from a renovation and remodel to a partial demolition, renovation and reconstruction. The lobby is still the original, historical lobby of the old building, but everything else had to go. “That was a pretty big step back when they found out the foundation wasn't capable of holding the new building,” said Operations Manager Theresa Grey. “They had to bring wreckers in and it was a sad deal that they had to tear down the back section.” Not deterred, the new owners did their best to keep the building true to its origins, adopting construction styles from the original structure, copying aesthetics from the resort's heyday and salvaging as many historic building materials as they could. 218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

“The thing that brought it back was Steve Olson from Leisure Hotels,” Grey said. “He's got a passion for old, historic hotels. He was amazing when he did the rebuild because he went through the old architecture of the Chase from when it was built by Bert and Lotty Chase. He used the same missionary style woodwork and followed it to the T, down to the old tapestries that the original Chase opened with. He restored, but still kept the Chase's look and feel. You have people who walk into it today and can't believe it feels like the old Chase.” Two years and $28 million later, the building was ready, but building was only half the challenge. Business owners throughout the lakes area, Walker included, have seen plenty of new businesses opened, and many of them closed shortly after. In the case of a business the size of the Chase, that potential was very real. The Leisure Hotels group had a plan to keep the customers flowing and it looked a lot like Bert Chase's Depression-era strategies. “What we do is we have an amazing sales team in Minneapolis that works for Chase on the Lake to bring us tons of trade shows, convention work and group work,” Grey said. “So that feeds not only the Chase on the Lake, that also feeds the downtown Walker area.” The first trade show was likely the Northwoods Sportsman's Show. Though the Chase values its local customers, those same trade shows remain the business's bread and butter in a

region where slow winters haunt small business owners. The business strategy did the trick. There are also plenty of winter amenities, such as rental snowmobiles, ice houses and ample indoor features like a bowling alley, spa, salt water pool and game rooms. “It doesn't matter what time of the year you come,” Grey said. “There's always something to do at the Chase.” Today, Chase on the Lake may be missing part of the original building, but it maintains all of the original appeal with rustic accents from the original building, cozy spaces and amenities that include fishing guides, boats, personal watercraft, restaurant, coffee shop, live music and more. The Chase today employs approximately 80 people in the summer and 40 in the winter. The hotel attracts hundreds of visitors all year long, making it a major contributor to the local economy, just like it was before the fateful fire 21 years ago that could have destroyed it completely. The Chase reopened June 30, 2008, almost 11 years to the day after the fire. This June the Chase will celebrate that anniversary with live music and entertainment reminiscent of when the doors first opened barely over 96 years ago. u Travis Grimler is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5853 or travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Travis.

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Photo by Travis Grimler The historical charm of Chase on the Lake was reconstructed using area rugs, hardwood floors, vintage furniture and vintage architecture and construction practices. The lobby, pictured here, is the original hotel lobby.

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The New Chase immediately began attracting visitors from across the country. It flourished for several years with general guests and large fishing parties keeping the business alive and well. Word of mouth attracted visitors far and wide. In a column written for the Walker Pilot, Otto Ringle recalls stories told to him by his father who heard about the Chase while attending the University of Minnesota Medical School. “His 'Speak-easy' especially was the place to go during the days of Prohibition. A new dance called the 'Castle Gavotte,' mah-jongg tournaments, bathtub gin, raccoon coats, hip-flasks and most importantly, women socially accepted at the bar, were all in vogue,” the column said. Ringle said his father and mother used to spend time dancing there, where his father and his medical school buddies had introduced mah-jongg tournaments. In 1929, the Chase took a hit, like the rest of the country, from the Great Depression. A slowing tourist industry forced the Chases to adapt by attracting conventions and annual meetings to the hotel to fill its rooms, a practice that likely helped the Chase survive hard times. It would be a long time before the Chase would rise to its former glory, and by the time the Shimer family purchased the Chase in the 1990s it was in need of extensive restoration. Among other restorations, the speak-easy that once defied Prohibition was updated with an antique oak and mahogany bar. The speakeasy and antique bar went up in smoke in 1997, triggering a near-death experience for the historical property.

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The first fishable ice in early winter is not strong enough to support use of the larger ones, plus the weight of a towing vehicle. The same is true in spring, when lake ice begins to melt and its depth diminish.

The versatile portables

If the Ice Castle style of fish house excels in offering the ultimate in creature comforts and spaciousness, the latest-on-the-scene collapsible, fabric-walled fishing shelters offer the ultimate in on-the-ice portability. Not to mention access. When the ice is of questionable depth and strength for heavy vehicle travel at the beginning and the end of the ice fishing season, anglers are able to fish from these shelters, which can be pulled sled-style behind a walking angler, or behind a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, either of which is far lighter than a road vehicle. There are also desirable fishing waters that don’t have well-maintained access points, or adequately plowed road networks when snow is deep. Some of these places are remote or wilderness waters, but not all. There may also be parts of lakes that are reachable from a resort or another put-in point on foot, or via a snowmobile trail, that are hard to reach with a road vehicle pulling a trailer-style fish house. At the risk of oversimplifying, these portables come in two basic configurations: flip-overs and pop-ups. Flip-overs begin with a heavy-duty, tub-like sled, angled at one end to ride over an uneven or snowy surface with greater ease. To this sled superstructure is mounted a lightweight, collapsible frame - commonly of aluminum - over which is stretched the fabric skin of the shelter. In transit it rides folded atop the sled, accordion-like. At your fishing destination the rib-like frame structure opens fan-like, all the way down to ice level to complete closure of the shelter. Zippered doors allow entry and exit, and one or more window openings are the norm. The maximum size of the flip-over style shelter is limited to a great degree by the dimensions of the sled onto which it attaches and is folded when traveling. One- and two-person sizes are most common. Among the popular brands of flip-over shelters are Clam, Frabill, Eskimo and Otter. The so-called pop-up shelter closely resembles a tent and borrows from tents the basic internal support concept of aluminum or space-age plastic poles under tension, over which a fabric skin stretches. They’re also called “hub” shelters by some, for the manner in which the supporting poles intersect with a central connecting point. Pop-up shelters are not fastened to a sled base, though in all probability a sled of some kind will be used to haul the pop-up shelter and other fishing gear - on foot or powered - to your fishing site. Some smaller models even come with a duffel bag with shoulder straps if you get the

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urge to carry the collapsed shelter that way. Pop-ups, by their very tent-like design, can be bigger than flip-overs and thus can accommodate more anglers and gear inside. You could even sleep in one, if so inclined. They’re more susceptible to the buffeting of stiff winds so common to on-lake wide open spaces, and so have special anchor spikes that can be pounded into the ice to hold them down. Well-known makers of pop-ups include Clam, Otter and Eskimo. Collapsible fishing shelters can weigh as little as 35 pounds, on up to 80 pounds or more for larger models. Some accommodate as few as one or two anglers, others as many as seven or

eight. You can expect to lay out from $250 to $500 or more for a collapsible ice fishing shelter, depending on style, size and features. Just as there are wide-ranging tastes reflected in the homes where we dwell, there are similar differences in what some of us want from an ice fishing shelter. Some want the biggest and most palatial. For others less is more, even to the extreme of the ‘little house” movement. It should not be any big surprise that we have developed a similar range of choices and preferences in the structures within which we prospect for fish atop the ice in winter! u Mike Rahn writes Inside the Outdoors, an outdoor column published in area publications.

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Fish houses continued from page 31

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Sailing continued from page 35

In an area where there are many charities, nonprofit clubs and children's athletic teams requesting money from the same people, a “social club” on Gull Lake didn't rank high on people's priority lists, Dondelinger said. “There's a lot of places to put that money,” he said. The club needed to make changes, and the board determined that going back to its roots was the best option. “We really took a look and did some strategic planning for the two organizations and determined what we need to do is to take the yacht club back to its focus on hosting regattas,” Jetland said. The club voted in favor of transferring all its properties to the Gull Lake Sailing School. The transfer simplified operation, reduced costs and eliminated several distractions. “People can now support it with a tax-deductible donation,” Cote said. “We hope that model, long term, will be a good change and an improvement for the overall financial situation for the club. We are out of debt. We've come so far in three years. We really have. That's great, so what we are trying to do now is set ourselves up to be fully sustainable and grow the club and grow sailing again.” “All of the property was transferred to the nonprofit Gull Lake Sailing School,” Jetland said. “There is a new board that has been developed and they will be responsible for activities of the sailing school. They will be responsible for growing the sailing school in the future. That is a desire. At this time, in the future we may look to how we can utilize the facility for other things in the community. For right now, we are simplifying a lot of things before we move forward and figure out in what way we can enhance water sports, water safety and water education.” The club still operates on a social level, and

218-829-4705 | pineandlakes.com

there are still non-sailing members, but the school, sailing and racing are the motivation for all of the club's operations again. “Now, what's old is new again,” Cote said. “We're going back to the basic form where the members have more of an active role in the parties and social circuit of the club. We're not making big, formal parties anymore. We are doing the smaller get-togethers that the members put on. We still do the big summer fundraisers so we can make larger amounts for the Gull Lake Sailing School. Then our spring opening party and the regatta will still continue to go on.” Part of going back to the club's roots includes reviving local interest in sailing in an age where electronics keep people indoors on sunny days and many people seem to prefer the simplicity of motorized watercraft. At this time, the club is attracting a growing number of students to the school through the affordability of classes and the availability of scholarships. “It's a great thing,” Dondelinger said. “I think a lot of people don't know it's available to them and inexpensive. You don't have to have your own sailing boat.” “They don't have to own a sailboat,” Cote agreed. “We provide them; they just need to bring a life vest.” Recently, the school doubled down on efforts to bring competitive sailing to Brainerd High School, an effort that paid off in March when Brainerd High School hosted its first event for students to register for the Brainerd High School sailing team. The team is open to girls and boys in grades 7-12 and meets three days a week after school. The club sails boats called Club 420s. “The Brainerd Youth Sailing Club has been made possible through a generous grant from the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation’s Charles McQuinn Memorial Fund and other donors,” according to a news release. “Cost

Photo by Kelly Humphrey KK Lord Anderson (left) and Lillie Lord Anderson sail during lessons on Gull Lake.

to join the club is $75, and racing gear will be provided. Coach Josh Sullivan will lead the club this spring. Sullivan is an experienced sailing instructor and competitive racer. He will have assistance from volunteers and GLSS board members, including Brainerd area residents Tyler Dunphy and David Jeremiason.”

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After the inaugural season is completed, the Gull Lake Sailing School hopes to extend the program to other local high schools. “There are 14 high schools in the Twin Cities that have sailing teams,” Cote said. “There are kids getting scholarships around the country for sailing. We feel like we can tap into the kids here. Ski Gull has grown their Alpine ski club to 100 kids. In the Cities, a lot of the skiers love to sail. We'd love to reach out to more groups like that to get a lot of the local kids involved and even look at if we could look into a high school program someday. We aren't there yet because we are still getting things restructured.” In addition to providing outdoor fun on the lake, Cote, Jetland and Dondelinger say sailing teaches countless valuable life skills and lessons that students can use elsewhere. Dondelinger said sailing improves confidence and teaches a rock-solid understanding of boater safety laws. Cote and Jetland said sailing not only improves teamwork and social skills but teaches spatial awareness and physics. Involvement in the school and club tends to have a lifelong impact that students can take with them wherever they go, even on vacation. In addition to starting school sailing teams, the club is also trying to ramp up enthusiasm through large sailing events. In 2017, the club sought to host the 2019 MC Invitational Regatta. Its proposal was accepted. “The selection committee stated our continuous enthusiasm and participation were instrumental in their decision, as were GLYC's successes and hospitality in hosting past ILYA (Inter-Lake Yachting Association) events,” Jetland wrote, when the proposal was approved. “More importantly, Gull Lake is an awesome body of water for championship fleet sailing, and the ILYA MC fleet wants in on our fun. The regatta typically brings together sailors in 40-50 MCs from throughout the Midwest. Our growing MC fleet will be well represented on the race course and there will be fun events associated with the regatta as well.” “The sailing school is terrific,” Dondelinger said. “I think it's a really great thing. I have no problem going to the Bahamas and renting a sailboat. I learned it all on Gull Lake. There aren't a lot of people with that confidence and knowledge. The only reason I have it is because of the Gull Lake Sailing School.” The Gull Lake Sailing School hosts classes from late June to early August for students ages 6 and up. u

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Travis Grimler is a reporter for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5853 or travis.grimler@ pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Travis.

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