I am planning a circumnavigation of Lake Superior on a sailboat "Johanna," Grampian 26' with a draft 4.3'. Please let me know if I can stop in your Harbor.
Do you have a dock or wall for transient? Phone # of the harbormaster would be appreciated.

Thanks, A.K.
London, Ontario.Canada

News

CHRISTMAS PARTY 2011: Saturday, December 10th.
Cocktails at 4:30, Dinner at 6:00
Johnny Trash playing after dinner!
Cost: $25 per person, must call Grace Hines with your reservation, by December 5th.

Elections will be held on September 10th, during the Club Picnic. All Officer and board member positions are up for election. Please indicate your interest in serving in any of these positions (click for form) by AUGUST 31st. There will be NO nominations on 9/10; only voting. To run for office or nominate someone, you must be a member in good standing for ONE year - please check your membership status before voting in September!

Open Positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer (2 positions - no longer a combined job!), several board members needed too. Please nominate yourself or nominate someone who is willing to serve the Club!

Picnic at 4pm , 9/10 - pop & meat provided. Please bring a potluck dish to share. BYOB!!

Spring 2010 Newsletter - read here

From the Membership meeting on 3/22/2008

Status of Fishing Cleaning Station - Jon Pecotte
The committee received word on 3/21 that some things in the grant would be denied. The DNR has expressed interest in helping to fund some part of the project because they support the wash-down portion for boats to help control the spread of VHS and other diseases. The committee will continue discussions with the DNR and report their progress. FYI: the stainless steel station is about $18K, so the club expects the entire project to run somewhat over $25K.

A committee was formed for the 4th of July picnic - see Kathy Koski to volunteer your help.
A request was made and approved for a $100 donation to the Hurley High School graduation party.
Please see anyone on the Fishing Contest Committee to volunteer your help during the contest.

From the DNR meeting on 1/30/2008

Q: It’s been reported that Michigan DNR will be planting Chinook (100,000) at Black River Harbor this spring. If so, what is Wisconsin going to accomplish by not planting 20 miles away?

A: To prevent the spread of VHS, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario have chosen NOT to move fish/eggs from infected waters in other water bodies. Thus, no Chinooks or Seeforellen from Lake Michigan.
The state of Michigan feels their disinfect ion process is effective and will not spread VHS though stocking.
To PROTECT the Lake Superior fisheries MN, WI, and Ontario have taken very conservative steps to prevent the spread of VHS in uninfected waters.

Q: Where does Michigan get their eggs for restocking? Where do you get the eggs for Seeforellen plants?

A: Chinook and Coho come from Lake Michigan. Eggs for Seeforellen Browns are collected by WDNR from wild fish that run up Lake Michigan tributaries.

Q: Do you coordinate with other state and Canada to stop the spread of VHS?

A: Wisconsin does coordinate with other agencies around Lake Superior. Agencies may have different strategies for dealing with VHS depending on what they feel best prevents the spread of VHS.

Q: What is the current status of the spread of VHS?

A: in 2006-2007, VHS was found in Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago in WI waters. Hundreds of fish were tested last year including from Lake Superior. VHS was not found in any additional waters in 2007.

Q: Since VHS is already in the Great Lakes, won’t it ultimately be in Lake Superior no matter what we do?

A: We feel it is the RESPONSIBILITY of the DNR to do our best to PROTECT our valuable fisheries in Wisconsin. Not only to try to stop the spread into Lake Superior, but more importantly we must try to prevent the spread of VHS into inland waters.

Q: Is it feasible to plant the following species at Saxon Harbor? Splake, steelhead, walleyes, smallmouth bass

A: Splake – We are seeing poorer returns in WI recently. Also, they don’t seem to do as well in main lake shorelines, better in bays and around islands.
Steelhead – Our tributaries are doing a good job of producing fish, no need to stock on top of natural reproduction
Walleyes – Open lake not suitable habitat for younger fish, poor survival of stocked fish
Smallmouth bass – Our hatcheries do not raise smb, would not do well in main lake.

Q: What are the costs for testing the eggs? Could the club cover some of this expense?

A: We are currently looking into the cost of testing fish, but we believe it is fairly costly.

Q: How can you say that Lake Superior is going into a NATURAL cycle of prey and predator (a decline in both) when you have miles of monofilament gill net catching both?

A: See the charts for catch rates for Lake Trout and Smelt/Herring and class strengths.

Q: Does Lake Superior have adequate supply of bait fish to sustain a larger fishery?

A: in the 1960-70s Lake Superior’s bait fish was dominated by the non-native smelt. Since the 70s, lake trout have increased and have caused the decline in smelt. With the decline of smelt, native herring have increased dramatically since the 1980s . In addition, with fewer smelt in shallow water and more lake trout in the lake, stocked salmonids are having a harder time surviving. The current native prey fish population is adequate to suppor the current native predator population.

Q: Who could we contact in Madison for help to keep our Brown Trout program going?

A: We have talked to our Great Lakes biologist in Madison and made it clear that we feel the seeforellen brown trout stocking program is important to the Lake Superior fishery. If we need your support in retaining the brown trout stocking program we will contact the club. We are planning to stock St. Croix brown trout.

Q: What is the impact of more lake trout and sporadic herring year classes?

A: With more native predators in the lake and natural variations prey fish, individual fish growth rates have slowed down. So a typical lake trout today grows slower than it did 20 year ago. BUT, with better regulations, the fish refuges, and sea lamprey control, lake trout have a better chance of surviving to an older age.

Top

12/17/07: Did you make it to the annual Christmas party? If not, you missed a great meal and good times! As usual, it takes a bit of work to put on a successful dinner so thanks again to the organizers, decorators, cooks, servers and clean up crew. Lots of nice door prizes again, thanks to anyone who donated some of the prizes we gave out. Johnny Trash had so much fun this year he decided to join the club!

10/21/07: Club meeting held at 4:30.

Financial Report: Club collected $1602 in dues; $4700 in lift fees; money collected that is split with Iron County is up from 2006 by approximately $6700. The annual payment on the lift has been made. Expenses for the year were about $16,000 (lift loan, repair to loader, park supplies & maint, insurance, postage, misc).

Club voted to maintain the $1500 charitable contributions to the Saxon Gurney Volunteer Fire Dept ($500) and Hurley "take time to be kind"; Mercer Food Pantry's "toys for all"; WJMS-WIMI's "shop with a cop" and Salvation Army ($250 each)

DATE CHANGE! The Christmas party will be the THIRD Saturday in December - 12/15/07. Saxon Hall opens at 4pm for drinks; dinner is at 6pm with Johnny Trash music starting at 8pm. Price is still $20 per person for either Prime Rib or Bar-b-q Ribs and open bar.

8/14/07: Club meeting held at 6:30. Reports by the various committees:

Harbor Cleats - measured and marked; install on Wed 8/15
Picnic Tables - $94.92 each; 2 x 10, 8 ft green treated; planning to purchase 9
Gas Grills - would like to start with a purchase of 2 grills while on sale this month
Memorial Benches - 6 ft dark green benches, $500 with engraving
Basketball Court - Thanks to Northern Lakes Concrete for donating the concrete for the basketball court
Welcome signs - one sign before the river and at the entrance to the campground and another on the bathroom wall by the east boat ramp. Estimating $1000 for material; Gary Ruda will build them this winter and Iron County will install them
Street signs - green signs with white lettering at $65/ each. Planning to purchase 5; they sit on 12 ft pole and town of Saxon will install them.

4/3/07: Several members of the club have taken it upon themselves to organize and cook a breakfast for all the contest participants, tournament workers and anyone in the campground who feels like having a hot breakfast on Saturday, June 2nd as a fund-raiser for the club. Tentative menu: scrambled eggs, sausages, toast, coffee and juice for $5 / person. Thanks to Bruce Kalm, Debba Kallas, Diane Ruda and Stevie Adamavich for volunteering to take on the task!

12/20/06: Another fun Christmas party is behind us. Many thanks to all the volunteer cooks, hall decorators, clean up crew and various other Santa helpers who made the evening run smoothly. Lots of nice door prizes were awarded between dinner and the music provided by Johnny Trash. If you didn't make it this year or are a new member just getting your dock, plan to attend next year. Traditionally, it's always held the 2nd Saturday in December!

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of September 24, 2006Print version

Meeting called order by President Ruda

Raffle of boat-motor-trailer report given along with winners and youth groups receiving profit funds.

Following items were discussed and acted on:

• Christmas party will be held on 12/9/06 with the menu and budget remaining as last year. It will be held at the Community Bldg. in Saxon with open bar, Christmas gifts, 50/50 raffle and “Johnny Trash” providing music. (Zarzyski/Kallas)
• Volunteer appreciation dinner will be held 10/28 with menu and budget remaining as last year ($1000) (Zarzyski/Gilbertson)
• Charitable contributions will be as follows: $500 Saxon Gurney Vol. Fire Department, $1000 split up among Mercer Food Pantry (Toys for All), Shop with a Cop, Take Time to be Kind (HHS), Salvation Army (local)
• Ken Challis, Chr. of the newly appointed Iron County Saxon Harbor Committee was introduced. Ken was attending the meeting as an interested observer along with providing answers to several questions presented by members.
• Motion was made to invite Tara Stuhr and her husband to the Christmas Party as our guest (D.Eifolla/Kallas)

Next meeting set for October 29 at 4 p.m.

Adjourn (Torma/Grandahl)

>return<

Minutes of October 19, 2006 Print version

Meeting called order by President Ruda

Minutes of previous meeting read and approved (Kallas/Dorpat)

Financial report for 2006 given and approved (Kallas/K.Koski)

Discussion held as follows:

• Pumps for circulating water around boat lift and dry hydrant in harbor; ¾ hp and ½ hp quoted for around $725. Bill Hines discussed the size requirements and that the dry hydrant pump would also be used for the fish pens area when the salmon are being kept in the harbor. Expense approved $800 (Sachs/Poody) additional expenses will include cable, signs, etc. with Iron County paying all electricity charges.
• Dues will be raised for 2007 to $8.00 per person and $15.00 per family, which includes all children under 18. (Kallas/Dahl)
• Jack Poole discussed tire covers for the boat lift. New tires are around $500 each and we would protect the existing tires for $45 each. Covers being made by Jacquardt Fabrics in Ironwood. Approved (Poody/Dorpat)
• Voted to increase the Christmas Party charge to $20 per person (Sachs/Dahl)

Colleen explained the newly designed web site at www.SaxonHarborBoatingClub.org. She has paid $50 for the space for the first year and is charge of changes, additions, etc. The club thanked her and will forward all information to her for inclusion on the site.

It was suggest we contact the County and CenturyTel to start them thinking of the public phone in the park that was such a problem last year.

The security light by the playground can be placed this year since the electricity is available where the old water pump was.

Meeting Adjourned.

October 21, 2007 MinutesPrint version

Meeting called to order at 6:30 pm

Minutes from previous meeting read and approved (BKallas/Poody)

Treasurer’s report given and approved (KThurow/Poody)

Discussion of annual end of season contributions as set forth to be done on a yearly basis. No change was suggested so contributions will be done as follows: $500 Saxon/Gurney Vol. Fie Dept. and First Responders. $1000 Christmas donations ($250 each) Hurley High School “Take time to be kind”, Mercer Food Pantry “Toys for all”, WJMS/WIMI “Shop with a Cop”, Gogebic/Iron Salvation Army.

Discussion and action taken as follows:

Christmas Party, Saturday, December 15
4:00 pm bar opens
6:00 pm dinner served
Menu same as last year – BBQ Ribs or Prime Rib
Prizes $1000
Music $400 Butch Carli
Price $20 per person
Approved (BKallas/Poody)

Colleen Sachs discussed the web site and suggested everyone that wishes to receive Club notices by email should get her their address. We will suggest this in the newsletter.

Motion to adjourn 8:30 pm (PKester/SKalm)

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