Spring 2011 Newsletter Long Lake Property Owners Association www.minnesotawaters.org/llpoa Inside this issue: Greetings from the President Stop aquatic hitchhikers! Marker buoys Water levels Fourth of July boat parade Long Lake fishing report Pontoon/boat parties Friendly safety reminder Hidden treasure fun Shoreland Transition Zone Expo 11 Living on Long Lake Guidelines PO Box 292 Longville, MN 56655 Lake ID: 11-0142-00 Think spring this little guy is! Photo by Wayne Voigtschild LLPOA MISSION The purpose of this association shall be to maintain and improve lake water quality and lake bed health, maintain and continue fish propagation and protect wildlife and its habitat. It shall also include education about many issues affecting lake property owners and users through the dissemination of information to Long Lake property owners and their families.
Page two Greetings from the President! As the new Long Lake Property Owners Association president since August 2010, I wish to bring you up-to-date on the activities of the Association; plus tell you about the things the Board of Directors would like to do in the future for our lake, and for you. First, remember that Board of Director members are all volunteers who are property owners on Long Lake just like you. We are all working to maintain and improve the lake environment and its water quality, making Long Lake a lake for you to be proud of today, and into the future. Second, please know that if you have questions, suggestions or concerns, I am always open to hearing from you. You may e-mail, call or write me anytime. Third, enclosed with this letter is a membership form for LLPOA - please use this form for a new membership or your renewal. If you are new to our lake, or a previous member, please consider completing the form and returning it. The membership monies will help us improve the overall quality of our lake. Please join the Association so we can continue to purchase fish for stocking, test water quality, publish informational newsletters, guard your lake interests, improve shorelines and maintain the safety buoys that are placed on the lake to warn boaters of rocks and shallow water areas. Thank you to all Board members for your time and sincere devotion to the LLPOA. I also would like to give a special thank you to Meg Voigtschild for being our editor of the Link newsletter and Tom Sorensen for serving as webmaster of our website. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Bohnenstingel as he deals with cancer. The Board of Directors wishes each of you a wonderful and fun-filled summer on Long Lake. Sincerely, Dick Loeffler President, LLPOA ZONE DIRECTORS Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 Zone 8 Grace Ann Parkhurst Bob Coulter Barbara McCuskey Marilyn Bliss Roger Mitby STILL NEEDED Bob Alley Duane Schock Our zone directors are going to try and visit everyone within their zones sometime this summer. Please welcome them and get to know them; they are there to help you. This would be a good time to discuss your interest in special projects, or to express your ideas as to where the Association should be heading. Lake stewardship is an attitude that recognizes the vulnerability of lakes and the need for citizens, individually and collectively, to assume responsibility for their care. Photo by Gale & Juliana Kottke Would you like to help our Association? Volunteer to be a director. It only takes a few hours a month, even less during the winter. You get to meet some really friendly, great people. Join us! Contact any Board member if you re interested. NOTE: We will be needing a new Association Vice President in 2012 as Tony Ozark will be finishing his term this August. Call Dick Loeffler (218-363-2184) to find out what a VP does. Consider doing your part to make Long Lake a better lake. BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Dick Loeffler rjloeffler@arvig.net Vice President Tony Ozark tonyozark@aol.com Secretary Ken Johnson colken@mywdo.com Treasurer/Membership Jean Olson jjscabin@arvig.net Webmaster Tom Sorensen wave2000@aol.com Newsletter editor Meg Voigtschild meg@msiresults.com
Page three PROTECT OUR LAKE - STOP AQUATIC HITCHHIKERS!! Our emphasis this year, and into the future, will be on preventing any exotic species from invading Long Lake. All local area lakes are in danger of being invaded by zebra and quagga mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed and numerous other exotic species. All Long Lake shoreline property owners and their guests MUST take this problem seriously. We would ask that even if a boat is coming from waters that have no known invasive species, the following precautions be taken: CLEAN Remove all plants, animals and mud; thoroughly wash everything, especially all crevices and other hidden areas. Power washing with soap and hot water (140 degrees or higher, per MN DNR) is best. DRAIN Eliminate all water before leaving the infected lake area, including live-wells, ballast, holding tanks, bilge pumps, sumps and engine cooling water. Do not forget to empty the minnow bucket this entails a little more work, but please put fresh water into your minnow bucket before you bring minnows into Long Lake. DRY Allow sufficient time for your boat to dry completely before launching it in Long Lake. Ideally, avoiding infested bodies of water may be the best way for us to collectively protect Long Lake. Examples of infested waters: Mille Lacs Lake, Gull Lake near Brainerd, Green Lake near Willmar and the Mississippi & St. Croix Rivers. We know this may sound harsh, but we need to protect Long Lake from disaster. Once these invasive species have been introduced into a lake, it s nearly impossible to get rid of them!! ITEMS OF INTEREST MARKER BUOYS The Association will be setting out marker buoys again this year for your boating safety. Locations will be the same as last year, but with a few changes: The round red buoys will be placed at the Narrows & the entrance to Monster Bay; drive between them to avoid the bottom or rocks. The white buoys will denote danger due to rocks or shallow water. Please do not move any of the buoys because they are put there with a specific purpose - the publics safety! On that note, always slow your watercraft down in order to drive through the Narrows with only Minimum Wake. WATER LEVELS The Minnesota DNR representative from the Bemidji office confirmed last summer that Long Lake is at near normal levels, based on past recorded lake levels. We are down nearly four feet since the 2001 record high levels. Warning: Be aware that as our lake level continues to drop, more rocks will be at, or near, the water surface, creating boating and navigation hazards. FOURTH OF JULY PONTOON & BOAT PARADE Decorate your pontoon or boat and be part of a fun annual Long Lake event. Boat parades have been occurring on Long Lake for several years, but no one seems to know where or when they start. We thought it would be helpful if there were a set starting time and place; so unless you hear otherwise, the parade will start on Monday, July 4 th at 2:00 pm on the north side of the Narrows Island. Let s make this year s parade fun for everyone who wants to join in, and also for those who enjoy watching the parade from their docks.
Page four LONG LAKE FISHING REPORT The Association is continually working to improve fishing on our lake. We are part of a 42 lake coalition called the Leech Lake Area Walleye Coalition, and our coalition representatives meet with local and DNR officials on a regular basis. Long Lake is part of a multi-year Minnesota DNR study on how to increase walleye populations in area lakes. Our lake was stocked with 732 pounds of walleye fingerlings in 2007, and again in 2009. Hopefully, in time, Long Lake s walleye numbers should increase. We also stocked perch fingerlings in the summer of 2010. Perch have consistently been seen throughout the lake, so that is good news for us and really good news for our walleyes, since that s one of their favorite food sources! And speaking of walleyes, we have been seeing increased walleye activity on the lake; most in the 14 to 16 range, but a couple reported at 26, and even one over 28!! We had one report in the early spring of 2010 of a stringer of six walleyes. As far as the other fish in our lake, we ve been hearing regular reports of 10 to 12 crappies, and sunfish approaching 3/4 of a pound. We re still seeing numerous largemouth bass, but fewer northern pike were caught last summer than in the summer of 2009. Why aren t smallmouth bass and lake trout stocked in our lake? This question was asked at last year s annual meeting and was answered by the DNR representative in attendance. He said Long Lake doesn t have enough shallow rocky shoreline to maintain a smallmouth bass population. He also stated that our lake does not provide suitable habitat for lake trout. What s interesting about that is that Long Lake did have lake trout back in the 1930s. Unfortunately, there was widespread netting of ciscos back in the 30s ciscos being the food that lake trout need. Consequently, the trout population died out. Here is a question for you property owners.would you be interested in having the Association approach the DNR about stocking lake trout again? PONTOON PARTIES Fun suggestion.get together with your neighbors and organize a pontoon party. Choose your favorite quiet spot on the lake and tie your pontoons or boats together; break out the beverages and snacks to share. Enjoy!! Friendly safety reminder We know that the Narrows has become a popular hang-out on the lake. Be aware that it is actually a boat channel and that swimming there can be very dangerous, especially on those warm, sunny weekends when it gets crowded. The Association discourages swimming in this area and reminds everyone that swimming there is at your own risk. Hidden Treasure in Long Lake!! Did you know there is a sunken boathouse in Long Lake, with its very own aluminum Christmas tree? Here are the clues - see if you can find it sometime when you re out on the lake. Clue #1 Clue #2 Clue #3 Clue #4 It s not in the middle. The water is not deep. Go south young man! Boats go in and out not far away. The location will be revealed at the Annual Meeting on August 6th, and in the fall newsletter. Aaarrrggghhh. GOOD LUCK!!
Page five SHORELAND TRANSITION ZONE EXPO 11 SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011 If you own or manage shoreland on any of our beautiful lakes, rivers or streams, this message is for you! Planning for Shoreland Transition Zone Expo 11 is well underway. The event, featuring interesting and informative presentations and workshop sessions on the why s and how tos of shoreland and water quality preservation, will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Deep Portage Learning Center. The Center is located east of Hackensack off of County Highway 46. Workshop sessions will include information on: (a) the current status of invasive species in north central Minnesota, and what we can do to prevent their further spread, (b) creating a transition zone on your shoreland, including sources of financial assistance, shoreland preservation expertise and native plants, (c) maintaining an existing transition zone, including identification and elimination of invasive species, and (d) controlling storm water run-off, including construction of rain barrels and rain gardens. There will also be the choice of a tour of local shoreland transition zone installations at various stages of progress, or a demonstration on native species planting. Exhibiters from public agencies and non-profit organizations, as well as local businesses providing shoreland preservation related services, will also provide information to Expo attendees. The event is sponsored by the Cass County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA), Deep Portage Learning Center and Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation. A fee of $15 per person or $25 per couple, which includes lunch, is payable at the door during sign-in on the day of the event (the fee is to help offset expenses). Please note however, that pre-registration by Sunday, August 7, 2011 is required so that appropriate preparations for the event can be made. For further information, to make arrangements for an exhibit or to pre-register, call Jack Fitzgerald at 218-682-2941 or Kathy at Deep Portage at 218-682-2325. The preliminary schedule is as follows: 8:30-9:00 am Check-in and payment of workshop fee (includes lunch) 9:00-9:45 am Presentation on current status of invasive species in our area 10:00-12:00 pm Choice of workshops (see workshop sessions listed above) 12:00-12:45 pm Lunch 12:45-4:00 pm Tour of nearby shoreland restoration projects (may be by bus or self-guided; if by bus, an extra fee will be charged) OR a native species planting demonstration Note: Details may change as plans are finalized. LIVING ON LONG LAKE The provides property owners with helpful news and information, but we would also like it to be entertaining and fun to read. It would be great to include stories and/or photos of the lake from the past, or about some recent event that happened on the lake. If you have something that you think other property owners would enjoy reading, please e-mail it to meg@msiresults.com. Do you have a copy of Living on Long Lake Guidelines? Everyone owning lakeshore property on Long Lake should have one! Living on Long Lake Guidelines is being updated this spring a revised copy will be sent to all Association members once it is completed. If you don t have a copy and are a member of LLPOA, please contact Dick Loeffler at rjloeffler@arvig. net or 218-363-2184 and he will make sure to mail you an updated copy. If you are not a member and would like a copy, join the LLPOA by sending a check for $15.00 to LLPOA, PO Box 292, Longville, MN 56655. A copy will be sent to you. HELP THE ASSOCIATION SAVE MONEY If you have an e-mail address and would like to help us save postage costs and reduce paper consumption, please forward your e-mail address to Dick Loeffler at rjloeffler@arvig.net or Meg Voigtschild at meg@msiresults.com. We will not send you anything other than the Link newsletter four times a year. Your privacy will be protected.
LONG LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION PO BOX 292 LONGVILLE, MN 56655 A Healthy and Friendly Lake.. Schedule of 2011 LLPOA Board of Director Meetings: Tuesday, May 3 Tuesday, June 7 Tuesday, July 12 Saturday, August 6 Annual Meeting Tuesday, September 6 Place: Salem Lutheran Church Time: 10:00 am REMINDER: The membership form (for new members and renewals) is included in this newsletter. Send the form, along with your 2011 annual dues of $15.00, to LLPOA, PO Box 292, Longville, MN 56655. Members are always welcome! DON T FORGET...RECYCLE, REUSE, REDUCE