Love of the Lakes 2022 by Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Journal

ECHO JOURNAL'S

2 0 22 E D I T I O N

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Appreciate the beauty of our lakes, no matter what the season

The lakes area endured a long, cold, gray spring that included snow. Did you take time to really look at our lakes and rivers this spring? If so, you know they’re still beautiful, whether ice- and snow-covered or wide open and blue under a sun-filled sky. By now the ice is gone, open water fishing is well underway and soon our waters will be filled with people boating, skiing and tubing, and kayaking, canoeing and using standup paddleboards. No matter what the season, our lakes and waters offer a wonderful escape to nature and beauty. We should all appreciate this and make time every day of the year to soak up that peaceful beauty.

Notice how the waters look different on a sunny day vs. a cloudy day; on a rainy day vs. a sunny day; on a windy day vs. a calm day. Watch the ice slowly form every fall into winter, and the magic as that ice slowly thins, turns black and eventually disappears every spring (some years in early spring, other years in later spring, as we well know!). On these pages of our 2022 edition of Love of the Lakes magazine, we explore our beloved lakes through a variety of different stories. No matter what Mother Nature has in store for us today, we invite you to sit back and enjoy this 16th edition of Love of the Lakes. NANCY VOGT | EDITOR

Spring ice forms on the shore of North Long Lake north of Brainerd.

INDEX Editor’s Note ........................................................4

MANUEL MINE PIT FEATURE Manuel Mine Pit map ........................................6 Red Rider Resort ................................................ 7

INGUADONA LAKE FEATURE Inguadona Lake map ......................................10 Anchorage Inn .....................................................11

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WHIPPLE LAKE FEATURE Whipple Lake map............................................16 Whipple Beach and Camp Vanasek ......... 17

CLARK LAKE FEATURE Clark Lake map ................................................. 20 History of Clark Lake ...................................... 21 Fun on the Lake with Our Readers ....22-23 National Loon Center ..................................... 24

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Mark Ellis, loon photographer .................... 26 Hatcheries ........................................................... 28 Lakes Area Dive Team ................................... 36 Bowfishing .......................................................... 40

WHITEFISH CHAIN FEATURE Whitefish Chain map ..................................... 42 Fishing the Whitefish Chain ........................ 43

GULL LAKE CHAIN FEATURE Gull Lake Chain map ..................................... 44 Fishing the Gull Lake Chain ........................ 45

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NORTHEAST OF CROSBY, CROW WING COUNTY Area: 35 acres Deepest Point: 160 feet

MANUEL MINE PIT

Water quality: Clear with visibility to a depth of nearly 30 feet Fish Species: A designated trout lake (6,500 rainbow trout stocked annually by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources), bluegill, yellow perch Public Water Access: Gravel access road on the west side of County Highway 31, a mile north of Highway 210. Access to the lake is by a 400-foot walking path from the parking lot.

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Interesting Fact: Manuel Mine was known for manganese, but the mining stopped earlier than most mine pits because the sandy landscape made it difficult to dig.

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6 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

Lookout

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Desire to share their property with others leads couple to open resort on mine pit Red Rider Resort is on Manuel Mine Pit By Pete Mohs Vern and Teffany Lewis enjoyed their cabin property on the Cuyuna Range, and they wanted to share it. That’s why they opened Red Rider Resort on the far east side of the Cuyuna Recreation trails on Manuel Mine Pit just northeast of Crosby. “Our plan was to be campground hosts when we retire,” Tiffany said. The plan actually began before retirement for the Lewises as they purchased the land on the east side of Manuel in 2017, started constructing cabins and developing the land in 2018, and opened the resort on Memorial Day of 2019. “We first wanted a place for our cabin,

Owners Vern and Teffany Lewis opened Red Rider Resort in 2019 on the shores of the Manuel Mine Pit on the Cuyuna Range. Photo by Pete Mohs / Echo Journal

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What’s in a name?

ON THE COVER The sun sets over Whipple Lake from the view of the fishing pier. Contributed photo.

PUBLISHER

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

EDITOR

Nancy Vogt .............................nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Susie Alters Eller .........susie.alters@brainerddispatch.com

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Pete Mohs ....................... pete.mohs@brainerddispatch.com Nancy Vogt .............................nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com Travis Grimler....................travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com Dan Determan ................dan.determan@pineandlakes.com Dick Carlson | Mike Rahn | Jon Stolski | Nate Blasing

PAGE DESIGNER

Sara Slaby

MAP DESIGNER

Chris Johnson

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS:

No part of the material contained herein may be reproduced without prior written consent. Printed by Forum Communications Printing of Fargo, North Dakota The Pineandlakes Echo Journal is a weekly newspaper covering the Pequot Lakes and Pine River areas and is owned by Forum Communications Company in Fargo, North Dakota. Love of the Lakes combines stories with information and maps for different lakes in the area. We dedicate the magazine to the families and businesses around each featured lake or lake chain. Sources for lake map information and statistics include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us

8 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

People often mention the Cuyuna Range mine pit names, but do they know how each location received that identification? Here are updates on the naming, plus some additional facts, for a few of the most popular mine pits. But first of all, how did the Cuyuna Range region between Brainerd and Aitkin gain its name? It was discovered by Cuyler Adams, a surveyor who found traces of magnetic ore while surveying land in 1895. The word “Cuyuna” was created with the first three letters of Cuyler plus “Una,” his St. Bernard’s name. Mining took place on the Cuyuna Range from 1907 to 1982 in more than 30 different mines. The Cuyuna Range held the largest domestic supply of manganese-rich iron ores to harden the steel used in production during World War I and World War II. The mining industry eventually slowed for the Cuyuna Range. The mine pits were eventually filled with water and the region has become an attraction with its lakes and biking trails. Following is the history of the mine pit names and the reason for their popularity, thanks to help from the Cuyuna Iron Range Heritage Network: • Armor 1: This mine pit is located on what was once the homestead of John Mattson, a Swedish emigrant. It was named after C.D. Armor, a stockholder and director. Armor 2, which started its mining operation in 1912-13, and once owned by Inland Steel, was the last underground mine to operate on the Cuyuna Range in 1967. • Kennedy: Named after S.A. Kennedy, president of Rogers Brown Ore Co. The first shipment of ore was transported by train in 1911. • Mahnomen: The name is a Native American word for wild rice. • Milford: Named in honor of mine pit owner George Crosby’s mother’s hometown of Milford, Connecticut. Milford was the location of the worst mining disaster in Minnesota on Feb. 5, 1924. A tunnel was blasted too close to nearby Foley Lake, and water rushed in, killing 41 miners. • Portsmouth: Was once owned by one of the biggest mining companies in the United States, the M.A. Hanna Mining. Portsmouth, reaching depths of around 450 feet, is the deepest lake inside the state of Minnesota (not including Lake Superior). On

Aug. 19, 1957, the mine pit, then not yet filled with water, was the site for a big stratospheric balloon launch, the second flight of the Air Force's Project Man High. The pilot was Dr. David G. Simon. • Manuel: The local Zontelli brothers named their mine pit in honor of their grandfather, Emanuel Zontelli. • Virginia: The Zontelli brothers named this mine after their mother, Virginia. • Sagamore: Named after former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt’s birthplace home in New York City. • Barrows: Named in honor of Walter A. Barrows. Also, a small town south of Brainerd is named after his son, Walter A. Barrows Jr. • Rowe: Open pit mining started at the Rowe mine, located near Riverton, in 1912. In addition to the iron, the ore was rich in manganese, which was useful during World War 1. • Sixth Street Mine: A mine pit operated in south Brainerd from 1913-15. It was called the Sixth Street Mine since it was located just south of the former Holiday Inn along Sixth Street.

“Three of our cabins are built on stilts, so people can have an opportunity to see the water when they’re up there. It’s like a treehouse.” Vern Lewis

and we fell in love with the property,” said Vern, adding the location is perfect for guests as the cabins are on a 35-foot bluff over the mine pit. “Three of our cabins are built on stilts, so people can have an opportunity to see the water when they’re up there. It’s like a treehouse.” Red Rider, which features eight cabins, four RV sites and room for camping, is unique because it overlooks a lake that once served

One of the Red Rider Resort features is a sauna built along the cliffs of Manuel Mine lake. Photo by Pete Mohs

as a manganese/iron ore mining pit. Today, the property features the clear water of the mine pits that are surrounded by an abundance of trees and nature. “The Zontelli brothers were the

last ones to mine here,” Vern said as he looked at a 1953 photo on the wall of one of his cabins of the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

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CASS COUNTY, EAST OF LONGVILLE

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Area: 1132.93 acres Shore Length: 10.99 miles

INGUADONA LAKE

Deepest Point: 79 feet

Fish Species: Black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, bowfin (dogfish), greater redhorse, redhorse, shorthead redhorse, white sucker, banded killifish, blackchin shiner, blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, brassy minnow, central mudminnow, common shiner, emerald shiner, golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, least darter, logperch, mimic shiner, pugnose shiner, spottail shiner

Public Water Access: One ramp is located on the southeast end of the lake on 44th Street Northeast off of County Road 7 Interesting Fact: According to “Paddling Minnesota,” by Greg Breining, and the Boy River Canoe Route map, Inguadona Lake is the anglicized version of the Ojibwe word “equademog,” meaning “edge of the slope.”

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Iguadona Lake

Little Boy

Business owner protects lake that provides for him Anchorage Inn owner is founding member of Inguadona Lake Association By Travis Grimler Inguadona Lake is a renowned fishery just outside of Longville. Over the years, its bluegill population has attracted the attention of national fishing magazines, and in recent years the fishery has only improved. Jeffrey Knuf said he and other lakes association members have worked long and hard to make sure it stays that way. Inguadona is an important part of Knuf’s life. Not only does he live on the lake, but since 2003 he’s been the proprietor of Anchorage Inn - a bar, restaurant, convenience store and off-sale liquor store situated right on the narrow road between

“There were cabins right on the lake. During high water they would literally have waves blowing up into them.” Jeffrey Knuf

upper and lower Inguadona Lake. Knuf came to Longville when a fellow coworker at American Express, Larry Gavin, agreed to buy the Anchorage Inn with him. “He had a cabin on Big Boy,” Knuf said. “We’d come up fishing all the time

and drive home Sunday night. We thought about what we could do for a living up here so we didn’t have to go back and forth. In 2001, my job was eliminated and I was working as a contractor. I decided I’d look and see if I could find something.”

2022 Love of the Lakes | 11

PHOTOS: The Anchorage Inn on Inguadona Lake has many windows overlooking the water. Photos by Travis Grimler / Echo Journal

• 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

12 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

Knuf looked at resorts, grocery stores, liquor stores and more. A real estate agent knew the Anchorage Inn was just about to come up for sale. Knuf and Gavin agreed to buy it. The place was a unique fixer upper. At the time it was almost more of a small resort with a small bar and a series of small cabins. “There were cabins right on the lake,” Knuf said. “During high water they would literally have waves blowing up into them.” At the time, most of the business consisted of original structures from the 1940s, with the exception of a small expansion in 1994. It was a fairly new experience for Knuf, who had worked in information technology at his last job. He wasn’t too far in the weeds, though, as he had tended bar in college and helped friends who owned bars and restaurants. Still, it was a learning experience. “I was learning on the fly,” Knuf said. “I kept a lot of employees from the previous

Anchorage Inn brought hot, brick oven pizza to Longville, filling a void in nearby dining options. Contributed photo

owner. In fact, off the top of my head, I have five on staff from 19 years ago. That helped a lot in our transition.” The building had issues. It was a collection of add-ons, with the latest being in 1994. Knuf remembers they had to put extra heaters in the bathrooms, which were located on an outside corner wall of the building, and so were prone to frozen pipes. “We tore most of it down and rebuilt,” Knuf said. Within a year they gave the business a face-lift, demolishing most of the cabins and most of the building’s older sections. They rebuilt with more restaurant space, an updated bar and outside patio. Knuf and Gavin also saw an opportunity to make their mark. Years later they added a brick oven for pizza. “There were really no handmade pizzas close to here,” Knuf said. “Probably in Walker. Pizzas go well, typically, if you do a good job. So that was kind of our thought. It was one big opportunity in the area.” As is easy to imagine, Inguadona Lake is part of his business’ identity. He also lives on the southern part of the lake, making it an even more important resource to Knuf. So important that he was one of the

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“Panfishing was getting pounded. The winter before we got the reduced limits there’d be 100 trucks down on the ice. Some people might not like it, but the quality of both the crappie and bluegills has definitely increased since 2008. I guarantee it worked here. That was a big accomplishment and we did a lot of work around here.” Inguadona Lake is important to the Anchorage Inn. The business is located on the narrow road between the upper and lower part of the lake.

Jeffrey Knuf

Contributed photo

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founding members, and first president, of the Inguadona Lake Association in 2007. “Several of us were talking about forming a coalition,” Knuf said. “We didn’t have a lake association yet. There was a multi-lake association with Little Boy and Wabedo and even Cooper and Inguadona. In a meeting with the DNR we had to have an individual lake plan. The only way we were going to get that was to have our own lake association.” Knuf said Inguadona’s members felt like the previous plan didn’t give enough attention to their own lake, so they decided to branch out. It fit into Knuf’s schedule. He worked mostly nights and weekends at the restaurant, leaving weekday evenings open for lake association duties. They worked hard to keep a healthy fish population in the lake. “As part of the coalition we got the walleyes started on this lake,” Knuf said. “Now there are panfish limits on a lot of lakes, but we did that ourselves (on Inguadona) in 2008 and it’s worked spectacularly well. It’s always been a great panfish lake, but it’s that much better now.” Knuf said the lake was under extreme pressure with panfishing after an article in

NORTHWESTERN BAXTER Area: 301.42 acres Shore Length: 6.46 miles Deepest Point: 28.7 feet

WHIPPLE LAKE

Fish Species: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, bluntnose minnow, golden shiner, least darter Public Water Access: A ramp is located on Oakwood Drive, near the beach

Interesting Fact: The lake is named after Henry Benjamin Whipple, an Episcopal bishop known for his humanitarian efforts for Native Americans in Minnesota.

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Whipple Beach in Baxter is a popular place on nice summer days. Brainerd Dispatch photo

Whipple Beach, Camp Vanasek

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By Dan Determan For the city of Baxter, much of the lake activities take place on Whipple Lake in the northwestern corner of town. Specifically, the amenities at Whipple Beach make for one of the most popular recreational areas in town and the surrounding area.

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“There aren’t too many public beaches on some of the lakes in the surrounding area. Whipple Beach is one of the few, so we tend to get users that come from outside the boundaries of Baxter to recreate and enjoy the lake.” Brad Chapulis, Baxter city administrator

TOP: Whipple Beach is Baxter’s most utilized public park. ABOVE: Camp Vanasek has served the area for more than 70 years. Contributed photos

18 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

“It is our most utilized park,” Baxter City Administrator Brad Chapulis said. “Obviously, the beach is a major draw. There aren’t too many public beaches on some of the lakes in the surrounding area. Whipple Beach is one of the few, so we tend to get users that come from outside the boundaries of Baxter to recreate and enjoy the lake.” Whipple Beach has been open to the public since the early 1960s, originally managed and operated by Crow Wing County. The city took over in the late 1980s, making a number of improvements to make the park what it is today. In the late 1990s, the boat access and restrooms were added. Shortly after that, the fishing pier was built. Eight years ago, the picnic area was constructed. In addition, the park features playground equipment, and swimming is - of course - an option, though no lifeguards are on duty. Chapulis said the beach’s popularity has been very consistent through the years and was perhaps magnified during the pandemic, with the beach providing plenty of outdoor activities where individuals could distance themselves from others. “There is a lot of space there to keep your distance, but yet you are able to be out in the sun and the fresh air, and enjoy the nice, cool waters of the lake,” he said. One aspect of the area’s popularity may be Camp Vanasek, located next to the beach. Established privately more than 70 years ago, Camp Vanasek is now under the management of the Brainerd Lakes YMCA

Campers at Camp Vanasek have the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of outdoors activities. Contributed photo

and serves campers of various ages during the summer months. “Camp Vanasek is a space where kids and young teenagers are able to come together, have fun and learn throughout the summer,” Brainerd Lakes YMCA CEO Shane Riffle said. “It gets them away from computers and away from their phones, and into the outdoors where so much valuable learning can occur … The kids are learning without realizing it and they’re having fun along the way. They are learning the skills that are most valuable in life.” Like the beach itself, Camp Vanasek has been a popular summer destination for many years and, according to Riffle, saw “remarkable” numbers during the pandemic. “During COVID, we utilized the camp as one of our distance learning sites. We were able to use the YMCA and keep kids appropriately separated, but we also used the two buildings at the camp for distance learning … It was just a good place. We were able to utilize the outdoors - snowshoes, cross country skis and things like that - and they were still able to learn.” Looking to the future, officials at Camp Vanasek have big plans for the site - plans that would open the camp to more people when the sun is shining or snow is falling. “We are building the plans right now, but the dream is to re-do all of the cabins and make it a year-round type of camp, where we can do programs and activities throughout the entire year,” Riffle said.

As for Whipple Beach, the city’s future plans for the site are relatively simple: keeping everything in tip-top shape. “(We are focused on) keeping the park in the best condition that it can be,” Chapulis said. “Obviously, as facilities age, the need for maintenance and repairs continue to increase and that’s really what

our focus is - maintaining the quality of recreational facilities that we currently have out there.” DAN DETERMAN is a staff writer 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.

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SOUTH AND EAST OF NISSWA Area: 305.41 acres Shore Length: 4.99 miles Deepest Point: 31 feet Fish Species: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, white sucker, banded killifish, blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, emerald shiner, golden shiner Public Water Access: A ramp is located on County Road 13, east of Highway 371 Interesting Fact: Col. Freeman Thorp is a nationally renowned artist who built “The Castle” in 1908 - called a famous landmark - on the southwest shore of Clark Lake, next to his original log home called “Clarkhaven,” according to the “Oldtimers” book by Carl A. Zapffe.

20 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

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In 1908, Col. Freeman Thorp built “The Castle” overlooking Clark Lake but also with a view of Lake Hubert from the back side.

Clark Lake boasts fascinating history By Dick Carlson Clark Lake in Nisswa and the area surrounding it are heavily endowed with history. The name “Nisswa” loosely comes from the Ojibwe word for “three” - “Nisswae.” It was so called because there were three lakes at that location known at the time as Lower, Middle and Upper Fish Trap lakes. Today, we know them as Roy, Nisswa and Clark lakes. This was a route the Indians heavily followed going from Gull Lake to Lake Hubert. Important to the development of Clark Lake was Col. Freeman Thorp. At an early age, he began to show real artistic talent, even though he’d never had any formal lessons in the art of painting. He did a sketch and a painting of President Abraham Lincoln, and his painting of Lincoln hangs in the main corridor of the second floor of the Senate wing in the nation’s Capitol Building. Lincoln’s son said it was the best likeness of his father he had ever seen. Thorp later married and went to Washington, D.C., and while there, he painted the presidents plus numerous other dignitaries. Urged by his family to settle down, he bought a beautiful Victorian brick mansion and he and his wife had three daughters and a son - Clark. In 1893, a young Clark became ill and had the second known operation for appendicitis. Later, because of the administration of the anesthetic, he developed pulmonary tuberculosis.

Nisswa lake named for colonel’s son The family was told the only hope for Clark was the northern Minnesota air. In March 1895, Thorp and his son-inlaw, Will Rowland, arrived at Lake Hubert. His wife and daughters arrived in time for

the blueberry season. Clark came in late August, and the land by the current Camp Lincoln was CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

2022 Love of the Lakes | 21

Jennifer Quam: Quiet time - I was able to capture this loon on its nest on Lower Cullen Lake from the Paul Bunyan Trail.

Bormann family: Greta and Charlotte Bormann fish on the dock on Clark Lake.

Kari Lake: A photo of the grandkids lined up on a dock. Kathi Gallup: Cannonball! Calvin gets some air on Wise Lake.

John Wetrosky: Historic Pelican Lake resort still exists. This is a 1925 picture of a historic resort on Big Pelican Lake on Jones Bay. It was built in the 1920s by Clara and Charlie Jones and at the time was called Jone’s Resort. It was purchased by Clyde and Millie Wetrosky in 1971 and renamed Hawkeye Resort. It was sold again in 2020 to Steve and Erin Herman, is now called Jones Bay Cottages and continues as a family resort.

Jennifer Quam: Wading bandits. While taking pictures of loons, I heard chatter in the long grasses and out came these two cuties.

Kathy Hoefs: Loon Lake in the fall. Any season on Loon Lake is beautiful! 2022 Love of the Lakes | 23

National Loon Center

taking ﬂight in Crosslake

Educational activities underway; building planned for 2024 By Nancy Vogt

This banded loon is part of the National Loon Center's study on population, directed by Walter Piper. Contributed photos

24 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

Funds are still being collected to build and open a National Loon Center in 2024 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recreation Area in Crosslake. The National Loon Center’s world-class facility - estimated to cost $16 million will be an interactive and family-friendly educational destination to transform visitors into champions for loons and freshwater everywhere. In the meantime, all kinds of educational activities are well underway. "It is gratifying to see our education and research programs taking off as energy and excitement grow," said National Loon Center Executive Director Jon Mobeck. "Balancing that growth with a continued focus on getting a world-class facility designed, funded and built is possible because of dedicated volunteers who expand the reach and capacity of our staff." The loon center’s temporary information center, called The Nest, opened in June 2021 in Crosslake Town Square. Three employees work there: Mobeck; Natasha Bartolotta, communications and outreach coordinator; and Mike Pluimer, program operations associate. Volunteers staff The Nest too, and are available to help those who stop in to learn more about the future center and its plans. Buy sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, hats, books and various other souvenir items to help support the loon center. Visitors are encouraged to “purchase with a purpose” since money goes back to conservation and education programs. “It also helps start conversations about the loon center,” Bartolotta said about The Nest, which hosted 4,000 visitors last summer. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

This exterior concept represents what the National Loon Center in Crosslake may look like when it's built in 2024. 2022 Love of the Lakes | 25

Loons LURED BY

Photographer donates calendar proceeds to loon center By Nancy Vogt

Mark Ellis uses a 12-foot 1965 Alumacraft with a small motor to find the loons on his lake and documents their stories with his camera. Photo courtesy of Gary Jacobson

26 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

The 2022 loon calendar featuring photos of loons by Mark Ellis is still available at The Nest in Crosslake Town Square. Calendar sales are donated to the National Loon Center in Crosslake.

Mark Ellis easily takes 5,000 photos each weekend at his cabin on a northern Crow Wing County lake. When a pair of loons on the lake successfully fledged two chicks, Ellis made a 2021 calendar showing his best photos of those loon babies. He sold the calendar on his Facebook page (Mark Ellis Photography) and website (markellis.com), and his employer - 3M Co. - contributed matching funds. The result was a $500 donation to the National Loon Center in Crosslake. “Everything they do is really good,” Ellis said of the loon center and his decision to support the endeavor. “Their cause is literally what I try to do with my photos.” The avid nature photographer made another calendar with loon photos this year, and profits climbed to $2,600 with another 3M Co. match. That calendar is still available through Ellis’s Facebook page and website, as well as at the National Loon Center’s headquarters - The Nest in Crosslake Town Square. Ellis lives in St. Paul and is a research chemical engineer at 3M, where a lot of his work is in the area of sustainability. His grandfather built the cabin Ellis now owns in the late 1950s. Venturing there since he was just a baby, Ellis became interested in photography around age 12. Years after his grandparents sold the cabin, Ellis said: “I got all nostalgic and hauled my kids up one day. I was regretting not keeping it in the family. “I started wondering about if it was available, and it wasn’t,” he said. A year later he went to check for other cabins on the same lake. Again, he returned to his

“They know me. I know how close I can get with the ones I know. I can tell if they don’t like it and I don’t go closer, and often they come closer to me.” Mark Ellis

grandparents’ cabin where he ran into the owner, who was renting the cabin to friends. “Entering the cabin returned me to my days of youth and wonder at the cabin. It almost felt like strangers were inside even though it was 15-20 years later,” Ellis said. “I said to the owner, ‘If you ever sell, here’s my card.’ About nine months later, the owner called, offering the cabin to us, and I couldn’t turn it down. “The cabin literally looks the same as back then,” he said, noting there are still small cabins, many with original families as owners, on his lake. The lake is only big enough for one pair of nesting loons, and Ellis has been documenting their stories with his camera for the past decade. CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 2022 Love of the Lakes | 27

This scene may look like a blend of a chemistry laboratory and a craft brewery. In fact, it is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fish hatchery where eggs like those seen in these tubular canisters will be hatched and later stocked as minute “fry,” about the size of a grain of rice. Photos courtesy of Minnesota DNR

Minnesota’s hatcheries By Mike Rahn Economics is not likely to be in an angler’s thoughts as he boots up his fishfinding and boat control electronics, and lowers his electric motor for the first trolling pass of the day. But in a very real way, a central concept of economics - supply and demand - might play a role in his angling success. A fish that appears as an arc-shaped digital signature on his LCD screen could be as much a product of science and technology as the angler’s state-of-the-art devices. A walleye down below suspended over a submerged rock pile might have been born in the protected nursery environment of a 28 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

help balance ﬁsh supply with angler demand hatchery, rather than on a gravel shoal in six feet of water on the angler’s favorite lake. In a purist’s perfect angling world, a fish that inhales a plastic worm or smashes a spoon or stick-bait would have emerged from an egg in the natural environment of a lake or river. But that perfect angling world is not a reality everywhere. Today, fisheries managers often give nature a helping hand to broaden angling opportunities and increase an angler’s chances of a tangible reward on the end of his line. Boosting fish populations through hatchery propagation and stocking meets

a definite need. Despite widespread angler acceptance of a catch-and-release ethic, this admirable practice does not ensure selfsustaining fish populations everywhere.

Supply-side fisheries economics

A number of factors influence fish numbers and the balance of supply and demand. Some fish will end up as fillets sizzling in an old black frying pan, a perfectly legitimate outcome, within reason. Others may become casualties of postrelease mortality, despite the best angler

“Where we take those walleye eggs depends on the year. But historically it’s been at Cut Foot Sioux or Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, and more recently the Pine River-Whitefish Chain. Musky eggs are taken at Lake Rebecca in Hennepin County, a brood stock lake.” Marc Bacigalupi DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor

intentions and handling care. Estimates of post-release mortality range from 7% or 8% over the course of a year, rising to as high as 20% during midsummer high temperature conditions. Live bait-caught fish, more often hooked deeply, generally have higher post-release mortality than do fish caught on artificial lures. Other fish - of trophy size, typically - may end up above a fireplace mantel, or on a den or office wall, as taxidermy testimony to an angler’s success. Of course, there is an alternative to this, in the form of lifelike resin replicas created from angler-recorded measurements and photos of that special fish, a substitute that serves the purpose well for many anglers. Simple angling pressure is also a factor in the supply and demand equation. While participation in some forms of hunting has been measurably declining, that has not been the case with angling. Not only are there some 1.4 million licensed Minnesota anglers, but our state is a popular destination for nonresidents, as well. Pressure is not divided equally among the state’s lakes, rivers and streams. Some popular and readily accessible waters are subject to significantly greater than average fishing pressure; sometimes more than nature can accommodate. Habitat productivity is another variable. Some lakes may have a good forage base of microorganisms, aquatic insects and forage fish, but are deficient in good spawning habitat. Walleyes and trout are good examples of angler-preferred species that would be found in fewer Minnesota waters if not for the stocking of hatchery-raised fish. In some cases stocking supplements natural reproduction to boost fish numbers. Central Minnesota’s Gull Lake is an example of a lake with limited natural walleye reproduction, and is heavily

stocked annually to boost numbers to balance its walleye population with fishing pressure on this popular lake. In other waters, stocking creates a fishery that would not otherwise exist. This is true of former open pit mines of the Cuyuna Iron Range, near Crosby and Ironton in Crow Wing County. Here, trout of several varieties are stocked in the cavernous pits that once echoed the sounds of steam shovels and ore cars. Following the end of mining, these pits filled with water to become deep lakes, their shorelines and mining waste piles gradually reclaimed and regrown to second-growth forest. They now provide a fishery where one previously did not exist.

For all these reasons, stocking has become an important fisheries management tool for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and fisheries professionals elsewhere.

Where it begins

In a state where walleye is king - it’s Minnesota’s state fish, after all - the majority of stocking is understandably devoted to this species. “There are 11 hatcheries around the state that incubate and hatch walleye eggs,” said DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor Marc Bacigalupi, who is based in Brainerd. “Some of these hatcheries also have outdoor ponds that raise fish to larger size

Walleye eggs destined for hatchery propagation and stocking are commonly taken from wild fish that are captured on one of several popular Minnesota lakes. The eggs are fertilized with “milt” from male walleyes, then hatch and grow within the hatchery environment. 2022 Love of the Lakes | 29

It’s a team effort to process walleyes that are captured for egg taking, which traditionally takes place at such popular fishing destinations as Cut Foot Sioux, Winnibigoshish, or the Pine River-Whitefish Chain of Lakes. Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR

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30 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

throughout the summer, to be drained and their fish stocked in the fall.” Raising fish to larger sizes before stocking is costly, so most walleye stocking consists of just-hatched “fry,” which are the size of a mosquito or a grain of rice. Every year about 200 million walleye fry are stocked in Minnesota waters, compared to only about 2.5 million walleye fingerlings. Fingerlings are sub-adult fish that may be 4 to 6 inches, sometimes as large as 6 to 8 inches. The survival odds for any individual walleye fry are far lower than for a fingerling. But only a small percentage of the multitudes of fry stocked need to grow to catchable size to make the fry stocking strategy pay off, Bacigalupi said. Three of these 11 hatcheries - called cool water hatcheries, to distinguish them from the DNR’s cold water hatcheries, where trout are raised - also raise other species. These are primarily muskellunge, or muskies. Musky anglers are a vocal and dedicated group, and - perhaps due in part to their lobbying efforts - have seen the range of their favorite fish expand markedly through stocking. Unlike walleyes, most of which are stocked as tiny fry, “muskies are stocked at about 6 months old, when they are about 10-12 inches in length,” Bacigalupi said. Muskies are considered native only to 44 lakes and eight river systems in Minnesota. The DNR has introduced them into an additional 48 lakes. Not without some controversy, however. Some Minnesotans oppose expanding the musky’s range through DNR stocking, fearing this apex predator will reduce walleye numbers. DNR fisheries managers contend that this is not supported by data. Most walleye lakes already harbor a closely related, top-of-the-food-chain predator - the northern pike. Nevertheless, there have been efforts in the Minnesota Legislature - so far unsuccessful - to place a moratorium on the stocking of muskies in any new waters. Eggs obtained for hatchery rearing of walleyes and muskies are stripped from females netted in the waters where they live. “Where we take those walleye eggs depends on the year,” Bacigalupi said. “But historically it’s been at Cut Foot Sioux or Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, and more recently the Pine River-Whitefish Chain. Musky eggs are taken at Lake Rebecca in Hennepin County, a brood stock lake.” These muskies are of what fish geneticists call the Leech Lake strain, the strain native to Minnesota.

“Water quality is very important. The rates of all metabolic processes, including hatching, growth and reproduction, are temperature dependent.” Paula Phelps DNR fish production supervisor

On the other hand, most trout raised in the DNR’s four cold water hatcheries are descended from adult brood stock that are kept in the hatcheries to supply eggs for rearing. Some are destined for put-andtake fisheries. “In central Minnesota’s mine pit lakes, rainbow trout are stocked as keeper-size yearling fish, intended to be caught and harvested each year,” Bacigalupi said. Another strategy is put-and-grow. In some of these mine pit lakes, “fingerling lake trout are stocked in the hope that they will grow and become large, quality fish. As a result, a special regulation is in place to restrict the

harvest of lakers under 20 inches.” Another passionate Minnesota angler group is steelhead fishermen. Steelhead are migratory rainbow trout that historically have been born in Lake Superior tributary streams. In Minnesota these streams are along Superior’s North Shore. As juveniles, they migrate out into the big lake to grow and become sexually mature before returning to these streams to spawn, sometimes reaching 30 inches in length. Most spawn in spring, though some migrate into the streams in fall. While many angler-caught steelhead are the result of natural reproduction, some are

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Emphasis on native species

“But losses of fish in the DNR’s hatchery program due to infectious disease are very uncommon, due to the agency’s following risk assessment, surveillance and biosecurity practices” Isaiah Tolo DNR Pathology Laboratory Supervisor

hatchery-raised, identifiable by a clipped adipose fin just ahead of their tail. Hatcheryraised steelhead provide a limited angler harvest opportunity, because wild fish are presently catch-and-release only under a DNR management plan intended to increase wild steelhead numbers. Most of the roughly 120,000 4- to 7-inch yearling steelhead stocked in North Shore streams each year are born in the DNR’s Crystal Springs hatchery, near the Whitewater River in southeast Minnesota. They come principally from brood stock that

reside in this hatchery. But each year eggs from 30 to 50 pairs of wild steelhead are trapped at the DNR’s French River station on the North Shore and added to the program, said Cory Goldsworthy, the DNR’s Lake Superior Fisheries supervisor. “The purpose of this is to maintain genetic diversity,” Goldsworthy said. This is intended to ensure that those hatcheryraised fish available for angler harvest will maintain the traits of wild-born steelhead.

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Fish stocking philosophy has shifted significantly over recent decades. The current approach emphasizes not just angler opportunity, but suitability of a fish to the aquatic environment where it is stocked. In the mid-1970s, for example, fisheries management took some daring turns, introducing species very much foreign to waters where they were stocked. Lake Superior provides a case in point. Species native to the Pacific Ocean, like chinook - or king - salmon, as well as coho salmon were stocked over a period spanning several decades. “This has ended,” Goldsworthy said. He pointed out that the emphasis now is on restoring Lake Superior’s native lake trout, once depleted by the invasive sea lamprey, as well as lake-run brook trout called “coasters” because they grow and mature in Lake Superior, entering North Shore coastal streams in fall to spawn.

Broadening angler opportunity There are other, lower profile, DNR fish stocking initiatives. They include limited stocking of largemouth bass, bluegills and crappies, sometimes done to repopulate a lake that has experienced winter-kill, Bacigalupi said, and in other places to provide an opportunity in neighborhood ponds that increases angler access, including for under-served and less experienced anglers. “These fish are usually adult brood stock,” he said, and because these species are so prolific, just two to five pairs per acre are usually enough to restore or create a viable population.

Stocking as science

The angler who reels in a walleye or rainbow trout that began life as an egg hatched and reared in a hatchery is likely unaware of the science behind his results. Propagating fish in a hatchery is a far cry from raising goldfish in a bowl or tropical fish in an aquarium. After the stripping of eggs from females in the wild, or in the hatchery, and fertilizing them with “milt” from males comes the hatching and growth phases. It’s vital to control environmental variables in a hatchery. Some are general while others are linked to a specific fish species. “Water quality is very important,” said Paula Phelps, DNR fish production

Warren Foster, fisheries technician in Grand Rapids, pulls a net in the fish trap at the Cut Foot Sioux walleye spawning site during walleye egg collection. Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR

2022 Love of the Lakes | 33

supervisor. “The rates of all metabolic processes, including hatching, growth and reproduction, are temperature dependent.” Water temperature needs differ by species. For example, trout species require colder water temperatures than walleyes, muskies or bass. Equally important is dissolved oxygen. “This is critical for cell respiration, and ultimately growth and survival,” Phelps said. Dissolved nitrogen - the same gas that in excess amounts can give divers “the bends” - can be as toxic to fish as to humans and must be controlled as well. Also monitored are dissolved carbon dioxide - a product of respiration in fish, humans and all other life on earth - and other potentially toxic dissolved gases. Important, too, are hatchery water acidity or alkalinity, control of dissolved solids that could smother eggs or clog hatchery apparatus, and alertness to the potential for pesticides that nearby agricultural chemical use can introduce into the groundwater supply a hatchery uses. No less important is maintaining diseasefree hatchery conditions. With so many fish confined in close quarters, disease can spread rapidly, leading to shutdown of a

hatchery and potentially the loss of all its immature fish. Avoiding the introduction of disease into the wild via stocking is also important. While fish are susceptible to certain bacterial infections - especially when other stresses are present - “the pathogens that have the potential to cause the most serious losses to hatchery stocks are viruses,” said the DNR’s Pathology Laboratory Supervisor Isaiah Tolo. “Viruses like viral hemorrhagic disease are capable of causing devastating outbreaks in hatchery populations. “But losses of fish in the DNR’s hatchery program due to infectious disease are very uncommon, due to the agency’s following risk assessment, surveillance and biosecurity practices,” Tolo said. Maintaining ideal hatchery conditions is clearly no small feat.

The productionrecreation equation

A parallel might be drawn between propagating and stocking fish for anglers, and the animal husbandry of farmers and ranchers who raise poultry and cattle for human consumption. It’s an imperfect

comparison, because providing recreation is at the heart of fish propagation and stocking. The consumption aspect of angling varies greatly from angler to angler. It can even vary for the same angler from one outing to the next, or by the fish being sought. For example, an angler who would release every musky he catches might have no qualms about keeping and eating walleyes or bluegills. But if putting food on the table were the sole objective, this could certainly be done more efficiently by a visit to a grocery store or market. To one degree or another, most anglers are driven by “the chase.” For some, this is entirely so. There can be as much pleasure in angling’s anticipation, preparation and pursuit as there is in tangible success. Unseen by most anglers, hatchery propagation that augments natural production of our most sought-after fish is not only a complex science, but a boon and a benefit to Minnesota anglers. MIKE RAHN writes Inside the Outdoors, an outdoor column published in area publications, including the Pineandlakes Echo Journal.

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The members of the Lakes Area Dive Team are all volunteers. They work with the local sheriff’s departments and Cass County Environmental Services. Contributed photos

Quiet group of volunteers protects our area lakes Area divers help families ﬁnd closure, remove trash, help in ﬁght against AIS By Travis Grimler One of the biggest attractions throughout Minnesota is its lakes. The state’s reputation and entire communities are built around the many bodies of water throughout the lakes area, and while many claim familiarity with the surface of these lakes when it comes to fishing and boating, few can claim such familiarity with their depths. However, one group of volunteers has made it their business to get up close and personal with places most lake lovers only 36 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

“I’d put us up against any professional team in the state of Minnesota.” Jackie Frana

ever touch with fishing lures. They are the Lakes Area Dive Team. The dive team is perhaps best known for their vital services in rescue and recovery efforts, alongside local law enforcement, fire departments and first responders. The 18-member dive team has been serving in that capacity since its founding in 2002. Many of the group’s members joined because of specific lake tragedies. Some went so far as to become trained and certified in scuba diving specifically so they could qualify to join. “We had a drowning in Cass County and my wife was with the ambulance at the time,” said Corry Hill, team president. “She and another ambulance member happened to be in on the call. They said we should form a dive team and that would help. She said, ‘We were talking about doing this, would you be interested?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ I was on the fire department at the time. So then we formed a dive team and that’s how I got into diving.” This nonprofit, volunteer organization helps to search for and recover people and things that have gone to the bottom of the lake within a 6,400 square mile range, including Hubbard, Beltrami and Cass counties.

Catching criminals

Sometimes their work includes finding criminal evidence. “We have been instrumental with law enforcement in a couple counties with finding significant evidence for prosecution of criminal activity,” said Jackie Frana, dive team treasurer. Smaller items are harder to find, but sometimes with a little luck and persistence, they can come through. “Two or three years ago there was a double homicide that has recently been sentenced,” Frana said. “We found the handgun that was used in that. We did three different searches and the Cass Lake team came down to search with their remote operated vehicle, but they didn’t find it. We got a little more information and went

out in the winter, cut a hole in the ice and our divers dropped almost exactly on top of it. It was amazing.” Sometimes their dives include removing vehicles that have gone through the ice at the direction of the sheriff’s department or Department of Natural Resources. They train at least once a month, often twice or more, like most fire departments, and the members work to keep their diving skills sharp. Though the team itself doesn’t recover lost personal items like rings, some of its members do so in their free time to hone their skills. “I’d put us up against any professional team in the state of Minnesota,” Frana said. The dive team does most of its work without fanfare. The most attention they usually receive is the occasional mention in a newspaper article or when they provide their services for extra safety during local Polar Plunge events.

Searching for AIS

One service they provide with little or no credit is aquatic invasive species searches. For the past three or four years the organization has been working with Cass County Environmental Services to monitor lakes that are identified to have likely infestations or to be in high risk of infestation. “They serve two functions for us,” said Dana Gutzmann, Cass County Environmental Services AIS lake technician.

The Lakes Area Dive Team has full face masks that allow them to communicate via radio with one another.

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“It’s very hard on families when their loved one is at the bottom of a lake or river and hasn’t been recovered. Once that recovery happens, it starts the grieving process. Until then they’re kind of in limbo.” Joe Carlson

“They help with our kind of rapid response when we get a report of new, potential AIS in a lake, but they also do a lot of monitoring work for potential AIS. For that the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center has a tool where we can see the high priority lakes in Cass County that have a higher need of monitoring.” Hill and his son were responsible for confirming the presence of zebra mussels in Leech Lake. “We found the first adult zebra mussels I think three years ago now,” Hill said. “We were just doing a fun dive, testing some new equipment we had. We were out from the beach area in I think about 20 feet of water. We came to the surface to talk, then we dropped back down and landed right on top of them. There were two sitting right there at that spot, and those were the only ones we found in the area.” Though Hill and his son were not actually diving on behalf of the dive team that day, their training in searching for AIS came in handy. More often, team members have access to the list provided by environmental services. Joe Carlson performs many of the club’s AIS dives throughout the year, starting while the water is still very cold and continuing on late in the season. “Sometimes it’s driven by people that live on the lake,” said Carlson, a certified Find the BOBBER your there

public safety diver. “They think they’ve seen an invasive species. For example, in Woman Lake. I dove there last year and there was someone who thought they saw one zebra mussel. I dove around a resort. I dove around a creek. I dove around a boat landing. Boat landings are typically the places boats come in and out from out of the area and it’s the most likely area you’re going to find an infestation.” In 2021, Carlson checked Wabedo, Ten Mile, Lawrence, Roosevelt, Woman, Hand, Ada, Birch and Pleasant lakes. He hasn’t personally found any confirmed new AIS samples; however, in September 2021, he stumbled across a long forgotten class ring in Ada Lake near Backus. A Pequot Lakes High School graduate had lost the ring only weeks after she bought it in 1972. Carlson found it while checking for AIS and cleaning out trash near a dock. “There’s lots of garbage and golf balls,” Carlson said. “I carry a large lobster collection bag. Whenever I do this stuff I pick up every little bit of garbage I find and chuck it, but there’s lots of things in our lake.”

Helping hands

Dive team members rarely end up in the spotlight for the work they do, but they serve important roles in providing families closure and finding evidence.

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“It’s very hard on families when their loved one is at the bottom of a lake or river and hasn’t been recovered,” Carlson said. “Once that recovery happens, it starts the grieving process. Until then they’re kind of in limbo.” They also serve the community in preventative ways such as teaching water safety for school groups. Likewise, their role in the fight against AIS is important. “Cass County tells us which lakes they’d like us to search each year,” Frana said. “They give us a list and we try to either incorporate that into our monthly trainings or go out specifically to do searches. They might give us a lake and tell us there’s been a report of zebra mussels.” For some AIS, like zebra mussels, it’s too late to eradicate them by the time they can be seen by the naked eye. “Unfortunately, with zebra mussels right now, there’s not a treatment,” Gutzmann said. “So if we confirm that they’re there, they are just there. The benefits of finding them early is getting that lake listed as infested.” Even in those cases, early detection by people like Hill puts the users of those lakes on alert. The DNR and lake associations can then put up signs warning traveling boaters and create plans to prevent boats leaving their landing with more AIS hitchhikers. “It helps counties, lake associations and everyone to put up signs and be more aware when people are putting boats in and out,” Hill said. “And then they have wash stations and things like that to help prevent the spread from one lake to another. The earlier they can get the word out, the better it will be.” “I would love it if every boater treated every lake like it’s infested and be careful about what they’re doing, what water they’re transporting and making sure the weeds are cleaned off,” Gutzmann said. “Having lakes listed as infested does make people pay a little extra attention. Water is a big one with zebra mussels. The eggs, called veligers, up to a million of them could be in a single cup of water.” In the case of some AIS, early detection may provide a chance to manage the spread. Early detection puts those battling AIS ahead of the curve in a position to start working. “Species like Eurasian watermilfoil and starry stonewort,” Gutzman said. “If we catch them early, they can actually do rapid response with hand pulling efforts to try to get those sites controlled and managed. The smaller they are, the less expensive it is and the better management techniques we have.”

Zebra mussels, like these found on a native mussel, can outcompete native species and threaten their survival. FAR RIGHT: Two zebra mussels, just like this, were found by Corry Hill and his son, members of the Lakes Area Dive Team, to confirm their presence in Leech Lake. Contributed photos

“It fits in with what we’re doing already anyway,” Hill said. “We try and train all the time and we want to be in the water a lot, so it just fits in with our whole team model and everything.”

Risky work

Working underwater is not without its risks. Besides having a limited air supply, divers can only dive for so long in a given day. In addition, while constant training and careful preparation generally keeps the dive team safe, their work does put them at risk of mishap whether that be hypothermia during ice dives, incidents involving boaters on the lake or equipment malfunction. Divers are always taking a controlled risk. However, they are constantly adding new tools to their repertoire to extend the amount of time they can spend hunting safely, and to provide them with additional information on what awaits beneath. In some cases that includes partnering with area law enforcement to use aerial drones or sonar that’s towed behind a boat. “I participated in a recovery east of Backus,” Frana said. “There were two men on a boat. It turned sharply and both of them were ejected from the boat. One managed to get back in and the other went under. We contacted Crow Wing County because they have a ‘tow fish.’ It’s a sonar that’s suspended from the boat to follow the topography of the lake bottom better.” Recently, they have been working to raise funds for an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle, commonly referred to as an underwater drone. These ROVs are equipped with a live camera feed and an articulated arm to perform some tasks. “We submitted a request to the Neilson Foundation in Bemidji at the end of the

year,” Frana said. “We were notified that we have received half of the funding. We already had half. Now we’re in the process of narrowing it down to one of two different brands of ROV.” These tools allow divers to search the bottom of the lake before they have ever set foot in it. In some cases this could mean finding what they are looking for before starting to use the limited air in their tanks. These ROVs could cut some search times down by hours. On top of that, connected to a generator, the ROV can run practically forever. “We can search and narrow things down so that divers have a more targeted entry into the water and won’t have to be in the water as long,” Frana said. “It’s definitely a safety enhancing device and it’s the future.” The device may also expand their limits. “Our depth capability will be quite a bit deeper than we can dive

with our dive teams, which helps quite a bit,” Carlson said. “There are places like Walker Bay that are deeper than we can safely dive. We can do it with the ROV.” Even with the ROV, the dive team will still put in plenty of time in the water supporting local events, law enforcement, emergency services and local environmental services. Most of the dive team is from the Walker area, though some come from the Bemidji, Park Rapids and Akeley areas. “It’s fantastic to have local volunteer divers going out there and looking for AIS and being part of the solution,” Gutzmann said. “They are also great about telling me how they decontaminate their suits and all their equipment between dives, which I think is important too.” TRAVIS GRIMLER is a staff writer 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.

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2022 Love of the Lakes | 39

Dustin Schlegel shoots while Cody Schlegel watches while bow fishing at the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Gull Lake Recreation Area several years ago. Photo by Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch

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increasingly popular in lakes area

By Dan Determan It should be a surprise to no one that in the Brainerd lakes area, fishing is a popular pastime for many lake goers - both those here on vacation and full-time residents. Whether in a boat, on a dock or on the ice, anglers come in droves to catch some fish from one of hundreds of lakes. However, one does not always need a fishing rod to enjoy the hobby, as bowfishing has gained something of a foothold in the area. Bowfishing, as the name suggests, sees the use of archery equipment to shoot and retrieve fish. Anglers will shoot fish with an arrow that is attached to a special line, with the reel mounted on the bow. “I think it’s just being able to shoot a bow and arrow from a vehicle like a watercraft, and then also the vision that you have in the evening with watercraft that are aided with lights,” local Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Jim Guida said. “It kind of creates an environment like an aquarium … it creates that feeling that you’re seeing something that you don’t normally see from the surface of the water. You can actually see under the water quite a ways.”

Longtime local bow fisherman Bruce Edberg, of Nisswa, said the activity actually serves as a combination of many hobbies outdoorsmen and women tend to enjoy. “You’re hunting, fishing and stalking at the same time, and there seems to be a whole bunch of stuff to shoot,” he said. “It really is a challenge … Once you hit it, the fight is on.” Only rough fish - less desirable, rarely eaten species - are allowed to be taken by bow in the state. In Minnesota, these species include bullheads, suckers, carp, redhorse, freshwater drum, bowfin and gar. White suckers and redhorse are by far the most prominent in the lakes area, Guida said. For Edberg, if given the choice of which rough fish to pursue, his preference is the buffalofish. “They consider buffalofish a rough fish, but it is such clean meat - it’s so white, you can’t believe it,” he said. “It does taste pretty good, and you can prepare it a lot of different ways.” Though bowfishing is a niche in the fishing community, Guida said the sport has seen more and more people taking part in the area. “It is increasing in popularity,” Guida said.

“There are now boats being manufactured with archery decks on them, so archers are elevated on a platform … and now there are people starting to guide bowfishing trips.” One of those guides was Edberg, who served as a guide for roughly three years. Working as a guide gave him the opportunity to share his hobby with others - and with it, all of the interesting aspects of nature in the area. “One of the coolest things about it is seeing the animals go by underwater,” Edberg said. “Beavers, mink and otters will swim by because they are curious. You will see some turtles and then, all of the sudden, you will see some great, big snapping turtles. It’s just so interesting to see.” Edberg also said he has seen loons using his light to catch minnows. The reason for the light is that many anglers prefer to do their bowfishing in the middle of the night. “In the daytime, Minnesota is 50% clouds, and you want sunny skies,” Edberg said. “Then you want calm waters. Well, Minnesota has an average wind of 7 miles per hour, so then you get those little whitecaps and it’s hard to see in the water.” Despite partaking in their hobby while the rest of the community sleeps, many bowfishing enthusiasts seemingly cannot get enough, perhaps because they are able to bag a large number of fish - species that are readily available as well. “One of the reasons I think people enjoy it is that they find success,” Guida said. “When you go out walleye fishing, in some cases you might not catch a fish. In other cases, you might catch 10 or 15, which is a good day in Minnesota. Bow fishermen find that they can have success based on the numbers of fish that they are able to harvest.” In addition to being able to take a large number of rough fish, the season is effectively year-round. “Carp and suckers can spawn three times a year, so they are in the shallows creating an environment where they are harvestable and visible in the shallow water … It is not uncommon for us to bump into people with a 50-gallon barrel full,” Guida said. That can lead to other concerns, he said, as some anglers have been known to leave these rough fish in public areas and road ditches. “Bow fishermen have a responsibility to utilize these fish,” Guida said. “Some use them for fertilizer, some use them to make fish patties … in some cases, we have complaints of them dumping fish in the public eye.” In general, however, many have no issues

with those fishing by bow and arrow, and often appreciate them keeping the rough fish populations in check. “Most people are happy or they feel relieved that those fish species are being removed from their walleye lake or their panfish lake,” Guida said. “I would say that even the anti-bowfishing folks are looking at it saying, ‘Hey, they’re helping the water body by removing these underutilized carp species.’” Edberg said he has taught the sport to dozens of individuals over the years, and used it as a means to build important relationships. “I have had 72 foster kids, and I took them all out and (bowfishing) really breaks all barriers,” Edberg said. “You’re teaching them something and it makes them think, ‘Oh, I think this guy likes me.’” Both Guida and Edberg said they felt the sport has recently increased in popularity in the lakes area and the state, and with an increase in tournaments and other public events, they do not see bowfishing losing its appeal anytime soon. “I think that people that have done it and have had a positive experience will continue to be interested in it,” Guida said. “I know there are a lot of young people that love to bowfish. Predominantly, what I see is that 25- to 35-year-old range that like to do this regularly … It’s an opportunity to shoot a bow, which is fun for a lot of people and they usually can only do it in the fall during the hunting season. Now, they can take the bow out in the spring and summer to take some carp and suckers.” DAN DETERMAN is a staff writer 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.

Bruce Edberg shows off a bowfishing trophy. Contributed photo

Hwy. 371, Nisswa | 800-322-3525

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10 10 50

50 86

70 60 21

10 69

24 20

24 10

Ar row

10 10

Lower Whitefish

Public Access to Whitefish: 3 miles North and East of Jenkins on Co Rd 15, then 0.75 mile East on Jenkins Twp Rd. Facilities: 1 concrete ramp, 25 vehicle/trailer parking spaces, 1 dock, 1 toilet. (Other sites on the individual lakes)

40 60

Invasive Species: Zebra mussels

20 10

50 90 70 103

100

Pig Lake

50 60

Fish to catch: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, bowfin (dogfish), greater redhorse, redhorse, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth buffalo, white sucker.

10 100

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

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23 15

135

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130

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50 70

100

u Tro

110

120

130 60

Rush Lake

Upper Whitefish

134

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Fifty Lakes

Pine

Manhatta Beach

103

Rush

Cross Lake

Big Trout

Ideal Corners

Duck

Star

Fawn

Lower Whitefish

103

Swanburg

Arrowhead

Mud Lake

Kimball

Ossawinnaamakee

Clamshell

16 Grass

Clear Lake

Bertha

Island Lake

Lower Hay

Hay 16

Cross Lake

42 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

Deepest Point: 138 feet.

Upper Whitefish

Shore Length: 32.2 miles miles. Water Quality: Suitable for swimming and wading, with good clarity and low algae levels throughout the open water season.

Area: 7,714.19 acres.

Clamshell Lake

WHITEFISH CHAIN

Lower Hay Lake

Bertha Lake

CROSSLAKE, MANHATTAN BEACH, FIFTY LAKES, JENKINS, PINE RIVER IN NORTHERN CROW WING COUNTY

Whiteﬁsh Chain of Lakes is an angler’s dream Chain is best known for walleye and northerns By Nate Blasing The Whitefish Chain is located approximately 25 miles north of Brainerd, near Jenkins on the west and over to Crosslake on the east. The chain is made up of approximately 12 connected lakes that include Whitefish proper. The Whitefish Chain is an angler’s dream. Although the lake does receive heavy recreational use in the summer months, there is enough water and smaller, attached lakes that anglers will have no problem finding a quiet area to test their skills at catching fish. This chain of lakes contains a multitude of species that include walleye, northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, lake trout, burbot, whitefish, sunfish and crappies. An angler has to spend some time figuring out which species hides where, but with some homework the rewards can be very fulfilling. Whitefish is probably best known for walleye and northern fishing. These two species can be found pretty much throughout the entire chain. The Department of Natural Resources traps walleyes to collect eggs to help support stocking efforts each spring in the northwestern part of Upper Whitefish where the Pine River enters. The facility is open to the public and usually runs from mid to late April into early May, depending on water temperatures and ice out. A person will be amazed by the number of 5- to 10-pound walleyes that can be seen at the trapping station. It is a must-see.

baitfish location also play a role in where fish will be located. Due to clear water, the Whitefish Chain is wind dependent to get the fish really biting, especially true for walleyes. There are also seasonal patterns for fish locations, but at the same time the food chain is the main factor determining where fish will be located and feeding. Once an angler figures that out, they will find the fish.

Walleye

A starting point for walleyes around the fishing opener in May is to know that walleyes usually have just completed spawning; therefore, many of the fish will hang out in relatively shallow water close to shore or current areas for a couple of weeks. The fishing can be very good at this time of the year because the walleyes begin to feed heavily to recover from spawning. The walleyes will then slowly migrate to more offshore type structures for the remainder of the year. The variable is that walleyes can be anywhere from 4 to 40 feet deep. It is not advised to fish walleyes deeper than 28 feet because if they are caught deeper than that, in many instances they will not survive if released due to a pressure change in their

CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

Kris Pederson caught this 31-inch walleye on the Whitefish Chain. Contributed photo

Underwater structure

The Whitefish Chain is a large body of water and is loaded with underwater structure. The challenge is that the chain of lakes has so much structure that time has to be spent exploring it all. Not all structure is created equal in terms of holding fish. Much of the structure on Whitefish is very steep, and boat control can be very important once locating what depth the fish are hanging at. The time of year, water temperatures and

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CASS & CROW WING COUNTY, MN Area: 9,947 acres

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GULL LAKE

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.

30 20

20 10 10

Marg

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Lake

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

10 20 30 40

Water Quality: Mesotrophic - clear water with occasional algal blooms in late summer. Number of aquatic plant species: Over 35 species

10 20 30 40

Invasive Species: Zebra mussels

10 20 30 40

60 10 20 30

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

10 20 30

10 20 30 40 50

50 60

3040

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

10 85

10 16

10 20 60 40

10 2030

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.

40 50 40 30 20 10

40 30

20 30 40

60 50

Eating Places by Boat: Places to eat by boat include Bar Harbor, Zorbaz on Gull, Lost Lake Lodge, Sherwood Forest, Dock 77 at Quarterdeck Resort, Ernie’s on Gull, Cragun’s Resort and Madden’s Resort. Nisswa Lake Park offers public docks for people to tie up and walk to eating establishments and shops in downtown Nisswa.

50 40

60 70

78 10

20 30 40 50 10

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

40 30 20 10

30 40

10 10

West Twin Edna

20 30 40

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115 Round Lake

Little Hubert

127

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20 10

44 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

Clark

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40 20

Lower

Upper Gull

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Middle

107

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Fishing on the versatile By Jon Stolski

Gull Lake Chain It’s an excellent choice to catch your favorite ﬁsh

The Gull Lake Chain is arguably one of the most versatile chains of lakes, not only in central Minnesota, but anywhere in our state. Recreating on the lake is popular, but from a fishing standpoint it has great populations of nearly all the game species of fish found in our lakes. Even the mighty musky has some representation. Most fishermen focus on walleye, bass, northern pike and panfish when they target Gull. Muskies, although once native to the lake, are now being stocked on an every other year basis, with fishable populations in the near future. A true “mixed bag” can be caught on Gull Lake almost any time of the year. So, whatever your favorite fish to catch, the Gull Chain is an excellent choice for a good day on the water.

Walleye

The Minnesota state fish can be found in Gull in quantity and size. Early in the season, from fishing opener in mid-May to the middle of June, is a great time to target “eyes” on Gull. Focus on the many points and flats on the north end. I always start shallow (6-12 feet) and work my way deeper. Like many of our lakes with zebra mussels present, the water has become extraordinarily clear. Years ago, backtrolling with a leech or shiner was the ticket. Find a point where the wind was blowing in and eventually you’d catch fish. Now, fishing right under the boat is not productive. I like to use a jig and minnow or jig and leech during this time, casting out away from the boat and starting out with a very slow retrieve back. Use your trolling motor and keep moving until you catch one. Note the depth and location, and odds are the fish will be in that depth in other locations as well. With a late ice year like this one, the weeds will be slow to grow, so the fish will be searching the shallows for food. If you see big schools of minnows, odds are you are in the right area. As the summer goes on, from the middle of

Dan Borgeson, left, and Jordan Borgeson show their catch of crappies on the Gull Lake Chain. Contributed photo

June to the first few weeks of August, I start to change my approach. Now, the key to finding the walleyes is finding the nice “green” weed beds, particularly cabbage weeds. The walleyes on Gull love cabbage weeds. The big stands of cabbage are usually growing in 8-16 feet of water, and when you see the “red tops” sticking up out of the water or right to the surface, you are in a great spot. You can still pitch out a jig and minnow or jig and plastic. I like paddle tails, but my current favorite presentation is either slow trolling a small spinner and nightcrawler with a small bullet weight, once again trying to keep your bait away from the boat. Or, using a slip bobber

and a leech, casting out away from the boat. Focus on the “pockets” or openings in the weeds and there usually are walleye cruising around. These fish will hang around this cover most of the summer, using the weeds for cover and as an ambush area. It is common to catch other species - bass, perch, panfish - while using this technique, so you will have plenty of action. As the nights start to cool, usually by mid-August and through the rest of the fall, my focus starts to turn deeper. Fish off the weedline, typically in 20-32 feet of water or more and you will find fish. Now I tend to use a Lindy rig and a Check Us Out On Facebook

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“I’m very fortunate to spend most of my summer days on the water, and the Gull Chain is by far one of my favorites!” Jon Stolski

redtail chub as my main presentation. Use your electronics to search for fish in some of the same locations you caught them earlier in the season, just out a little deeper. I usually drive around until I spot some fish, then drop down on them. In the deeper water, backtrolling slowly is now the way to go. If you don’t get a bite in 15 minutes or so and are still seeing fish on your electronics, move off of those fish and look for another school. Mark the area with your GPS and you can come back to them. They might be in the right mood to bite. Any time during the open water season

can be productive on Gull. There are many big fish on Gull, so practicing selective harvest is encouraged. Enjoy some time on Gull this summer and you might just come home with a walleye dinner..

Bass

Bass fishing on the Gull Lake Chain is very good. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are present. While the largemouth population is much higher, every year more and more “smallies” are showing up. Early in the season the shallow parts, almost throughout the entire chain, will hold bass. Fishing is good In the upper parts of the chain in lakes like Spider, Nisswa and Roy. Top water baits, like frogs, are great fun early in the year. Casting spinnerbaits or swim jigs in 2-6 feet, once again around the new weed growth, can produce fish. As the weeds start to grow, usually by midJune, the fishing just gets better and better. Now using a plastic worm or crankbait, fishing in about 12-18 feet of water, will catch fish. The same cabbage weeds that hold walleye will hold nice populations of bass. By late summer, the fish will drop a little deeper and using a Texas rig or deeper diving crankbait should put fish in the boat. The quality of the bass on Gull is amazing. It is not uncommon to catch fish over a 3 pound average and fish over 5 pounds are often reeled in. Many bass tournaments are held on Gull Lake each summer and the size and numbers of fish are impressive.

Northern pike

If “pike” are your favorite fish to catch, the Gull chain can be the place to be. Historically, Gull has produced some really big pike over the years (over 40 inches). In recent years, it seems like the number of these big “toothy” critters is down. However, there definitely seems to be a good population of quality sized pike 25-32 inches. From the mid-May opener into the first few weeks of June, casting a white spinnerbait or a Jig and a minnow will produce some good pike. Since pike are some of the first to spawn every year, even with a late ice out, these fish should be active and looking for food. I usually focus on weeds (even if they are from last year) in the 6-12 foot range. The pike are roamers this time of year and you could catch them in a variety of places and depths. Mid-summer the bigger pike tend to move a little deeper and trolling bigger baits will work. I also like to use

46 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

a Jig and sucker combo, casting out and letting my bait fall to the bottom and slowly bringing it back. Catching a “bonus” big walleye or bass may also happen this time of year. As with all of our species, practicing selective harvest is important. All pike on Gull between 22-26 inches must be released. Those 21-inchers are good to eat and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages you to harvest these fish with liberal limits on the “smaller” pike. The fish over 26 inches are some of our best spawners, so keeping these on a limited basis is really important to maintain a quality fishery.

Panfish

The “panfishing” primarily includes crappies and sunfish on Gull and is also excellent. Early in the season, in fact right after the ice goes out, these fish are really the target of many anglers. The shallow bays and channels found throughout the chain will hold crappies and sunnies. These fish will often be together in the warmest water you can find, and they are hungry. When the water finally starts to warm up, mid-60s and higher, they will spawn and slowly start to move out to deeper water. Until at least mid-June, fishing in 8 feet or less will be the ticket. Using small jigs tipped with a plastic or crappie minnow will help you to catch fish. This is the time of year to use a bobber and make long casts away from the boat, as the clear water (thanks to zebra mussels) keeps the fish a little spooky. Once the water warms into that 70-plus degree range the fish will relate more to the deeper weeds, 10-16 feet. Trolling or casting a small beetle spin or jig with a plastic trailer can catch you some supper. By the end of summer, these fish might even be deeper and using a slip bobber and a small panfish sized leech will be productive. The Gull Chain of Lakes has something for everyone. I’m very fortunate to spend most of my summer days on the water, and the Gull Chain is by far one of my favorites! JON STOLSKI is a full-time fishing guide for the Nisswa Guides League. He has been a guide for more than 30 years and enjoys the thrill of catching all the species in our lakes. Jon can be reached at S and W Bait and Tackle at 218-963-2547 or 218-839-9684.

WHITEFISH CHAIN CONT... air bladder. Prime fishing times for walleyes are low light periods whether that be overcast, early in the morning or at sundown. Popular techniques for fishing walleyes on the chain include trolling, jigging, rigging and bobber fishing with a leech.

Northern pike

The most plentiful game fish in the Whitefish Chain is the northern pike. They are literally located everywhere. Although there are many smaller fish, there are several giant fish up to 20 pounds as well. Anglers are encouraged to harvest up to 10 pike under 22 inches. All pike between 22-26 inches must be released. Pike can be found at all depths; however, the majority of pike usually relate to weedlines in the 9- to 18-foot range. It is not uncommon to catch pike consistently all day. Techniques for catching pike on the chain include casting crankbaits or spinner baits, pitching jigs, rigging or trolling. Many times the larger pike will relate to the deep water in the basin once water temperatures get warm.

Those two factors should help anglers narrow down their search for these three species.

Fishing tips

A couple of tips for fishing the Whitefish Chain. 1. Cover water until you find active/ biting fish. Just because you can’t get them to bite in one place doesn’t mean another school of fish in a different location isn’t biting. 2. Attempt to fish a variety of depths until success is found. Some days fish are very specific to depth and locations; other days they tend to be less specific. 3. Try different lures or types of live bait. Color and the action of a bait/ lure can be the key to success. Also experiment with different types of live bait if it is available, including night crawlers, leeches or minnows. I always prefer to fish spots where there are not a lot of other fishing boats or boat traffic. I’m a firm believer that if you can find less pressured fish, it will usually equate to

better fishing. Fish absolutely get educated when heavily pressured and know when they are being fished. If you are one of 10 boats fishing a spot, your chances of catching fish are divided by 10; whereas if you have a spot to yourself, the bounty is yours. Anglers should remember to care for any fish that is intended to be released. Keep them out of the water for as little time as possible, get them unhooked, snap a picture and release them quickly, especially if the water is warm. If any angler is looking to keep fish for a meal, remember to practice selective harvest. It is preferred to release the larger fish, which are usually females, to ensure those fish are able to reproduce and sustain future fish populations. A picture of a smiling angler and a beautiful fish will provide great memories for years to come and will give another angler the same chance. NATE BLASING is a member of the S&W/Nisswa Guides League.

Bass

The bass fishing on the chain is somewhat underrated. The eastern part of the chain tends to be shallower with more weeds, and this is what the largemouth bass related to a good portion of the year. A starting point for largemouth is Rush, Cross, Dagget and Little Pine. There are several bass tournaments held on the chain each year that produce large bags. Casting spinnerbaits or plastics is probably the most popular way to catch bass on the chain. The secret fish on the chain is the smallmouth bass. They can be difficult to pattern and locate on a consistent basis because their population is fairly small. However, when an angler finds them, they are massive more times than not. Several smallmouth in the 18- to 22-inch range are caught every year on the chain. Many anglers actually accidently catch smallmouth while fishing for walleye or northerns.

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The last three species located in the chain are the burbot, lake trout and whitefish. These species of fish are not as populated in the chain and their locations are more limited. They all prefer deep and cold water.

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NATIONAL LOON CENTER CONT... “And we’re hoping to see more this summer.” The team is updating educational displays to have more information about common loons and their biology, as well as more information about a research project that’s underway; banding common loons; the importance of lead-free tackle; and information on birds and birdwatching. “So they should see some updated displays in here,” Bartolotta said. At the Cross Lake Recreation Area, sidewalks and public docks were installed and a shoreline restoration project was completed. Outdoor exhibits are planned there. This spring, a Loons and Lakes StewardShip Program was set to launch with the purchase of a 31-foot triton boat thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Crosslake Ideal Lions Club. An additional $4,000 grant from the Land & Waters Preservation Trust enabled the loon center to buy water testing

equipment, sample kits and safety and mooring equipment. “It’s going to be hands-on, immersive and enjoyable to all ages,” Bartolotta said, where people will “learn to be good stewards of our loons and lakes.” The daily two-hour guided boat trip will run mid-May through mid-September with a Minnesota Master Naturalist. Those who embark will learn about the research project, freshwater ecology and water quality testing, and will use equipment to observe loons from a safe distance. They’ll learn about a loon’s physical and behavioral characteristics, shoreland management and watershed conservation. “Hopefully they will see the loons with colored bands on their legs,” Bartolotta said. Nine loons on Cross Lake were banded last summer; and 78 loons, including 48 adults, were banded across 60 lakes. Those

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include the Whitefish Chain of Lakes and surrounding lakes south and east of the chain. A research team headed by Walter Piper, of Chapman University, will go out weekly once again to document when loons arrive, nest and renest, when and where chicks hatch and more. The loon center also acquired approximately six acres of land with more than 2,500 feet of shoreline in Fifty Lakes to protect critical loon nesting habitat with funding from the state’s Outdoor Heritage Fund. Another goal is to get people involved in the Loon Research Ambassador Program, which offers three tiers of sponsorship. Loon Champions ($2,500 donation) and Loon Guardians ($1,000 donation) are taking part in the research project by sponsoring one of the 48 adult loons banded last year. They’ll meet Piper, get a private loon watching tour, be recognized at the loon center and more. Loon Ambassadors ($25 donation) sponsor a symbolic loon and receive a special edition sticker and Loon Research Ambassador certificate. This sponsorship level is still open. In the fall, plans are to offer a nonmotorized paddle event, where people can use canoes, kayaks or paddle boards to learn more about habitat on the water. Loon center staff also hope to offer a nice receptacle for people to drop their lead tackle as part of Minnesota’s Get the Lead Out campaign. There’s currently a drop-off box at The Nest for lead, which is harmful to

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loons who ingest it from the lake bottoms. Bartolotta hopes to increase outreach for educational programs to summer camps, lake associations and area school groups.

Funding

The center’s first funds came in the form of a $4 million Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources state grant, along with other miscellaneous individual donations. The loon center signed a lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - a $2.6 million in-kind contribution - for a 25-year no-fee lease; signed an agreement with the Brainerd/Crosslake Chamber of Commerce to operate and maintain the loon center; and signed an agreement for the city to be the center’s fiscal agent. Local taxpayer dollars will not fund the loon center. Most recently, the Crosslake City Council signed a resolution in support of the National Loon Center's nearly $8 million state bonding bill request, championed by state Sen. Carrie Ruud and state Rep. Dale Lueck, and a $3.5 million federal congressionally directed spending request shared with U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Other local fundraisers include receiving proceeds from a 2022 calendar featuring loon photos by Mark Ellis, and proceeds from sales of Loon Platoon beer made at the Snarky Loon in Jenkins.

Loon center origins

habitat and the National Loon Center. “It will just continue to grow in various ways,” Forney said of educational programs and the loon center. The foundation aims to restore and protect loon breeding habitats, enhance responsible recreation and serve as a national leader in advancing loon and freshwater research and education. “The loon center, to me, it touches all five of the points in the Crosslake comprehensive

plan,” Forney said, calling the Minnesota Design Team a gift to the community and an amazing resource. “I think the whole thing continues to be a good deal for everybody,” he said. NANCY VOGT is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. She may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com.

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The Crosslakers formed in 2017 after the Minnesota Design Team visited Crosslake a year earlier to help determine how the community envisioned its future and what steps could be taken to realize that vision. Among the Crosslakers’ focus was the idea for a National Loon Center, so a foundation was formed with a board of directors with the initial goals to find a site for the loon center and then raise funds to build it. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to have a facility that’s dedicated to this,” said John Forney, National Loon Center Foundation board president. Forney was part of the Crosslakers’ Water Quality Group, which secured a grant to fix runoff near Manhattan Beach Lodge. That group then turned its attention to loon 2022 Love of the Lakes | 49

MARK ELLIS CONT...

Mark Ellis bought this cabin on a small lake in northern Crow Wing County that his grandparents owned when he was young. Contributed photo

“I’ve seen the whole gamut from overwhelming beauty to heartbreaking tragedy. I’ve witnessed juvenile loons literally leaving the lake on their inaugural southern migration when I’m out there on that morning,” he said. “I must admit I get super emotional to see that after following them grow all summer, from literally a puff ball to powerfully taking off and flying out of

sight at season’s end.” He uses a 12-foot 1965 Alumacraft with a small motor to find the loons on the lake. “They know me. I know how close I can get with the ones I know. I can tell if they don’t like it and I don’t go closer, and often they come closer to me,” he said. Loons return right when the lake’s ice goes out.

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“As I spent time and they got more comfortable with me is when I saw their stories unfold,” Ellis said, later adding, “It’s really a struggle to have successful loons on any lake. So much can happen and I’ve seen nearly everything.” That includes seeing an eagle nearly swoop to a nest only to see the loon rear up face to face with the eagle to scare it off, as well as a brutal and fatal battle between two male loons when an intruder showed up. “I couldn’t believe the loons did that and that they are so powerfully brutal,” Ellis said. The Fourth of July holiday is a dangerous time for loons on any lake because of boat traffic and activity, often at a time right after loon chicks hatch. Ellis spends a lot of time on the lake then, shadowing and shielding a loon family as much as possible. “People may not see the small chicks, and for two to three days they can’t dive,” he said. One such weekend he saw a chick floating next to a parent, who stayed with the dead baby for two hours. “It was horrible and the adult was calling nonstop the whole time,” Ellis said. He marvels at the dedication that loon parents show. “They’ll literally risk their lives for the babies. They continually feed, protect and teach them as they grow,” he said, noting he witnesses this over three months each summer when successful hatches happen. Ellis acknowledged that most people don’t intentionally hurt loons. But people need to realize if they drive a boat too close to a nest the waves could be enough to chill the eggs so they don’t hatch. If people go on shore near a nest the parents might leave and not return. If they aren’t alert and drive a boat over a baby loon, the chick will die. If loons ingest one lead sinker from the bottom of the lake, they likely won’t survive because the lead dissolves in their stomach. “No one wants to do these things of course,” Ellis said. This summer, Ellis hopes to see successful chicks. He plans to make a 2023 calendar to sell with proceeds again benefiting the National Loon Center. NANCY VOGT is editor of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. She may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com.

50 | 2022 Love of the Lakes

MANUEL MINE PIT CONT...

The Kennedy Mine was named after S.A. Kennedy, president of Rogers Brown Ore Co. The first shipment of ore was transported by train in 1911. Contributed photo

Zontelli brothers standing in front of mining equipment. That photo features a large hill created by the mining operation that is still part of Red Rider’s landscape. “Some of the old buildings, pillars and water tunnels from the mining operation can

still be found here,” Vern said. Red Rider is able to combine the mining history with the current popular attractions - like the many miles of expanding bike riding trails, plus quality trout fishing in the mine pits. The trails are easy to access from Red Rider by taking a short ride down an access trail to connect to the Cuyuna Recreational trails. “Our business is controlled by the bike trail,” Vern said. “There’s no way we would have (a resort) without the bike trail. That’s why we fill up on the weekends in the summer. The bike trail is the (tourism) driver for this town.” Winter activities include ice fishing for trout, snowshoeing and riding fat tire bikes on the groomed trails. “Summer and winter fishing are great since the DNR stocks 6,500 rainbow trout every year,” Vern said of Manuel, which reaches water depths of 160 feet. “There

are a couple other resorts (around the mine pits), but we’re the only resort on a designated trout lake.” Manuel is 35 acres in size and is a nonmotorized lake. “It’s great for kayaking and paddleboarding,” Vern said. “The water is so clear in the summer. We have a 50-foot floating dock, and you can see the fish swimming.” There is a Department of Natural Resources access located on the other side of the mine pit, which has a gradual slope to the lake and a more gradual decline into the water and is ideal for kids to swim.

Lake in his son’s honor. When Thorp and his family first settled here, he turned a series of buildings that the railroad had left into an interesting, quaint home. In 1908, Thorp built “The Castle” overlooking Clark Lake but also with a view of Lake Hubert from the back side. It was also named “Clarkhaven” and had 12 rooms, was made of cement block forms right on the property and was not particularly good looking. Due to poor construction of the masonry, it was not sound and had to be taken down in 1941 before it fell down. All that remains on the property today is the little Thorp-Heald Cemetery, which can be seen from East Clark Lake Road, just off Crow Wing County Road 13. Heald is Sarah Thorp’s married name, and the Healds were early owners of Minnewawa Lodge. Minnewawa Lodge on Clark Lake is considered by many as the oldest American plan lodge in Minnesota. This property was home to the Minnesota Hockey Camps for more than 40 years before recently selling. A new resort - Nature LInk Resort - is now being

constructed there. The property sits at the convergence of the two parts of Clark Lake with a picturesque island just off the shore. The island is named Shekinah, claimed by Ben Heald as an Indian word meaning “Land of Shadows.” In its early years. Minnewawa Lodge was a rehearsal area for a Shakespeare repertoire theater company from New York. Plays there for the general public became quite popular in the area. Because of its proximity to the railroad, this whole area became popular with summer homeowners. The lower portion of Clark Lake was particularly popular with Brainerd residents since they could get on the train conveniently in Brainerd, get off at Lake Hubert, and then easily walk to their cabins. In fact, you can still catch a glimpse of these larger cottages along the Hubert and CLark lake shores near the original location of the Lake Hubert Depot.

PETE MOHS is publisher of the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River and the Brainerd Dispatch daily newspaper. He may be reached at 218-855-5855 or pete.mohs@brainerddispatch.com.

CLARK LAKE CONT...

Clark Lake is named for Col. Freeman Thorp’s son, Clark.

homesteaded for him. Though he saw the land during late fall, he died Jan. 6, 1896, in the Thorp family’s original log home called “Clarkhaven.” Thorp petitioned the Legislature to change the name of Upper Fish Trap Lake to Clark

DICK CARLSON, Nisswa Area Historical Society historian, has owned property on Clark Lake since 1961. He and his parents each built a cabin on property they bought together, eventually moving to Nisswa permanently. 2022 Love of the Lakes | 51

Love of the Lakes 2022

Articles inside

Fishing the Whitefish Chain

Fishing the Gull Lake Chain

Bowfishing

Lakes Area Dive Team

Hatcheries

Red Rider Resort

Editor’s Note

Fun on the Lake with Our Readers

Mark Ellis, loon photographer

Whipple Beach and Camp Vanasek

National Loon Center

Anchorage Inn

History of Clark Lake