Spring 2026 Newlsetter

 

New Regulations in Place for 2026 Fishing Season

Anglers fishing for panfish on High, Fishtrap and Rush lakes need to be aware that fishing regulations have changed for the 2026-2027 season. The change is the same for all three lakes.

The old regulation was: “Fifteen panfish can be kept, but no more than five of any one species.”

The new regulation is: “Twenty-five panfish may be kept, but only five bluegill.”

So this is good news for people who want to keep more crappies or perch, but is no change for people that only want to keep bluegills. Based on discussions with the local Department of Natural Resources representative, fisheries managers are investigating whether there is validity to an inverse relationship between black crappie and walleye populations on any given lake.

They also want to determine whether the size of panfish available is limited by overfishing or by the population competing for the same food sources. There are examples of both scenarios taking place on other lakes they have monitored. Their goal is to try to make fishing the local lakes as enjoyable and sustainable as possible with the resources available.

 

Declining Loon Populations Now Face Increased Threats From Wake Boating on Northern Lakes

By Linda Pils, High Lake Loon Ranger

Current research is confirming that operating wake boats in lakes can have an effect on the nutrient rich bottom of lakes and on shorelines, but as a Loon Ranger, I’d like to share the requirements of our favorite northern bird, the not-so-common, common loon.

There are Loon Rangers all over the northern part of Wisconsin, trained by the Loon Watch staff at the Sigurd Olsen Institute, formerly at Northland College. Our job is to find the loons on our assigned lakes, make note of ice in and ice out, locate the number of resident loons, find their nests and record the number of eggs that are laid and how many hatch. Through the summer we monitor which chicks grow to eight weeks and how many survive to grow old enough to fly down to the Gulf of Mexico for the next three years of life. We also watch for skirmishes and divorces between loon mates.

Loons generally nest in a quiet spot along the edge of a lake or on an island. Loons need a clear getaway, with a quarter-mile of unrestricted open water, to take off and escape predators or altercations. A loon nest does not have a carefully built framework, but rather, is more of a haphazard bunching of reeds.

What might the force of a wake boat wave do to a loon nest? It could wash it away!

Loons nest for about 30 days. They keep the eggs, usually one or two, warm by putting them on their feet and then laying on them. When a loon is startled, it hops up to escape into the lake. What often occurs, however, is that when a loon rises suddenly, the eggs, already at the water’s edge, plunge into the water. That’s why rules require staying 200 feet away from nesting loons. Do you think a wake boat whizzing by would startle a loon? I do.

Young loons often ride on their parents’ backs for the first two weeks, protecting them from predators below and above. But, when there are two chicks, one can usually be seen bobbing next to the attentive parents. What would the powerful waves from a wake boat do to a young loon chick, if it can be seen at all from a fast-moving boat?

Loons are in decline in our northern lakes, partly because our northern waters are not as clear as they were 10 to 15 years ago. One effect is that chicks are not as hefty as they were in the past. Loons are visual hunters. They need to see their prey as they dive to feed. If a lake is being churned up by wake boats, prey will be more difficult to locate in the murky water, having a negative effect on their eating habits. Wake boats tear up the fertile bottoms of our lakes, stripping plant life that harbor the small fish critical for young loons to grow and thrive.

I am sure that riding on a wave, just like the ocean, on a wake boat is great fun. But is the cost of the fun for those few who can afford an $80,000 to $130,000 boat worth the cost of the loss of shoreline, loss of the balanced water ecosystem, and the loss of even one loon chick?

We currently do not have any Loon Rangers on Fish Trap lake, but there are several folks who would like to be trained as a Loon Ranger or Loon Ranger assistants. More eyes on the birds are always better than just two. If you’re interested, I could schedule a meeting to share what I have learned.  You can contact me at: [email protected]

 

Land O’ Lakes Board Takes Steps to End Ordinance Gap That Leaves High, Big Gibson Lakes Vulnerable to Enhanced Wave Impacts

At the 2025 High Fishtrap Rush Lake Association annual meeting, the membership voted unanimously in support of the towns of Land O’ Lakes (LOL), Boulder Junction and Presque Isle enacting ordinances to restrict boats from operating in a manner that create artificially enhanced wakes on all lakes within their townships.

All three towns have adopted ordinances that prohibit operating boats in this manner on lakes within their respective towns. However, lakes that straddle township boundaries, called border lakes, must have matching ordinances from each town in order for the ordinance to go into effect. For High Lake that means all three townships essentially must have matching ordinances.

Currently, both the towns of Boulder Junction and Presque Isle have matching ordinances for border lakes with each other and with the towns of Manitowish Waters, Plum Lake and Winchester for their border lakes.

Last summer, the Town of Land O’ Lakes Planning Commission approved a draft border ordinance to address High and Big Gibson lakes. That proposed ordinance was never placed on the town board agenda in any of the ensuing 10 months.

The HFRLA Board has continued to press this issue with the LOL town board. On April 21, 2026 Roger Larson, Helen Schott and Paul Holtan attended the LOL annual meeting, which is required by state law to allow for public input to elected town officials, to address the importance of passing an ordinance to add High and Big Gibson lakes as border lakes to the existing ordinance.

Town board officers present at the meeting included Chairman Don Balog, Supervisor Kevin Konnow, Supervisor Samuel Otterpohl, and Clerk/Treasurer Lynn Jolin.

On behalf of HFRLA, we presented the lake association’s formal position on wake ordinances and emails and letters from 11 HFRLA members in support of enacting a border lakes ordinance. A letter from Camp Manitowish also supporting the proposed ordinance and citing safety concerns to camp canoers from large waves on High Lake was also included later.

After providing copies of the correspondence, we discussed the adverse environmental impacts of enhanced waves including resuspending sediments causing increased turbidity; dislodging aquatic vegetation; potential for introduction of invasive species; loon feeding, nesting and chick rearing. We also addressed the economic impact large waves could have on riparian property owners.

At the end of our presentation, Chairman Balog indicated the town has received notice from two individuals that own and operate wake boats on the Cisco Chain of intent to file suit objecting to the current town ordinance. Board members indicated individuals on the chain continue to operate wake boats in violation of the existing town ordinance.

Two other lawsuits addressing local wake boat ordinances are currently working through courts in Wisconsin including one in the Town of Scott, Burnett County, and one in the Village of Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan County. The town’s attorney has advised the board to take no further action on the existing or any future border lake ordinances until these legal actions are resolved. He did not identify any timeline for the resolution of the cases and indicated he was not inclined to address an ordinance for High and Big Gibson lakes.

Supervisors Konnow and Otterpohl indicated they understood our concern and they appeared sympathetic to the situation. They stated they would contact Boulder Junction and Presque Isle officials sometime before the end of May to find out the status of their ordinances and whether they were passing border lake ordinances.

At their May 27, 2026 meeting, the board voted 2 to 1 (with Balog opposed and supervisors Konnow and Otterpohl in favor) to direct the Land O’ Lakes Town Board attorney Matthew Yde to draft a border ordinance that would include High and Gibson lakes in the enhanced wave prohibition. It was not clear if this would be the same ordinance that was approved last summer by the planning commission. Any border lake ordinance would need approval from the Department of Natural Resources and the ordinances approved by individual towns must all be consistent and uniform in addressing the regulation in order to receive DNR approval.

Mark Pavlich attended the annual meeting for the Town of Boulder Junction. Town supervisors indicated that the board would pass a similar border lakes ordinance for High Lake once the LOL Board has moved ahead with their border ordinance. They are waiting because LOL town boundaries comprise the largest portion of shoreline and area of High Lake. Paul Holtan spoke with Presque Isle Town Board Chairman Al Eschenbach who said his board would be receptive to considering a border lakes agreement for High Lake with both towns, even though only a small section of the lake lies within the town.

The HFRLA board will continue to monitor this situation and will stay in touch with town board members.

Any HFRLA members who have property in the Town of Land O’ Lakes should contact Chairman Balog, and supervisors Konnow and Otterpohl to urge them to pass the ordinance to protect our lakes. Contact information can be found on the Town of Land O Lakes website at https://landolakeswi.gov/ by clicking on “Personnel Directory” drop down menu at the top of the page and selecting “Town Contacts.”

More information on this issue will be presented at the upcoming Annual Meeting on June 27th or if necessary as flash emails to the membership.

 

Coming in June: Getting the Lead Out – a Critical Message for Our Lake

The haunting call of loons at dusk and the sight of bald eagles soaring over our shoreline are among the most treasured experiences of lake life. But these iconic birds face a hidden threat that’s claiming their lives in alarming numbers – and it’s something we can help prevent.

At our Annual Meeting on June 27th, a representative from the Northwoods Wildlife Center will present “Getting the Lead Out: Protecting our Lakes, Loons and Eagles.” This important presentation will reveal how lead from fishing tackle and hunting ammunition is silently poisoning our wildlife.

The statistics are sobering: research shows that nearly half of adult loons found sick or dead during breeding season die from lead poisoning caused by ingested fishing weights. In Wisconsin, about 30% of loons submitted for examination died from lead poisoning – with tackle remnants found in every case. Even bald eagles are at risk, with almost half showing evidence of repeated lead exposure from feeding on gut piles containing lead bullet fragments.

The good news? These deaths are preventable. Non-toxic alternatives to lead tackle and ammunition are readily available and perform just as well.

Our speaker will explain how the Wildlife Center’s new “Lead Out” program is working to reduce lead in our local environment, and share practical ways our lake association and members can help protect the wildlife we all cherish.

Don’t miss this eye-opening presentation at our Annual Meeting. Details to follow.

 

HFRLA Lake Study Grant Update for 2026

The High Fishtrap Rush Lake Association has been awarded a $10,000 matching grant from Department of Natural Resources to complete the first phase of a project to investigate aquatic plants in High and Rush lakes. The High Fishtrap Rush Lake Association budgeted $26,000 for this study. Currently, 2026 donations are at $3,776 and HFRLA is matching donations from existing funds at 100%.

Of the $10,000 DNR awarded for the project, the association will receive advance payment of $7,500, as we have reached 50% of our goal of $7,500 in donations.

Therefore, we need about $2,500 more for our membership to fully fund the 2026 project.

Our consultant, White Water Associates, will carry out the plant survey during this summer once the aquatic plants are present and are growing. We expect that to occur in June or July.

In addition to the 2026 High Lake study scope of work, the association plans to submit a grant proposal for Fishtrap Lake during the upcoming grant cycle to undertake comparable work in 2027. The HRFLA board decided to have the study done on High and Rush lakes first because of their larger area and a higher potential of aquatic invasives introduction at the public boat landing on County Highway B.

HFRLA needs to maintain “Investment-grade understanding of our water bodies” to continue to qualify for DNR lakes grant funding for all of our efforts including stocking programs and fisheries management efforts.

Aquatic Plant Survey and Workshop

Included in the High Fishtrap Rush Lake Association DNR lakes grant is an educational workshop for High and Rush lakes. The educational workshop has not been scheduled as of this date. The workshop will be available to all interested lake association members. It will provide a golden opportunity for our members to learn about the aquatic plant environment in our lake system. More information on signups and scheduling will be discussed in future flash emails and at the upcoming HFRLA Annual Meeting on June 27th.

Thank you for your continued support and membership.

Annual Meeting: Board Member Elections

In accordance with our bylaws, the association holds elections for half of our board members every other year. This year, the following five seats are up for election: High Lakes #1, Fishtrap #1, Fishtrap #2, At Large #1, and At Large #2.

Current candidates on the ballot are:

• High Lakes #1 – Paul Egelhoff | Board member since 2021, currently serving as President

• Fishtrap #1 – Scott Adler | Board member since 2022, currently serving as Fisheries Committee Chair

• Fishtrap #2 – Tom Degen | Board member since 2022, currently serving on the Boating and Boater Safety Committee

• At Large #1 – JP Talbot | Cabin owner on High Lake, board member since 2024, currently serving as Treasurer

• At Large #2 – Paul Holtan | High Lake resident, currently serving as Communications Committee Chair

We also welcome nominations from the floor at the meeting. If you’re interested in serving, or know someone who would be a great fit, please speak up!

We encourage all members to attend the Annual Meeting, meet our board members, and cast your vote. As a reminder, each member household is entitled to one vote per our bylaws.