Nelson Lake Association
Annual Meeting, June 10, 2017
The meeting was opened at 9:30 am by Pres. Bill Wilcox.
Northern Waters Environmental School gave a presentation regarding their monthly projects.
They provide real world, hands on, meaningful projects and have weekly day trip activities. The
students have helped stock white suckers on Nelson L., helped with our Fish Sticks program,
and built/set up duck homes below the Nelson L. dam. They have done environmental projects
all around Sawyer County.
Since no one qualified for our annual Scholarship fund, we presented a $500 check to Northern
Waters to assist them in providing future environmental projects.
DNR Fisheries Update: Max Wolters, our Fisheries Biologist from the Hayward office gave a
presentation on the Nelson L. fishery. While he didn’t have a lot of good news, he felt we are a
model association. WALLEYE – In the past 15+ years, walleye have not reproduced well in
Nelson L. Approx. 93,000 extended growth walleyes have been stocked into our waters by the
WI DNR and the Nelson L. Assoc. The DNR has done an electrofishing survey this past week,
and will be doing a creel survey all thirough the summer months. There are no large year
classes of walleye currently, although there are lots of 18+ inch fish. PIKE – Not too abundant,
but good size with many fish over 30 inches. CRAPPIE and PERCH – both species are very
abundanty with few fish over 9 inches. These many small fish are the result of a lack of
predators. LM BASS – the number of LM peaked in 2011, and since then, the size of LM has
gone up while the total number have gone down. BLUEGILLS – good number of keepers in the
7-8 inch range. Mild winters have helped to increase the large number of 3-4 inch ‘gills.
SUCKERS – We have increased by approx. 10% the total white sucker population. FISH
STICKS – 113 trees were dropped on the shores of the Big Island this past winter. We have now
dropped nearly 1,000 trees. Where do we go from here? More extended growth walleyes will be
added. The Fish Sticks Program will continue. A goal – When the walleye population increases,
these fish are natural predators of the many small panfish, and by eating those small
crappies/gills/perch, the panfish size will undoubtedly increase also.
Financial Report: We currently have $43, 786.90 in our accounts.
NLA Board Elections: Kelly Plote and John Welter are up for reelection, and Cara Goldman is
running for the Treasurer’s position. MOTION made to elect Cara as Treasurer and reelect Kelly
and John as Board members. Passed.
Other Business: The Garage Sale will be held on July 8-9th at the Lenroot Township Hall.
Two gift certificates to Nelson L resorts were awarded. The meeting was adjurned at 11:03 am.
Steve Bilitz, Secretary