INFORMER

BIG SAUK LAKE ASSOCIATION

FALL EDITION 2018

President’s Letter:
Only a few leaves hang on to provide us with a last memory of
what once was Summer. October definitely had an attitude of
cold and wet. Hopefully we will get some nice days in
November. The docks and lifts seem to be out of the water by
now. If you are on the northern end of the lake, you may have
noticed some zebra mussels clinging to the legs or wheels of
your dock. Sauk Lake now carries the distinction of being
infested with this aquatic invasive species (AIS). With zebra
mussel already present along the Sauk River from Lake
Osakis to Little Sauk Lake, it was inevitable that they would
find their way into Big Sauk Lake.
What most people want to know is “how do zebra mussels
impact the lake?” I don’t think anyone really knows how Sauk
Lake will react. Some of the things we know. It’s claimed that
each zebra mussel will filter up to a quart of water each day.
The filtering of tiny food particles out of the water can reduce
available food for larval fish and other animals. This con-
stant filtering can clarify the lake, and improving water clari-
ty can increase the weed population. So stay tuned over the
next few years to see how this infestation of such a little crit-
ter will affect Sauk Lake. For more information visit the DNR
website on the subject. If you are reading this from our web-
site (BSLA.org), you should be able to click on the link below.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebra-
mussel/index.html
I am happy to report that we have a preliminary draft of our
Lake Management Plan on the website. We are looking for
any feedback from Members before we develop the final
document. We ask those of you who attended our Visioning
Session in June to review the report at BSLA.com and provide
us with any comments or questions you may have. The Board
would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the members
that attended the June session. Your input is greatly appreci-
ated.
The Lake Management Plan outcomes and action items focus
on four major areas. Those areas are as follows: improving
water quality, promoting native aquatic vegetation, promoting
balanced fisheries, and improving the operational functions of
the Association. The items noted in the five year plan will help
to guide present and future boards. Once the plan is finalized
we will follow up with more information.
The Minnesota DNR has been stocking Sauk Lake with over 2
million fry every Spring since 2009. Each Fall Eric Altena
from the DNR Fisheries group has conducted a survey to
determine the success of the stocking program. Below is a
graph that Eric sent to us that details his findings over the last
10 years. At the beginning of the program, the adult popula-
tion was almost non-existent. The fingerlings (present year’s
fry) have done well most of the years. Sauk Lake now has a
good quantity of adult fish. The fry stocking program has been
a benefit to the lake and we appreciate all of Eric’s efforts to
improve the walleye fishing for everyone.
On the flip side of the walleye story is the sunfish/bluegill
condition. This group of fish has seen a sharp decline in the
last decade. The most widely accepted reason given for the
lack of the pan fish is the near disappearance of aquatic
vegetation (weeds). Based on DNR comments, the annual
vegetation survey conducted by the association, and anecdotal
information, the native vegetation “seems” to be on the rise.
With that we hope to see the pan fish population increase.
Have a great late Fall and be safe around the water (ice)!
Tim Weir

Sauk Lake Walleye Electrofishing 2009-2018

140

120

100
Number per Hour

80

60

40

20

0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Fingerling Walleye Adult Walleye

The MNDNR stocks 2.2 million Walleye fry annually. We measure the success of the stocking through
electrofishing at four distinct runs on different parts of the lake. A susccessful year class has been
*What does a Secchi disk South Basin Secchi Measurements by
BSLA Member Vern Beckerman
measure?
A Secchi disk measures water transparency or South Water Water
Observation Date
clarity. It is a quick and easy measurement that tells Basin (ft) Color Temp.
scientists a lot about a lake's water quality. First, it May 16, 2018 6 Clear 57
indicates the amount of light penetration into a lake.
May 23, 2018 6 Clear 60
Second, Secchi transparency provides an indirect
measure of the amount of suspended material in the May 30, 2018 7.5 Clear 68
water, which in many cases is an indication of the June 6, 2018 6 Clear 68
amount of algae in the water. Long-term transparency June 13, 2018 7.5 Clear 66
monitoring by volunteers provides a valuable basis for
detecting trends in water quality. Generally, the sooner June 20, 2018 7.5 Clear 68
water-quality problems are detected, the easier and June 27, 2018 6.5 Brown 73
less expensive it is to restore the lake to its previous July 10, 2018 4 Brown 74
state.
July 17, 2018 3 Brown 76
Lake Observations by Vern Beckermann July 25, 2018 3 Brown 72
August 2, 2018 3 Brown 69
August 7, 2018 3 Brown 76
! "# August 15, 2018 3.5 Brown 73
$ August 22, 2016 3 Brown 68
# ! %% August 29, 2018 3 Brown 66
! % September 6, 2018 3 Brown 66
! & ! September 16, 2018 2.5 Brown 66
! '( ( )*
September 25, 2018 2.5 Brown 56
! &
North Basin Secchi Measurements by BSLA Member Jeff Mayer
What is a Secchi
North Secchi
disk? Observation
South Secchi
Reading by Water
Wind /
A Secchi (pronounced “Seh-kee”) Reading by Tempera-
disk is a circular metal plate Date Rainbow Re- Color
Grey Stone (ft) ture
attached to a measuring rope. It is sort (ft)
probably the least expensive and May 7, 2018 4.6 3.91 Stained Calm 84
easiest to use tool in water quality
monitoring. May 16, 2018 9.16 10.83 Clear Calm 86
Information provided by the May 21, 2018 6.41 7 Stained Calm 70
Secchi disk is easily interpreted by
May 28, 2018 7.66 7 Stained Calm 87
volunteers and can be used to
June 5, 2018
detect water quality trends in lakes. 15.5 14.08 Clear Calm 76
The Secchi disk, created in 1865,June 12, 2018 10.25 10.41 Clear Breezy 70
is named after Fr. Pietro Angelo June 19, 2018 10.16 8.66 Clear Calm 67
Secchi, astrophysicist.
June 28, 2018 7 6.5 Stained Calm 82
July 3, 2018 5.16 4.3 Stained Calm 79
Citizen Lake July 9, 2018 4 3.91 Sediment Calm 83
Monitoring Program July 17, 2018 3.66 5 Sediment Calm 76
Are you interested in helping to July 24, 2018 4 4.75 Stained Calm 78
monitor Big Sauk Lake’s water August 3, 2018 4.5 5.08 Stained Breezy 63
quality?
August 6, 2016 4.25 4 Stained Calm 73
For more information on the
CLMP volunteer program, visit the August 16, 2018 3.5 4.16 Sediment Calm 79
following web site: August 25, 2018 4 4.08 Sediment Calm 71
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/ Sept. 3, 2018 4.16 5.16 Sediment Calm 60
resources-volunteers Sept. 10, 2018 4.5 3.75 Sediment Breezy 74
Editor’s Note: You’ve seen them in Sauk Lake. Often in large schools that roil the top of the water. They’re not
superhero’s rather “superabundant” Common Carp. Over the last decade this fish has had more of an impact on
Sauk Lake than anything else Mother Nature has thrown at it. You can point a finger at this fish species for
changes in water clarity, vegetation levels and the unbalance in fish species. Below is some information from the
U of MN’s Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center that tells the story of this fish.

Life cycle What they affect

Common carp are one of the world’s most widely
introduced and invasive species of fish. Currently, they
dominate the fish biomass of many shallow lakes,
rivers, and wetlands in North America and around the
world, including many lakes in central and southern
Minnesota. Carp degrade water quality and destroy
waterfowl habitat by rooting in the lake bottom while
searching for food.
Common carp mature at the length of approximately
12 in. when they are 2-3 years old. Females can carry
up to 3 million eggs. Once mature, adults of both sexes
migrate into shallow wetlands to spawn in the spring.
Once released by females, the eggs are immediately
fertilized and stick to submerged vegetation. The eggs
develop and hatch within a week. Each female can
produce several hundreds of yearlings and carp can
quickly become superabundant. However, this occurs
only in habitats that lack native predators, such as
marshes that winterkill (when fish die in winter due to
a lack of oxygen). In most lakes in Minnesota, young
carp survive poorly because abundant panfish popula-
tions can decimate carp eggs and larvae. Marshes that
winterkill are key nursery habitats for carp in
Minnesota.
In addition to panfish controlling carp eggs and larvae,
there are two other factors in carp’s life cycle that can
be targeted for control. The first is that adult carp
aggregate together (shoal) under the ice, during which
time they can be located using telemetry and removed
with seine nets. The second is their migrations from
lakes to marshes to spawn, which can be blocked or
targeted for removal.
Common carp degrade water quality and destroy habi-
tat for waterfowl, fish and amphibians. They are vora-
cious feeders that forage primarily on plant seeds and
insect larvae that live in lake sediments. While search-
ing for food, carp burrow into lake sediments and in
the process they uproot aquatic vegetation, increasing
water turbidity and releasing large quantities of sedi-
ment-bound nutrients, which stimulate algal blooms. It
is estimated that over 70% of lakes in southern
Minnesota have lost their plant cover and suffer from
excessive algal blooms due to carp’s foraging activity.
Tens of thousands of hectares of waterfowl habitat
have been devastated by common carp.
Where they're found
Common carp have large populations in North
America, Australia, and New Zealand. They are native
to Eastern Europe and Asia. Currently, common carp
are established in 48 states in the U.S.
In Minnesota, they have become superabundant in
some lakes, primarily in central and southern
Minnesota, but have not become established in others
– for example the Boundary Waters. Research at the
Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center
has established that two simple ecological filters – lake
productivity and abundance of bluegills – control the
success of carp.
Carp become invasive in regions with productive lakes
that also have low abundance of bluegills, which eat
carp eggs and larvae. In all other lakes, those that are
clear and oligotrophic or which have high densities of
bluegills, carp are not invasive because their eggs and
larvae do not appear to be able to survive the critical
developmental period.

Note: BSLA’s Board of Directors is trying to solicit com-

mercial fishing of Carp from Sauk Lake. Unfortunately,
the fish has a low market value and therefore is not
often sought after by commercial fishermen. We will
continue to keep you posted on this matter.
On these two pages are a listing of BSLA Residential and Business members who have paid dues
for calendar year 2018 as of October 31, 2018.
and the Sauk Centre community!
Alice & Jim Abraham
Frank & Nancy Ademite
Beth & Ed Ampe
Dennis M. Anderson
David & Chasity Armstrong
Kevin & Leisa Baartman
John & Cindy Banovetz
Kevin & Mari Banz
Tim & Jeni Barker
Rick & Jodi Bass
John & Susan Beane
Dan & David Beck
Vern & Sue Beckermann
Jerry & Renee Beddow
Betty Lou Berg
Ron & Ann Bergemann
Catherine & Jason Beste
Chad Beuning
Roger & Susan Beuning
Jerry & Kaye Beuning
John & Gail Bieniek
Bob Bjork
Matt & Erin Bjork
James & Becky Blackbird
Jim & Bernice Blacksher
Mike & Betty Blenkush
Jim & Clare Boyer
Mark & Brenda Breitbach
Andrew & Teresa Burlet
Les & Delores Butkowski
Rick & Janet Byland
Richard & Susan Cardinal
Barbara Carlson
Dennis & Kathy Christianson
Nathan Cole
Sarah Coltvet
Robert G. Cornell
Richard & Linda Cross
Ervin & Raeanne Danielowski
Chris & Katie Determan
Robert & Colleen Diercks
John & Lorna Dierks
Mike & Debbie Disher
Mike Duffey
John Ebner
Steve & Stacey Edling - Gateway
! " #$% for your support of Big Sauk Lake
Philip Ehresman
Doug & Kim Evans
Cyril & Deb Felling
Tony & Irene Felling
Mike & Judy Felling
Jean & Pat Fiedler
Tom & Edie Fischer
Marty & Deb Fitzgerald
Kitty Fobes
Robert Friedl
Randy & Jane From
George S. Gallagher
Nick Gerten
Greg & Darla Gilb
Vince & Sherry Gonzalez
Dawn & Carl Gordon
Bonnie & Roger Grapper
Gary & Lois Grave
David & Kathy Grussing
Larry & Mary Gustafson
Ed & Sara Hackenmueller
Benedict & Claire Haeg
Francis & Darleen Hagen,
Sr. John & Karen Haley
Richard & Barbara Halvorson
Heather & Tom Hamilton
Kristine Hansen
Alta Hanson
Gary & Mary Hargreaves
Rick & Cindy Haroldson
Susan A Hartigan
Cindi & Jerry Hefferan
Maggie Heinen
Bob & Kandy Heinen
Scott & Abby Henderson
Richard & Grace Henning
Larry & Debbie Herke
Eric & Janelle Hesse
Bill & Deb Hildebrand
Dean Hilgers
Barb & Mark Hilgers
Jim & Liz Himanga
Paul & Shawn Hintzen
Alyce Hintzen
Ken Hoeschen
Paul & Sara Hoeschen
Bob & Sue Hoffman
Kris & Chrissy Hokanson
Randy & Denise Hommerding
Yvonne Honken
Linda Hortis
Peter & Bridget Hubbard
Joyce Huntstiger
Gary & Renae Illies
Tim & Mary Janish
Dan Jaros
James & Bernadette Jennissen
Brenda & Patrick Jennissen
Rick & Laurie Jennissen
Elaine & Dean Jensen
Romaine Joarnt
Greg & Kelley Johnson
Craig & Terry Kasch
Dean & Mary Kerfeld
Bill & Milan Ketchler
Gary & Jocelyne Klasen
Greg & Jeanie Klasen
Jim & Val Kluver
Kenneth Korte
Dennis & Beverlee Korte
Chas & Bev Kortuem
Joseph & Blaine Kostreba
Mark & Gwen Kranz
Laura Kruth
Marjorie & Bob Lackmann
Bill Lanik
Robert & JoAnn Larson
Brent & Jody Lavoi
Larry & JoAnn Lawinger
Chris & Lisa Lawinger
Tyler & Jared Lawrence
Brock & Jessica Leagjeld
Peter & Karen Leko
Roy Lenander & Gail Kayfes
John & Laura Lepowsky
Duane & Bonnie Leukam
Maxine Lobejko
Mike & Chris Long
Skip & Lyn Manoski
Lucas Martin & Sara Olmanson
Dick & Barb Martin
Jeff & Carol Mayer
Peg and Lance Mead
Steve & Fran Messerli
John & Jo Ann Meyer
Patricia Meyer
Keith & Jennifer Middendorf
Tim & Lovette Mieczkowski
J&J Miller Family Trust
Calvin & Linda Miller
Marlene Mohr
Patricia Musenbrock
Hilding & Deanna Nelson
Ken & Judy Nelson
Jack & Cindy Nelson
Ken & Mary Nelson
Bob & Carrie Nelson
Chereen Norstrud
Theodore Olson
Kathy & Tom Oschwald
Launie & Paul Overbeck
Mike & Jolene Panitzke
Mike & Colleen Pehl
Peggy & Jim Pereda
Herb & Alice Peters
Bob & Deb Peterson
Rod and Jeanne Pettit
Ed & Sue Pfeifer
Nick & Jackie Pohlkamp
Keith& Jaci Polipnick
Philip & Jacqueline
Polipnick Laurie Quistorff
James & Shana Rachey
John & Mary Rasmussen
Roger Reinardy
Joe & LuAnn Reznicek
Russell & Katherine Rohde
Shirley Rice
Nick & Becky Rinaldi
Al & Joan Rindfleisch
Paul & Juliana Robischon
Stephen & Amy Rothstein
Art & Lorraine Schaap
Steve & Kathy Scheeler
Milo & Julie Scheerle
Tony & Allison Schelitzche
Kathy & Denny Schiebold
Tom & Vennie Schmitt
Jeff Scholl
Mark & Shellie Schreier
Gerald & Jane Schurman
Ellie Scott
Doris Scott
Tom & Sue Seawell
Tom & Joyce Sedgeman
Tom & Jill Shaw
Steve & Jeanne Shelton %
Paul Sieben
Dorothy Sills AmericInn Lodge & Suite
Jeff & Lynn Spessard Birchwood Resort
Dorothy Stadther Boomerang Marine &
Arnold & Joan Sticha Powersports, Inc
Terry Stodola Central Minnesota Federal
Warren Stone Credit Union
Wanda & Jim Storie Centre Graphics, Inc—
Kathy & Dale Struffert Steve Klick
Bob & Linda Swanson Centre Power Sports
Lawrence Terwey City of Sauk Centre
Mark & Sara Thompson Country Cat, Inc
Rod & Maren Thornbloom Felling Trailers, Inc
Robert Tomsche First State Bank of
Mark Tomsche Sauk Centre
John & Janet Tracy Godfather's Exterminating, Inc
Lorrayne Traut Jitters Java Café
Dwayne & Judy Trisko Main Street Press
Don & Katie Unzen
Minnesota National Bank
Joe & Katie Uphus
Mitch's Dyno Tuning
Denny & Dorothy VonBank
Sauk Centre
Karla Wagner
Conservation Club
Gene & Debra Walter
Roy G. Walz Sauk Centre
Ken & Karen Wangler Public Utilities Commission
Bruce & Barb Wanquist Saukinac Campground
Dwayne Weiner Schurman Excavating
Brian Weinzierl Tree Top Nursery &
Tim & Jo Weir Landscaping
Marcia Weisbrich
Arlene Welle
John & Jolynn Welle
Cathie Wendell
Matt & Tara Wessel
Rand Willhite
Matt Williams
Gary & Connie Winter
Leroy E. Wolbeck
Bill Wroge
Joe & Sharon Wyffels
Lyle & Lynn Yackley
Johnathan Yarger
Wayne & Mary Jo Yokiel
George & Lori Youngvorst
Dale & Jan Zaczkowski
Victor & Trisha Zeiher
Jim & Mary Zilka
Kevin & Joan Zimmer
Jim & Connie Zuccaro
Patrick Zwilling
 Big Sauk Lake Association PRSRT STD
Box
Big282
Sauk Lake Association PERMIT NO. 15
Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Box 282 U. S. PRSRT
POSTAGE STDPAID
PERMIT
Sauk Centre, NO. 15
MN 56378
Sauk Centre,
ADDRESS MN 56378
SERVICE REQUESTED U. S. POSTAGE PAID
Sauk Centre, MN 56378
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
www.bsla.org
www.bsla.org
BSLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tim Weir – President, 320-352-3318 (h)
BSLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jeff
Tim Mayer Vice President,
Weir ––President, 612-710-9866
320-352-3318 (h) (c)
(Lake Watch – North Half)
Jeff Mayer – Vice President, 612-710-9866 (c)
Wayne
(Lake Yokiel
Watch – Secretary,
– North Half) 612-867-8935 (c)
Rick
WayneJennissen
Yokiel ––Secretary,
Treasurer,612-867-8935 (c)
320-260-3229(c)
Mike
Rick Disher – AIS
Jennissen Detector, 320-232-0650
– Treasurer, 320-260-3229(c)
(c)
Mike
MikeBlenkush
Disher – – Membership,
AIS Detector, 320-232-0650
320-290-2496(c)
(c)
Mike Blenkush – Membership, 320-290-2496
Vern Beckermann, 320-352-3732 (h)
(c)
(Lake Watch – South Half)
Vern Beckermann, 320-352-3732 (h)
Bob
(LakeBjork,
Watch320-351-2513
– South Half) (h)
Jerry Beuning,
Bob Bjork, 320-352-3921
320-351-2513 (h) (h)
Kevin Baartman,
Jerry Beuning, 612-369-2725
320-352-3921 (h)(c)
Mitch
KevinManoski, 320-282-8312
Baartman, 612-369-2725
(h)(c)
Mitch Manoski, 320-282-8312 (h)
to each map that must be shipped.
A $10 charge added
to each map that must be shipped.
A $10 charge added
Jeff Mayer, 612-710-9866
Bob 612-710-9866or
Mayer,320-351-2513,
JeffBjork,
BobToBjork, a map contact:or
obtain320-351-2513,
To obtain a map contact:
26 1/2” x 34” Map—$10
17 34”1/2”
1/2”xx21
261/2” Map—$5
Map—$10
x 21 1/2” Map—$5
17 1/2”Non-Members
Non-Members
Members—FREE
Members—FREE
26 1/2” x 34” Map—Not Laminated
17261/2” x 21
1/2” Map—Fully
1/2”Map—Not
x 34” Laminated
Laminated
17 1/2” x 21 1/2” Map—Fully Laminated