What's in your bucket?

Do you fish? Do you purchase your bait?

Everyone fishing desires the best method to lure a fish onto his/her line.

(Photo by Chris Cheng)

If using live bait, where does it come from and what happens to your live, unused bait at the end of an enjoyable day fishing?

In Minnesota, bait sold at bait shops must come from within Minnesota. 60% is harvested from shallow lakes with the remaining 40% from aqua cultures, (as per U of M research).

These University of Minnesota researchers mailed surveys in 2019 to resident and non-resident licensed anglers. 70% of the returned surveys reported using live bait, and of those, 20% illegally released their unused bait into the lake water at the end of their day.

Why is this against the law in Minnesota? This is another way aquatic invasive species are unknowingly transported from lake to lake. This increases the risk of fish pathogens spreading to wild fish.

The MN DNR recommends using the receptacle available at some public landings for leftover bait, put it in the trash, or compost pile. If you self-harvest, releasing back into the same lake is acceptable. Watch for stickers provided to bait shops and reminders at boat launches about bait disposal. Remember, this is another route to keep Lone Lake and all MN lakes clean. We all thank you.

Here are some links for more information:

What to do with leftover minnows

Don't dump your unused bait

Moving from lake to lake? Visit Spirit Lake, just west of Lone, for a quick boat bath!

Thanks to the Aitkin Age, this is "hot" news just off the presses! This summer, Aitkin County SWCD has positioned cleaning units throughout the county for boat owners to wash their boats before moving to another lake and possibly transferring AIS. Hot water kills aquatic invasive species, even when you can't see them.

Why take the time to do this? There are four reasons to make use of a decontamination unit:

1. visible water can’t drain completely

2. enclosed tanks probably didn’t drain completely

3. a boat has been in a lake or river more than 24 hours

4. if something can be felt on the bottom of a boat or trailer

Closest to Lone Lake is the unit at the Spirit Lake public access on weekends, less than 3 miles down the road. Weekdays the units will be in Aitkin at the Aitkin County SWCD office, 307 2nd Street NW. #216, Aitkin, MN.

Remember, this is important for all boats.....those kayaks and canoes included if they travel between lakes.

For more information, click here.

Notice the cleaner ditches?

The LLPOA held its spring road clean-up on Saturday, May 15th. It was a beautiful morning and 16 dedicated members cleaned the roads around the lake from County Road 28, 380th Avenue and Oak Avenue (County Rd. 39).

Attending were Nancy and Fred Lane (lot #117), Linda and Zint Kics (lot #109), Alyssa (lot #109), Jerry Nelson (lot #25), Mustafa Bulut (lot #113), Beth-Anne Rowe (lot #12) , Roberta and Bob Kosloski (lot #1), Dianne and Walt Weisser (lot #2), Sam Norton (lot #2), Jim Benda (lot #9), and Karen and Steve Frazier (lot #111) .

The group met at the public beach at 9:00AM without having to wear masks and enjoyed delicious coffee and rolls compliments of Mike Paulbeck and Paulbeck’s Market.

There was an unusually large amount of trash this spring including diapers, mittens, tires and lots of cans and plastic bottles. The LLPOA sincerely thanks all of these member volunteers for taking time away from the fishing opener but know the fish are happy!

Do you have willow wattle in your future?

Carried over from 2020, LLPOA has access to a grant for shoreline restoration. Volunteer hours support our ability to access dollars for keeping our lakeshore clean and natural. We continue to seek out volunteers to assist with efforts and interested lakeshore owners who need assistance with natural lakeshore maintenance.

If interested, please email your name and needs to lonelakepoa@gmail.com.

Willow wattle is a natural way to encourage growth along your shoreline. More information available on the MN DNR website (click here)

2021 LLPOA Membership Drive

Another change that COVID brought to Lone Lake was the lack of the personal touch, door-to-door visits from the LLPOA membership committee members to welcome you to spring on the lake.

We plan to adapt to a form of that in 2021. While maintaining social distancing makes it a challenge, we want all residents to know that you are part of a larger, important group on the lake. We all want the cleanest water, good fishing, safe boating, and a place to relax.

One of the best ways to make this happen is to join the LLPOA. This group works many hours to keep our lake capable of supporting all the goals listed above. There are lakeshore building regulations, communication with members, health of the lake guidelines, community volunteer activities, and as always, the Fourth of July festivities and the annual meeting.

We are always looking for additional hands, brains,and bodies to help inform, clean, monitor, etc. our important lake. Please consider volunteering your services or at the minimum, joining LLPOA with the $25 contribution which allows us to donate to other local organizations and events, such as the Rivers and Lakes fair, local first responders (who are always there for you), U of M research on maintaining water clarity, and of course, boat inspection funds for when county funding not available. Additional donations for boat inspections appreciated.

Ready to volunteer? Please email lonelakepoa@gmail.com The more the merrier!

How to join?

Click here to access the LLPOA membership page.

Use Paypal or print the membership page and send your check via the mail or....

Visit with a neighbor coming by sometime soon.

Anglers can prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species

Clean, drain, dispose every time —how everyone can assist to keep Lone Lake clean

Larry & Michael’s fishing expedition on Lone

The approaching fishing season comes with a reminder from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to always follow state laws to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

It’s also important for boat owners to take a few minutes for invasive species prevention every time a boat comes out of the water.

Maj. Shane Kirlin, DNR operations manager, said that’s true whether or not an enforcement officer or watercraft inspector is present.

“All anglers and boaters in Minnesota are required to take three simple steps: clean, drain, dispose,” Kirlin said. “It’s not only the best way to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, but it’s also the law in Minnesota.”

People must clean aquatic plants and debris from watercraft, drain lake or river water and keep drain plugs out during transport, and dispose of unwanted bait in the trash, not in the water.

In addition to these required steps, the DNR also recommends that anglers:

• Spray boat and trailer with high-pressure water;

• Rinse boat and trailer with very hot water (120° for two minutes; or 140° for 10 seconds); or

• Dry boat and equipment for at least five days.

More information is available at www.mndnr.gov/AIS

First of the spring - LLPOA news you can use. We need your help!

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Hi Lone Lakers!

Welcome to another summer on Lone Lake. The LLPOA Board of Directors held its first meeting of the year in-person on May 1 and yes, we were all vaccinated, masked, and socially distanced. We look forward to a more normal (new normal) year in 2021. The Board affirmed the 2021 program calendar (click here) and will strive for in-person activities and events and urge participants be vaccinated (16 and over), masked, and socially distanced while in group gatherings.

A large quantity of leaves has again drifted into the public beach. We need volunteers THIS FRIDAY, May 7, 2021 and SATURDAY, May 8, 2021 starting at 10 AM each day, to come with waders, gloves, pitchforks or rakes. Call David Scott at 218-927-2967 to sign up. Of course, spur-of-the-moment participants appreciated as well. This is a great service as it improves our lake water quality (removing a large amount of phosphorus filled leaves) and appreciated by all swimmers. We strongly urge all property owners to do the same on their own lakeshore.

• The annual Road Clean-up is Saturday, May 15 at 9 AM, meeting at the public beach. We will have coffee and rolls as the cleaning teams are set up. (If the timing doesn't work for you, please feel free to clean a section of the perimeter lake roads and send a note about the section and participants to lonelakepoa@gmail.com.)

• The annual Membership Drive will be in-person starting now or by Memorial Day weekend....or online anytime. We still need helpers for four areas (lots 59-69, 70-81, 136-142, 147-155), Directions and packets provided. Please email Steve Frazier asap if this would work for you. sfrazierllpoa@gmail.com. Another good way to meet and make new friends.

We have received a grant for the county AIS inspection program. Super news! Inspectors will be at the public access most of the summer weekends and longer around a holiday. This year we have been granted 420 hours of inspections to help prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) into Lone Lake. On this same note, hours may disappear as paid inspectors are needed. If interested, contact Aitkin County for more information.

On another note, we have also been receiving many concerns and complaints from lake members.

• Be sure to check your Aitkin County Shoreland Guide to Lake Stewardship, (click here for online book) or contact Aitkin County Environmental Services/Aitkin County Zoning and Planning Office (click here) to receive permits BEFORE building, tree removal. sewer modifications, or changes to property drainage to the lake. When dealing with lake growth (bulrush, cattails, etc.), check the above booklet for DNR rules and regulations. Several parties on the lake have been fined and/or required to remove structures or property modification without permits or not following their permitted use.

• We are receiving complaints about high intensity security lighting that stays on from dusk to dawn. Light pollution is something we can correct. Please set your security light on motion detection and be a good neighbor as we all come to the lake to get out of the city noise and light and be able to see the beautiful night sky.

• We have also received many concerns about deep wake boats and fears that they will ruin our water quality and lakeshore. Again, let's be good lake neighbors and conduct wake-boating in the middle of the two bays as deep water is better for wakeboarding and the resulting waves. We can all be considerate to our lake neighbors' shorelines. The LLPOA has no enforcement powers but what we do have is a lake community where we are all respectful of each other's enjoyment and quality of life on Lone Lake.

Have a great start to the summer on Lone Lake and watch for updates in the coming weeks. As always, thank you for your LLPOA membership to help preserve and protect Lone Lake for the future.

Steve Frazier

LLPOA President

Spring Photo Contest ~ 2021

Trillium is a sure sign of spring

Spring Returns to Lone Lake. Look around! Spring is popping up all over!

Here on Lone Lake it’s time to share your stunning view of spring 2021 with others. The LLPOA spring photo contest begins now, April 8 through Sunday, May 31.

As spring is time for the annual LLPOA membership drive, the winning photo chosen by an outside judge will receive a 2021 membership to our Lone Lake Property Owners Association.

Only two basic rules for the contest.
1. Photos must be takenbetween April 8, 2021 and May 31, 2021 on and around Lone Lake.
2. Participants may enter up to two photos.

Please submit your entry by emailing the spring photo to:
lonelakepoa@gmail.com

Take those photos of spring around you and share them with us. We all want to be ready for a closer to normal summer!

Ice out was declared April 6, 2021

2021 LLPOA Winter Photo Contest

It’s winter on Lone Lake!

Full of energy.....or.....quiet,....solemn...or....playful.....with beauty in many corners. Now is the time to snap that stunning winter photo to share your view with other Lone Lake residents.

The winter photo contest will be judged by an outside judge with a 2021 LLPOA membership award for the winning photographer. Look for your photo in an upcoming Lone Lake newsletter!

Please review these rules:
1. Make sure your photo is a 2021 Lone Lake winter scene.
2. Enter (see below) by February 28, 2021.
3. Please limit your entries to two per member.

How to enter—(please note, this has changed).
For the winter photo contest, photos should be emailed to:
lonelakepoa@gmail.com

Thank you! Everyone looks forward to your view of Winter 2021 on Lone Lake. Enjoy your winter scene and stay healthy.

2020-2021 Lone Lake Photo Contest

Help us share your views of our lake. Each of us sees unique, inspiring aspects on our lake and we want to share more of them.

Starting right now, find an aspect of fall on Lone Lake that others would appreciate as well. Please post to Facebook by December 1, 2020.

Not only will others be able to enjoy what you see and value, we can also share them with everyone in future news briefs. An outside judge (not a lake resident) will select a photo for a gift certificate to our new store for Lone Lake apparel.

Please review your photos carefully and limit your entries to two photos per member.

Thank you for sharing Lone Lake with others. Fall colors, activities, landscapes, nature, animals.......what is part of your Lone Lake view?