President’s Letter
The lakes and rivers have frozen, and we are finally starting to accumulate some snowpack. Unfortunately, the area is experiencing another low snow season, as last year. Hopefully, it’s ended now, and we will experience a late winter/ spring snow accumulation to help refill rivers and lakes after the spring thaw occurs this year. This newsletter is the first one produced using a different format; we will use our website and web publishing now to improve our communication abilities.
Additionally, the High Fishtrap Rush Lake Association has been working to complete the following:
– conducting water quality monitoring and reporting;
– monitoring and controlling invasive species, both aquatic and terrestrial types;
– coordinating with WDNR on fisheries management;
– helping clean boats and clean waters programs at boat launches;
– conduct removal of invasive species;
– coordinate with the Town of Boulder Junction and other lake associations on water quality legislative issues;
– fundraising for restocking Walleyes in HFRLA waters;
– coordinating with WDNR, Northern Highlands on land use issues and Turtle Pond; and
– updating our administration and communications as an organization.
Last year, considerable efforts went into cooperative efforts to prepare and submit a suggested wake boat ordinance for the Town of Boulder Junction to adopt on a local level to act as a protective measure since state-wide legislative efforts are bogged down in politics. This effort has been successful, and in 2025, we expect the enactment of a wake boat ordinance that will assist in regulating and more protective rules for the operation of these boats in our lakes here. The Town has accepted the ordinance after conducting its own review and gathering input from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. One additional reading of the ordinance at a regular Town meeting remains to be completed, and then it will be adopted. This ordinance applies to all water bodies entirely within the Town. Additional coordination with surrounding towns will be required to complete the task of setting one standard for our lake system. We expect that in 2025 there will be consistent standards for us to communicate to boaters on our lake system.
I hope all of you enjoy the upcoming boating and fishing season safely and that you will attend our annual meeting, which is scheduled for June 28th at the Boulder Junction community center.
Sincerely
Paul Egelhoff