Community Contributions and Donations
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Oconto River Kids Bear Hunt
Walleye SpawningIn the winter of 2019 the Kelly Lake Sportsman’s Club added a 100 x 30 foot rock spawningreef along the west shore of Kelly Lake. This new reef was located 106 feet to the north of a rock spawning reef that was built in the 1980s and enhanced by the KLSC in 2015.
Dump trucks hauled clean uncrushed gravel and rock on the ice and a skid steer was used to spread the rock over the area. Wisconsin’s DNR Fishery staff members Tammie Paoli and Donald Rhode were on site to mark the area on the ice prior to the project. Kelly Lake is part of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative and receives approximately 7320 large fingerlings stocked in the lake every other year since 2014. Ideal walleye spawning substrate is minimal in Kelly Lake and this project will create additional opportunities for natural reproduction of walleye. The estimated final cost of this project, paid for by Kelly Lake Sportsman’s Club, was $5000.00 Thank you to Holt Park, Town of Spruce, WDNR, Thomson excavating, Bear’s Tree Service and our Kelly Lake Sportsman’s Club volunteers. Memorial Park LandscapingUpdate on KLSC's rehabbing of the landscaping at the Memorial Park site. Here are before and after photos of the great job that was done by club member Rick Kozlovsky's company, Bear's Tree Service! The club would like to thank Rick and his crew for completing the project ahead of schedule!
KLSC Donates to Save Lake
The KLSC has been a long term donor and supporter of the Kelly Lake Advancement Association, and their invasive species control efforts, Clean Boats, Clean Waters! KLSC President, Arlyn Libal, presenting a $500 check to KLAA President Ken Darby, at the Association's first annual boat show on Saturday, August 12th, 2017.
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Fish Sticks ProjectOn February 2, 2016 approximately 15 trees were placed at 3 designated locations along Holt Park on Kelly Lake in Oconto County. A huge THANK YOU goes to Arlyn Libal and Roger Lade for completing the online permit application on behalf of the Kelly Lake Sportsman’s Club, Douglas Cassina/WDNR for reviewing and approving the permit in record time as this project was not originally planned for until mid-February, Terry Brazeau for his assistance in gaining the Town’s permission, Rick Koslovsky and Rich from Bear’s Tree Service for cutting and positioning the trees, and the others who hauled trees today with their trucks (and whose names I did not get).
WDNR fish technicians Cory Wienandt, Ron Rhode, and Brad Ryan drilled holes in the cut trees and attached steel cables to tie them together. At the ends of each of the 3 clusters, we left a loose end of cable that will be secured to duckbill earth anchors and driven underground once the frost is gone. We will also remove the orange stakes that mark the sites at that time. When the ice goes out, the trees will sink down. Some smaller branches will be above the water surface for a time but those will eventually break off. In the meantime they are useful habitat for birds. The idea behind this project is to add wood to the water to provide cover for fish and substrate for yellow perch to drape their egg skeins on and to mimic what would happen when a tree falls in the water. Aquatic insects and turtles will also utilize the wood. Since most of my waters includes Green Bay up until a few years ago, this was my first experience with a fish stick project. I am very pleased with the determination of KLSC to increase fish habitat in the lake after our 2014 comprehensive fish survey found that the panfish populations were not meeting potential. One of the reasons is likely the highly developed shoreline and lack of woody habitat for panfish to hide from predators. This fish stick project is a great start in addressing the lack of habitat. I am hopeful that other landowners will be interested in adding trees to their shoreline in future years, or even on the parcel lines between neighbors, to provide a nice place to cast towards and to absorb wave action and reduce shoreline erosion. -Tammie Paoli, Wisconsin DNR |
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Donation to Northern Oconto County Trout Alliance
October 30, 2015:
The Kelly Lake Sportsman's Club donated $200 to the Northern Oconto County Trout Alliance early this Summer to help pay for food for the Brook Trout they were raising at the old DNR hatchery in Lakewood that they reopened this Spring! The photos and video I took, are from yesterday's stocking of 1000 of those fish in the McCauslin at the golf course near Lakewood. They raised 14,000+ trout that will be stocked in other streams in northern Oconto County! Great to see the results that our contribution helped accomplish! |
Perch Released into Kelly LakeEach October the Kelly Lake Sportsman's Club purchases and releases 5000 6” to 9” inch Perch into Kelly Lake. In October of 2017, in response to our club member’s request, 1000 5” to 7” inch Black Crappies were stocked as well. Thanks to the volunteers that helped with this project and thanks to all of the people that support our fundraising, which makes these fish stockings possible.
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Brazeau Dive Team Receives DonationKLSC President, Arlyn Libal, presenting a $750 donation to the Brazeau dive team, accepting the check, team leader Brandon Pendl.
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KLSC board member Merrilee Libal (on the right) with Feed My Sheep Food Pantry at St Anne’s Lena, volunteer Trish Cops, shown with the food donations from the KLSC Ladies Night Out Banquet! The club alternately donates annually to this food pantry and the food pantry in Gillett.
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Board member John Campbell, placing the sign, acknowledging the club’s donation, on the handicap dock at Holt Park, Kelly Lake!
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Scholarship Program
The club offers two annual $500 scholarships to graduates entering college who choose a career in the environmental sciences or natural resource protection. Any student from Lena, Oconto Falls, Gillett, Suring, or Coleman is eligible to apply. This scholarship is awarded each spring. Students can contact their guidance department for full details and application.
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