Upcoming July Festivities

Annual Lone Lake Triathlon @ 8:30AM

Meet at the public beach. Swim, bike, run

Individuals or teams

Annual Lone Lake Boat Parade @12:00PM

12 noon start time from the public access. Heading west this year.

LLPOA 2025 Annual Meeting

Saturday, July 19 @ 9:00-11:00 a.m.

• Thanks to Dick Preiner for again allowing us to utilize his large garage on Oak Avenue (CR 39, north side of the lake.

• A new good thing started last year and will continue in 2025.  The annual meeting for the Lone Lake Property Owners Association will be a morning meeting.  This kept the business in the cooler part of the day and allowed for recreation in the warm summer afternoon.

• Looking ahead, pencil in our speaker to be Kira Pollack, U of M Extension Division expert, speaking on seed collection training and forest regeneration.

• There will be a collection box for members and non-members to drop off lead fishing tackle at the annual meeting. (Get the Lead Out). Free sample non-lead tackle will be available for interested fisher people to pick up and try out.  Please keep that lead tackle away from the loons and other wildlife.

• Choose to nominate yourself or another resident to join the LLPOA board.

Annual membership drive heading towards the finish line

Thanks to almost 100 members who have paid their 2025 dues. Remember, the calendar year is the basis for annual membership.

Please also remember…some of you tell us you will be paying online and then life gets so busy that you forget.  

Why join each year?

$25 can seem minor, and the “payback” isn’t something you can hold easily in your hand, but how many lakeshore owners are lucky enough to be able to see almost 30’ down into their lake?  

How many don’t have AIS (yet)?

Who wants to keep it that way?

Every board member is a volunteer to keep your lake clean and help to share ideas with others to maintain our lake’s positive qualities through education and activities. 

Please join us to keep Lone Lake the best it can be.

Click here for the link to the LLPOA webpage.

A note from Tiffany (June 2025)

I hope your summer is starting off fantasticly!  July 4th is right around the corner, the lake will be busy & fun! 
I will be laid up after a surgery, but am looking forward to seeing many of you from the deck or dock! 
Have fun decorating your boats and docks—looking forward to seeing the parade!

Also, to you triathletes GOOD LUCK!  

See you around the lake!

Hugs!    Tiffany

BIG changes for boat operators starting July 1, 2025

MN law passed in 2023. Taking effect in stages. Beginning 7/1/25, ALL boat operators born AFTER 6/30/04 (21 and younger) MUST have a permit to legally operate a motorboat or personal watercraft on MN waters.

Also, anyone who wants to be the “accompanying operator” for someone without a valid permit OR under the age of 12 (ineligible for a permit) must obtain their own permit. (“Accompanying operator” must be age 21 or older, in the watercraft, within immediate reach of the motor controls, and have the valid operator’s permit.)

Renting a motorized watercraft?  You must have a permit.

Do you already have a valid watercraft operator’s permit from MN or another state?  At this point, you do not need another permit.

WHY?

MN is known for boating as a major form of recreation.

Safety for all is the reason.

This law has the purpose to make boating safer and have drivers who know the rules and are trained.

Questions? Start your permit efforts?

Link here

Minnesota DNR webinar series offers ways to learn about the outdoors this summer

Registration open for new sessions of the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series

Webinars on walleye genetics, buckthorn management, and fish dubbed “living fossils” like gar and paddlefish will be among the outdoors topics covered in the summer series of the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“Our outdoors skills webinars are a great way for people to broaden their interest in, and knowledge of, the outdoors,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator. “In Minnesota, there are tons of ways to enjoy fish and wildlife and public lands and waters. Our webinars can help people gain more knowledge and appreciation for what’s out there, and that can lead to being a better steward of our natural resources and trying something new.”

New webinars this summer focus on topics that will appeal to people interested in nature, including anglers and hunters. The live webinars are at noon on Wednesdays and last an hour or less.

Summer topics:

• June 18: Aquatic invasive species and watercraft inspections

• June 25: Mitigating human-wildlife conflicts

• July 23: Buckthorn management

• July 30: Walleye genetics and survival

• Aug. 6: Spruce budworm

• Aug. 13: Gar and paddlefish in today’s world

• Aug. 20: Early teal season

• Aug. 27: Why we manage chronic wasting disease

All webinars are live-captioned and free of cost (pre-registration is required). Recorded webinars are posted for those who can’t attend the live event. Episode descriptions, registration information and a robust webinar archive are available on the MN DNR website. 

For other education and learning opportunities from the Minnesota DNR, including about boat and water safety, hunter education, firearms safety, natural resources education, recreational vehicle safety, visit the Minnesota DNR education and safety training page.  

 For information about the Minnesota DNR I Can! Program that includes programs on camping, paddling, mountain biking, fishing and archery, visit the Minnesota DNR I can! page. 

Great news for those who fish!

Zint Kics, LLPOA board member in charge of wildlife and fishing, recently spent his time checking back with the DNR concerning the research they did last year on Lone Lake.  He shares the good news he received with you below.During the June 2024 Lone Lake water quality survey, the DNR utilized near shore seine nets and back pack electro fishing to determine the lakes IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity). The IBI is a tool used to identify the health of a body of water. This includes water quality and pollution levels as well as fish populations and mix of species.  

According to Rick Bruesewitz, MN DNR: "This survey showed a very nice mix of species such that the score for the lake is at the “Exceptional” level, which means really good.  As such, it is very likely the Brainerd IBI staff may come back either this year or next to repeat the nearshore survey, just to confirm that status".  I asked Rick about a rumor that the DNR is considering stocking Lone Lake with lake trout. Although our lake is healthy, lake trout need a higher oxygen level to survive than Lone Lake could supply. According to Rick; Lake Trout (as a rule of thumb, need 5 ppm Oxygen at 50 degrees and our lake is at 0.4 - 0.7 ppm oxygen at 50 degrees and does not meet these criteria. 

This spring the DNR stocked Lone Lake with 247 pounds of 2 year old walleyes. These walleyes were 10 to 12 inches in length. Last year's stocking of walleye fry (newly hatched, 0.4 - 1.2 inches) didn’t go as well as expected. Lone Lake will be added to the list of lakes to be stocked this fall with fingerling walleye, (4 – 6 inches in length). 

Happy Fishing!

Powassan Virus: another tick disease

Minnesota now has concerns about another tick-borne disease.  Powassan virus, while minimal cases in 2024, is on the radar of state epidemiologists.  Carried by blacklegged ticks (deer ticks), it can cause neurological damage.While the risk is very low, the tick prevention that you will do for ordinary ticks will also help prevent this serious virus if it has arrived in our area. An awareness for ticks, now that it is spring, is needed.

Read more, click here.

2025 Spring Meeting with DNR Hydrologist Jacob Frie

Overview. In 2024, we had a lively discussion at the annual meeting about lake levels and high water markers on the lake. Following through on our promise to keep our lake members educated, we hosted a meeting in April 2025 with Jacob Frie, DNR Hydrologist for the Brainerd West area.

Content Discussed.

What the ordinary high water mark and how is it set?

How does the new culvert affect lake levels?

Key metrics & history specific to Lone Lake

Links.

Access the meeting recording here

Access the powerpoint slides here

Access Lone Lake DNR Lake Finder here

Fast Facts.

• We know our outlet is at the correct level to keep our lake and property safe.

• We know there are laws and rules as to why we can build only at certain levels.

• We cannot control the level of the lake, and our lake has little run-off from near-by areas.

• That can be a benefit and a curse - the water does stay cleaner because of fewer streams entering the lake.

• The lakeshore in front of your cabin is what you received, whether you purchased or inherited your land in winter or summer.  It won’t change.  It protects everyone in today’s world.

• We need to share, appreciate what we have, keep it clean, and respect that everyone around the lake also understands that maintaining the lake is our responsibility.

Preparing your dock, lift, and water toys for winter

Winter’s Coming!

As we start getting ready to remove boats, lifts, dock and water toys, the DNR says:

• Carefully inspect everything to make sure there are no aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, or New Zealand mudsnails attached.

• Look on the posts, wheels, and underwater support bars of docks and lifts, as well as any parts of boats, pontoons, and rafts that may have been submerged in water for an extended period. In newly infested waters, adult zebra mussels may not be abundant and you might notice only a few mussels on your equipment.

• If you think you have discovered an invasive species that has not already been confirmed in your lake contact your area DNR aquatic invasive.

Storing lifts and docks for winter

You may remove water-related equipment from a water body – even if it has zebra mussels or other prohibited invasive species attached – and place it on the adjacent shoreline property without a permit.

However, if you want to transport a dock or lift to another location for storage or repair, you may need a permit to authorize transport of prohibited invasive species and aquatic plants. (Fortunately, Lone Lake doesn’t have this issue yet.)

Transporting watercraft for storage

You may not transport any watercraft with zebra mussels, faucet snails, or other prohibited invasive species or aquatic plants attached away from a water access or other shoreland property, even if you intend to put it in storage for the winter.

If you need to transport your watercraft at the end of the season, you may need a permit to authorize transport of prohibited invasive species and aquatic plants.

General Permits and more info:

• Transport Aquatic Plants and Prohibited Invasive Species from Riparian Property to a Disposal Location (General Permit 2015-002) (PDF)

• Transport Watercraft with Prohibited Invasive Species for Cleaning or Storage (General Permit 2015-003) (PDF)

• Transport Boat Lifts, Docks or Other Water-Related Equipment with Prohibited Invasive Species Attached for Repair, Storage or Cleaning (General Permit 2015-004) (PDF)

• Transport construction Equipment with Prohibited Invasive Species Attached for Cleaning, Repair or Storage (General Permit 2015-005) (PDF)

• Businesses to Transport Aquatic Plants and Prohibited Invasive Species to a Disposal Location (General Permit 2015-006) (PDF)

Getting to Know Your Director of Digital Strategy Samantha (Sam) Norton

Samantha (Sam) Norton is the granddaughter of Walt and Dianne Weisser. The Weisser’s have lived on the South side of the lake for nearly 30 years (lot #2 near the public access).

When Sam is not at the lake, she lives in Plymouth with her husband (Trevor) and their 12 year old black lab named Rally. Sam is an alumni of Dartmouth College where she was D1 collegiate swimmer. She works for a Fortune 5 company as part of a team that develops strategies to support a multi-billion dollar sales organization. In her free time, Sam enjoys baking sourdough, growing veggies in the garden, taking Rally for walks, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Here are some of Sam’s favorite memories and traditions from Lone Lake.

1. Lakeside Wedding - Sam married her husband (Trevor) in June 2023 surrounded by 200 of their closest friends and family. The lake made for picture perfect photos!

2. The beautiful views - The Norton / Weisser family loves to spend time together around the campfire enjoying the breathtaking sunsets.

3. Boat rides - They have a nightly tradition of piling into the boat for a post-dinner boat ride, usually featuring narration about the lake history and fun facts from Grandma Dianne.

4. Enjoying a glass of Bin Wine - The family has crafted over 1,000 bottles of homemade wine! They named their winery after the nickname for the cabin - the Bin! If you look closely, you can see Rally the black lab on the wine label.

5. 4th of July festivities - like many on the lake, Sam loves to participate in the annual boat parade and triathlon.