Hello Clam Lake!
The weather this past week was very much of the Indian Summer variety. We had warm days with mainly sunny skies. The colors of the forest seem to be in their full glory making it a pleasure to drive around and view nature’s colorful good-bye to summer. The only downside is the return of the Asian Beetles as they try to get their foot in the door for the winter.
MEETING REMINDER: The Clam Lake Community Club will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, October 14th beginning at 5:00 pm. This is followed by a Pot Luck and some Bingo with certified Master Bingo Caller Ace Griffaw at the helm. Come for the Pot Luck, stay for the fun.
HUDSON BAY DAM UPDATE: The folks around Spider Lake are working hard to preserve their historic Hudson Bay Dam which, due to a clerical error made 50 years ago, has no current ownership. The Spider Lake landowners have gone so far as to pledge $30,000 to the Town of Gordon towards the maintenance of the dam and are willing to be pay an additional property tax of $200 per year if the township should assume ownership. This proposed tax would only affect the people living on Spider Lake. The rest of the people living in Gordon township would not be taxed for any Hudson Bay Dam upkeep. The Hudson Bay Dam was built in 1969 to replace a beaver dam that had held both Spider and Moquah Lakes. Residents of Spider Lake are concerned that if the town does not take ownership the dam will be placed on the dam-removal list which could result in the loss of those lakes. The Town should also consider the heavy tax income they would lose if the lake frontage taxes were lost to them. We wish them well with this and hope it comes to a satisfactory conclusion for all involved. For more information or on how to help please call 715-794-2870.
Click Here to Read More About the Hudson Bay Dam in the Ashland Daily Press
FISH MANAGEMENT UPDATE: I recently had a chance to speak with Max Wolter (DNR Fisheries Biologist for Sawyer County) and Nick Berndt (US Forestry Fishing Technician). Monitoring of fish is done both by the DNR and the Forestry although in the immediate Clam Lake area the US Forestry handles most of it. Often times this is accomplished by electro fishing (shocking)to determine abundance, size and age of various species. Fish are attracted to the electric current and head towards it causing them to be stunned and captured by the technicians. This process helps to improve fish management and does not harm the fish whom return to their natural state about 2 minutes, at the most, after being shocked. Panfish are usually done in the spring, whereas game fish in the fall. If determining age a piece of the dorsal spine will be cut off. This also does not hurt the fish. Much like counting the rings on a tree the rings on the dorsal spine, which is made of calcium, are counted. The fish will produce a ring for each year of it’s life. Max stated that game fish, such as muskie, can live up to 20 years with some living to the ripe old age of 25! Wow! Many times certain species that have been planted one year will be monitored in a subsequent year to see how they are doing. This was recently done by Nick and his volunteer helpers on Lower Clam Lake. Max informed me that over 3,000 walleye were planted in Lower Clam in 2019 with more being added in a few weeks. Good news for all the anglers out there!
Until next week…..
Pictured is US Forestry Fishing Technician Nick Berndt holding a 44 inch muskie that was surveyed in Lower Clam Lake.
