President's Summer message

What a beautiful and strange summer we are having. As group events are called-off, we want you to know that the LLPOA Board continues to meet and work on lake programs and issues. Due to social distancing and avoiding face-to-face neighbor calls, our membership is down 30% at 73 members. We thank all of you that did join remotely. Let's hope for a better year next year!

Steve Frazier, LLPOA President

We have only one scheduled activity to end our lake year: the annual fall road clean-up. Originally scheduled for Saturday, September 12th, this year, to keep members safe, it is canceled as a group activity due to COVID 19.

Instead, we will do a volunteer road clean-up during the month of September and ask you to clean the road area by your lake home or another spot around our lake. We appreciate the volunteers who worked in the spring and we are hoping there will be even more volunteers during the fall. Let us know what area you are willing to pick-up (lonelakepoa@gmail.com) so we can mention it in our fall news brief.

The LLPOA board continues to work on several initiatives this year and into 2021. We always will watch the lake clarity as David Scott, our Water Quality team leader, completes regular Secchi Disc readings for the state of Minnesota. He also collects data on such items as water temperature, elevation, and veliger testing for zebra mussel infestation.

Water quality is affected by a complex combination of wind, rain, drought, changing climate, water elevation, and the intensity of boat usage. All these elements can affect our lake water quality.

So what can we do to minimize these effects?

• Clean your shoreline of washed-up dead vegetation.

• Cruise around the lake 250 feet from the shore or at a depth over 15 feet.

• Conduct water sports in the middle of our two big bays and not near the shore or in the narrows area.

• Watch for any AIS near your dock and especially zebra mussels. Report them immediately if you find them.

• Provide a buffer between the lake and your lawn to filter runoff--a "no-mow" zone.

We can't control the weather but we can control our behavior on and around the water to follow these common-sense recommendations. Let's do what we can to enhance, protect, and preserve the beauty of Lone Lake for the future.

Have a great rest of the summer and we'll talk again in the fall.

Steve Frazier

LLPOA President

President's midsummer letter

Happy July to all Lone Lakers!

We had a great Fourth of July weekend on Lone Lake. While practicing social distancing, two LLPOA events: the Lone Lake Triathlon (LLT), hosted by the VanSlooten family and the LLPOA Boat Parade went off flawlessly.

The Lone Lake Triathlon was organized by Matt VanSlooten, featuring a 1/4 mile swim to Dancehall Point and back to the beach, an eleven-mile bike ride, and ending with a four-mile run despite the hot pavement. The fourteen triathletes did well as about twenty spectators cheered them on.

LLPOA president Steve Frazier awarded medals to the winners of the men's, women's, and team competition.

Men's winners

1. Gold medal: Joey Lawson

2. Silver medal: Dirk VanSlooten

3. Bronze medal: Chris Schwartzbauer

Women's winners

1. Gold medal: Hudson VanSlooten

2. Silver medal: Rebecca Rowe

3. Bronze medal: Barb Sporlein

Team winners

1. Gold medals: Bob Lawson, Tom Johnson, Matt VanSlooten

2. Silver medals: Meghann Manders and Kim McKinney

Pictured above are the winners. Special thanks to all of the VanSlooten family for being spotters and helpers in the LLT; Next year consider this family healthy event and join in on the fun on July 4th!

Starting at noon, the annual Fourth of July LLPOA Boat parade had fourteen entries this year. The boat parade went east with the Olmsheid family (lot 110) leading and the VanDeusen family (lot 148) acting as judges and photographers. The trip around the lake took just over an hour on the hot and breezy Saturday. Families all around the lake were in the water and on their docks for the parade.

Winners of this year's LLPOA boat parade

Speedboat---the "Hippie" owned by the Gmach/Mann families(lot 68)

Dock---"Red/White/Blue" owned by Paul and Kristi Feist (lot 105)

Pontoon---the "Flying Eagle" owned by Scott and Beth Holum(lot 39)

Honorable mention goes to the "high dive tower: by Jay and Kristin Olson family (lot 6.1) and the "USA cuties in a tube" being towed by a pontoon (we didn't get their name....let us know please)

The winners will get bragging right and be able to proudly display the traveling trophies.

Thank you to all the families that decorated their boats and docks and did such a wonderful job to make this year's 4th of July celebration such a great success!

Thanks also to all the families, friends, relatives, and others who made the time to watch from their docks, boats, cabins, and rafts; This truly is a wonderful lake celebration. Find photos of both events on our LLPOA website at lonelake.org.

See you on the lake.
Steve Frasier, LLPOA president

Shoreline maintenance

Winds make waves, boat traffic creates waves. The reflection of the sky in those waves creates beautiful patterns of color. However, those waves eventually reach your shoreline. Winter brings ice and snow that redesign your shoreline for you, too.

Few of us see the maintenance of our shoreline as an enjoyable experience, but how can a well-maintained and designed shoreline keep you enjoying the view rather than dealing with aching muscles?

The July 8 edition of the Aitkin Age contains an article from the Mille Lacs County SWCD with excellent choices for lakeshore maintenance. LLPOA is ready to host a hands-on workshop with a grant provided to us from the Aitkin County SWCD. If your property would like to host (we will use your lakeshore as a demonstration site, providing the necessary materials), this workshop (looking into 2021), please email your interest to lonelakepoa.gmail.com.

How to tackle your shoreline erosion? Some changes do need a DNR permit (DNR permit link) so best to check there first. Some suggestions both from the article (SWCD shoreline protection) and regional experts suggest:

1. A "no-mow" buffer.....deeper roots will hold your soil.

2. Protect your soil....wrap your eroding shoreline with erosion control fabric and then plant native plants.

3. Plant native plants...Meadowsweet, False Indigo, Blue Flag Iris, Lake Sedge, Red Dogwood, and others.

4. Create a native plant buffer....trade your turf grass with the easy to follow steps in the link.

5. Install willow wattle (DNR wattle link) or a coir log at the toe of the shore. The toe is where the water meets the land. A coir log, (available in Brainerd at Brock White link) is an assorted fiber man-made log, temporarily staked to support your shore. Others have used a downed tree at the toe. All have seen both success and struggles in Lone Lake.

Why tackle your shoreline erosion? It is your land and best that you keep it. Erosion changes the lake and we all want to keep our lake one of the best. Why not rip-rap? Working towards the use of native species rather than rock brought in from other areas, the MN DNR continues to promote natural methods this past decade. Rip-rap is generally quite a large expense as well.

Please let us know of your interest in being a demonstration site for shoreline maintenance. Thanks for keeping your shoreline at home.

Links to information on erosion control.

Aitkin Age article

DNR permits

DNR willow-wattle

Coir log at BrockWhite

Aitkin County SWCD

UMN shoreland property owners stabilizing against erosion

Lone Lake Tidbits | July 2020

LLPOA memberships continue to trickle in for the 2020 year. While we missed seeing you in person this spring, it was a decision made for health and safety. Many members do pay their dues at the annual meeting, but that needed to be canceled. So now is the time for more membership renewals or your first time to support the health of our lake. Thanks to the 72 members who have sent in their membership. A "normal" year shows a total closer to 120. We have even more Lone Lake residents than that.

Please click here for the link to the LLPOA webpage for either the form to print and mail in with your $25 membership fee or sign up online using PayPal. Who benefits from your membership? You, your lake neighbors, and the MN environment.

Reminder---the LLPOA board made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 annual meeting. Social Distancing doesn't work well with the enjoyable meeting of lake neighbors and a shared meal. We look forward to seeing you in 2021. Board members up for re-election will continue to serve in that role. We are looking for an additional board member if you have the interest, time, and motivation to keep our lake ready to welcome all. Contact Steve Frasier or lonelakepoa@gmail.com

Thanks for the time and effort given by so many members to clean our roads and ditches this spring, our area looked good and is good for wildlife. As we plan ahead to the fall road clean-up, another difficult decision was made to avoid contact with others and again clean with only our immediate family in an area around our lake. This works well for many as it can be completed on a date that works for you. Please focus on the month of September for your official road clean-up. We will have a method for you to share photos and areas cleaned ready to go before Labor Day weekend.

Sad news for Lone Lake families. Already this year, former members Audrey Lundeen, Ardella Rued, and Roland Zacharias passed away. Our condolences to their families and thoughts and prayers are with you.

How can you help? Long time resident and member Fred Lane would appreciate any notes and cards from his Lone Lake neighbors and friends. He continues to work towards better health. Please send greetings to wife, Nancy, at their home address (listed in membership booklet) and she will deliver them. Thanks

Always amazing. but this time not the good amazing. Dave Scott reports that the Secchi disc reading this past week was barely 19' This compares to the June 1 reading of 37.5'. Quite the comparison to show what algae and lake usage do to "turn up" the sediment on the lake and lower the clear lake quality.

AIS inspectors helping to keep our lake free from invaders hiding on boats entering our lake have not been as frequently staffed on Lone Lake as in past years. Not enough employees this year requires that the inspectors rotate their lake duties among Aitkin County lakes. Aitkin SWCD reports that they are covering the lakes as best as they can. You can assist by making sure your boat and the boats of friends and relatives that visit you are checked and clean before launching. We all win when everyone helps out a bit.

Ending on a fun note, a kayaking club chose to visit our lake and enjoy the clean water and wonderful views. Always fun to explore new places but always best to come home to Lone Lake.

See those walleye?

https://m.startribune.com/to-catch-a-walleye-10-tips-for-the-fishing-opener/258521681/

Ever wonder where the walleye in our lake come from?

Lone Lake is not considered by the DNR, (Department of Natural Resources) as a walleye lake, but walleye are preferred by many who fish. The DNR stocks Lone Lake with only walleye, usually in the "fry" stage. Fry are recently hatched fish.

In a normal year, in early spring, teams of six to eight people harvest walleye eggs and sperm that are usually netted in the Pine River near Jenkins, Minnesota. The parent walleye is released back into the river and the spawn are then transported to the Brainerd hatchery where they are grown to "fry" size. Once the fish reach the desired size, they are transported by truck in 250-500 gallon tanks. Lastly, they are released into the host lake.

In 2017 and 2018, the DNR released 74,000 walleye fry into Lone Lake and in 2019 the DNR released 3,000 fingerlings into Lone Lake. Fingerlings are four to six months old. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, walleye eggs were not harvested this year.

Keep in mind, barbless hooks and practicing catch and release is always a good option to help our small walleye grow to a larger size and keep our lake stocked with new generations.

(Thanks to Martin Cook, former LLPOA board member, and Rick Bruewitz, DNR local fisheries supervisor for the detailed information.)

Enjoy your fishing experience.

Visit from a baby fawn

Was it a dream or did this really happen?

We were taking a break on Sunday, May 31st when a baby fawn came walking across our lawn.

Karen immediately called for it and it headed in our direction.

Right behind the fawn was our neighbor's son Paul Bragelman, who said the fawn had been over by their place all morning.  He had called the DNR for advice but couldn't get ahold of anyone.

At that point, the baby fawn ran by and got stuck in the fence on the other side of our property and began crying.

Paul tenderly removed the fawn and held it close to calm it down and to let him/her know it was safe.  After just a few minutes he released it and off it went, headed into the wooded area on our property.

The Bragelmans are no strangers to protecting wildlife.  Several years ago they rescued baby ducks in the cities and brought them to Lone Lake.  The ducks survived and returned to their property for many years.  Last fall when Paul was heading home on Highway 47, he saw an injured eagle.  This lucky eagle was transported by Paul to a wildlife rescue center.

It was a fun experience and we are thankful for the wildlife on our lake and caring neighbors that are willing to take the extra steps to help care of nature's creatures.

Karen and Steve Frazier on Lone Lake

Be the Best Boater on the Lake

Driving a boat, unlike driving a car, doesn't require a licensed adult but the responsibilities of the driver for those on your boat and those around you remain the same.

Keep everyone safe.

Which can be even more challenging on the water.  No lane markings, rarely any 'road' signs, and drivers pulling others at a distance.

The MN DNR publishes a yearly pamphlet of boating rules for boat owners.  It is a good idea for all boat drivers to review the rules and their skills each year.

Here are 10 DNR reminders for all boaters to remember as Lone Lake has only 448 acres for all of our boats of many types, paddlers, skiers, and swimmers.

1. Own your wake--be mindful of what you create....don't "swallow-up" others with a huge wake.  Shoreline erosion, property damage, and impaired water quality with large wakes as well as public safety hazards can occur without intent to harm anything.

2. Not even a boat, but Aitkin County has a permit requirement for rafts that remain in the water overnight to keep driving easier for boaters.  A registration number, lights or reflectors, and a minimal yearly fee are required for those items.  Contact the Aitkin County sheriff for more information or stop into the courthouse to pay the fee once every five years.

3. While PWC (personal watercraft-jet skis) are to maintain a 150' distance from the shore, there isn't a MN rule for shoreline distance for boats. Always watch out for swimmers no matter where you are on the lake. Remember, in Minnesota,  PWC may operate between 9:30 am. and one hour before sunset.

4. Keep your tunes "in check".  Remember sound travels over the water far better than overland.

5. Travel slowly in shallow waters.

6. One life jacket equals one person.  Remember the law in MN for those under the age of 10 is that they must wear the life jacket anytime on a boat.  Keep your "throwable" life preserver handy.

7. Rules of the lake "road"......stay right.  When two boats are headed towards each other, each must angle right to give separation space.  Absolutely no reason to "play chicken".  Watch out for your own skier or tuber as you follow or lead another boat.

8. A sailboat has the right of way over a powerboat, but ANY human-powered vessel (kayak, paddleboard, canoe, paddleboat, rowboat being rowed), has the right of way over any other vessel.  For motorboats, that does mean to slow down to keep your wake to a minimum for these slower-moving boats.

9.  As the lake needs to be shared, the slower-moving boats and boards also need to think about their route.  Sometimes the middle of the lake is the best spot for the bigger boats.

10.  Above all......be polite.  Stay away from other boats while giving a friendly wave as boating is meant to be safe fun for all. Boaters are part of a lucky community we have here on the lake.  Thanks for being a part of that.

Check specific MN DNR boating rules with this link to the 2020 boating guide.

June Tidbits for the lake

REMINDERS!

LLPOA Boat parade Saturday, July 4th. Decorate your watercraft or your dock. Join other boats in the bay by the public landing. The parade will head east around the lake beginning at noon. Be in the parade or welcome them from your dock.

Annual Lone Lake triathlon begins at 8:30 am, July 4th. Meet at the public beach to compete in the swim, bike ride, and run. Teams and individuals welcome. Registration immediately before the event. Social distancing necessary. Spectators welcome.

Struggling to maintain a healthy lakeshore? Board member Dave Scott has obtained an Aitkin County grant for assisting the property owner with their desire to keep their lakeshore healthy, strong enough to resist constant wave action, and natural. We are looking for a Lone Lake property to use as a demonstration location for a workshop on how to best maintain a healthy land/shoreline environment. Other property owners would be invited to attend the hands-on workshop, learning how to create willow-wattle and plant appropriate green plants for the location. Email lonelakepoa@gmail.com with questions or to express your interest in this opportunity.

Really good news! Dave Scott, on June 1, found the Secchi disc reading for Lone Lake to be 37.5 feet. The Secchi disc is "an opaque disk, usually white, used to gauge the transparency of water by measuring the depth at which the disk ceases to be visible from the surface". That Monday was a calm, brilliantly sunny day before any algae bloom and without much boat turbulence. Thanks to all who have removed leaves that contribute to a lower reading. Lone Lake generally has an average reading between 18-27 feet. One of the best in the county.

Membership? Once again, a thank you to those who have joined LLPOA. Our current membership list is over 60, but we await many more registrations from you during this pandemic year. Thanks for joining with others to keep our lake clean and safe for all. Save our membership volunteers some time and effort by clicking here to access the LLPOA membership page rather than coming to your cabin. We would like you to be part of the group looking out for our lake.

Another reason to be proud of your neighbors....we have the cleanest ditches around! Thanks to all who stepped up and worked Looking forward to seeing more of you September 12th for the fall event.

The loons seem to be everywhere, but where is their nest? Hopefully, they have done a great job of hiding it and soon we will see babies on the lake with their parents. Please keep an eye out for them while boating.

Time to step up our lake watch for Aquatic Invasive Species

What is it? Nothing we want in our lake. Zebra mussels similar to this were recently discovered in Farm Island Lake. Not the news we wanted to hear this month.

Zebra Mussels

Now found in Farm Island Lake

More info

On Thursday, June 11, the MN DNR confirmed zebra mussels in Farm Island Lake in Aitkin County....a mere few miles from our Lone Lake.

A Farm Island lake property owner, fishing on the lake, found the adult zebra mussel on vegetation attached to a boat anchor. The resulting investigation revealed zebra mussel larva. These larvae, also known as veliger, may "indicate a reproducing population of zebra mussels is established in the lake".

While individual zebra mussels were found in Farm Island Lake in 2018 and 2019, the DNR was unable to find the veligers. The vigilance of lake users who contact the agency when they find what may be invasive species is what helps everyone in the DNR and on the lake learn more about what is in their lake.

Zebra mussels are native to Eastern Europe and Russia. They arrived in North America in the Great Lakes with shipping vessels. Scientists know that zebra mussels cause an increase in toxic blue-green algae. These decaying algae can decrease oxygen supplies which kills fish. They may coat surfaces with razor-sharp shells and block water intake valves or take plankton from fish.

While many boats on Lone Lake do not travel to other lakes, others commonly do for fishing or recreational purposes. Please follow the recommended 'CDD' whenever your boat leaves our lake.

Clean your watercraft and trailer of aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.

Drain all water by removing drain plugs and keeping them out during transport.

Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.

Docks, lifts, and other marine equipment must also be checked and cleaned. If buying or selling from another lake, please allow the equipment to be out of the lake for at least five days (others recommend 30 days) before moving to other waters.

This is too close for comfort. We must improve our vigilance for all invasive species if we want to keep our lake clean.

Click here for more information on zebra mussels

Click here for more information on cleaning your boat

Click here for a guide to aquatic invasive species

4th of July on Lone Lake

Summertime greetings to all on the lake!

The 4th of July weekend is just around the corner and the LLPOA is planning to hold our Lone Lake Triathlon, Boat Parade, and AIS Boat Inspections at the public landing.

The Lone Lake Triathlon, organized by the VanSlooten family, will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the public beach. It features a 1/4 mile swim to Dance Hall Point and back, followed by an 11-mile bike ride north on CR 12 to 39,. The final segment is a 4-mile run southeast on CR 81, 28, and 12. Triathlon contestants can compete individually or as a team. The LLPOA awards medals to the first, second, and third place winners in the individual male and female brackets and to first, second, and third for team participants.

2019 Lone Lake Triathlon participants

Registration sign-up is prior to the event and social-distancing is required of contestants and on-lookers. Questions and more details are available by contacting Matt VanSlooten at Mattvs14@gmail.com or text/phone at 952-210-3963

The Lone Lake Boat Parade will begin at noon on Saturday, July 4th at the bay by the public landing. A traveling trophy is presented to the winners of the best-decorated speedboat, pontoon, and dock. Last year's speedboat winners, the Olmsheid family, (lot 119-new owner/members). will lead the parade east around the lake. The VanDuesen family, (lot 148-new owner.members), will act as this year's judges and photographer. All boat parade participants are asked to have a large sign with their last name and lot number to show the judges. Due to the pandemic, no candy should be thrown-out this year. Last year's dock competition winner was the Kics' family--lot 109.

With so many events being cancelled this summer, the Triathlon and LLPOA Boat Parade are fun events to get your family involved on Independence Day.

AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) boat inspections will be held at the public landing starting on Thursday, July 2 through Tuesday, July 7 from 10 am. to 7 pm.

We ask for your cooperation and that of your guests as the county Inspectors examine your boat for AIS. This has become even more vital to our lake in light of the discovery and confirmation last week of zebra mussels in nearby Farm Island Lake. Please read the accompanying article for more details. Thanks to you for telling the AIS representative that you appreciate their efforts to protect Lone Lake.

Have a safe and enjoyable beginning of summer. See you on the lake.
Steve Frasier, LLPOA President