Page 2 - Vermilion Lake Association Spring 2021 Newsletter

HPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
appy Spring, Lake Neighbors and Friends, The VLA expanded our fisheries team led by Terry
As colleagues and I write our newsletter
messages in late March, we gaze out see- ing the sun shining brightly on an ice-covered lake. Personally, I’m betting on an early ice-out (my pool guess is April 1, which would be a record breaker). Whatever the date is, I’m fairly cer-
tain that, with our warmer than normal spring weather to date, we’ll have open waters by the
time you receive this publication in early May. With the “season opener,” and I’m not referring
to fishing only, the VLA has a whole host of projects and team work that kicks off.
With a potentially early ice-out, our beloved loons will make their return soon afterward. Our loon nest platform teams will place several structures through- out the lake to provide alternatives to shoreland nesting sites that are more vulnerable to predation. Boaters are encouraged to maintain safe distances
of at least 200 feet if you encounter a platform or natural nesting site. An exciting new project this year is our work to provide a live loon nest cam for one
of our platforms. Thanks to a new father-son volun- teer team, along with an enthusiastic member whose home provides great access for the cam and connec- tivity, we’re hopeful this will provide members and others new insights into the loon’s nesting habits and behaviors. Look for more information on page 3.
With the fishing opener just a few days away, we’re pleased once again to have Matt Hennen, our local Tower DNR Large Lake Biologist|Fish Division, sharing his extensive Annual Fisheries Update in this edition. In early April, Matt shared a virtual presen- tation of similar findings with our VLA Board, the Fishing Guides League, and the Resort & Tourism Association. We’re fortunate to have Matt’s advanced expertise in our region and his work over several years for trend analysis. There are always new find- ings and various perspectives to share about the fisheries, and we appreciate the opportunity to have open dialogue.
Grosshauser this winter/early spring as a result of extensive Vermilion fishing pressure last season and the expectation of the same this year. You’ll see that this collaborative group is encouraging use of Vol-
untary Fishing Conservation Guidelines on page 16.
Don’t get nervous if you spot an unidenti- fied flying object (UFO) this spring/sum- mer propelling over Pine Island and into Big Bay. With the help of a new veterinary scientist volunteer, and at the request of Matt Hennen at the DNR, we’ll be doing
monthly drone observations of the cormorants and their nesting habitat on Potato Island from just after ice-out through late September. Many are eager to have more accurate cormorant data over a period of time and we’re hopeful these fly-overs will assist in that effort.
With spring’s arrival and our yard and shoreline work underway for the season, now is the time
to consider participation in our new Lake Stew-
ard program led by Wayne Suoja, VLA’s Shoreline Restoration and Water Quality leader. Along with volunteer Jeff Forester, they will guide this important work, adapted from a similar initiative on Gull Lake, engaging property owners to “score” our shorelines utilizing an easy 10-question “quiz.” Based on our scores, they’ll provide guidance for improvements for those of us who may have opportunities to make changes that will enhance our shorelines to protect water quality and improve critical habitat for birds, fish and other northwoods creatures. See page 5 for next steps in the program.
For the sixth year, Jeff Lovgren, our Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) leader, submitted a grant application for spring 2021-22. We are grateful for the support from the St Louis County AIS Prevention Program for the funding of our plan focused on Prevention, Early Detection, and Containment. The VLA’s AIS crew is our largest volunteer team, working on various components of this program to protect this
Continued on next page
Pat Michaelson VLA President
Cover photo: “Just a three-year old boy and his walleye” by Jamie Kitzman, one of our 2020 Photo Contest winners.
2 The Vermilion, Spring 2021