Fall 2025
Picking blackberries on a walk around Pickerel Lake
Issue 44
From your Association President
Drew Zelle | dmzelle48@gmail.com | 920-209-0564
Greetings, it’s almost fall and as I look out onto the lake, I see the first shades of autumn. The lakes appear to be weedier than usual this year especially this past August. Beaver activity also has increased with a new lodge on the channel and a small dam on the north side of Little Pickerel. From the number of boats on the lake and from my experience, fishing is good.
I appreciate all the efforts put in for the annual picnic. Although attendance appeared to be down, it didn’t rain and we netted $11,424 in profits after the bills were paid. This will help pay our bills and the rest goes into our budgeted items. Volunteers made this a success and I want to thank all the people who helped, donated, and showed up.
Our Clean Boats/Clean Water staff had a busy year at the boat landing checking incoming and outgoing boats. There is a lot of use on the lakes because of the good boat landing and quality fishery. Donations in the drop box at the landing have dramatically picked up with users typically throwing in a few bucks when they use the lake.
We did two beach cleanups this year and the town donated some nice clean sand for the beach. They also removed the old benches. Thanks to all that helped with that effort.
The boat parade in June was a new fun event. We had five boats participating and a nice pot luck at the beach following the parade. Look for this to be expanded next year. Thanks to Laure Haak, Laura Komperda, and Barb Trudell for organizing this.
The PCLA has had an active year, with the Picnic, Clean Boats Clean Waters efforts and Water Quality Monitoring. I thank you all for your time, donations, and talents that make this organization what it is. Volunteerism for the good of the lakes helps everybody enjoy what we have. I am looking forward to working with you all in the coming year.
Take care.
2025 Upcoming Events
Look for your Open Water Letter, coming in November. Please contact us if your mailing address has changed.
Stay tuned for the call for volunteers for aerator pole and line installation, as soon as the ice is strong enough to walk on.
Thank you to our Picnic Donors
Thank you to all the businesses and families whose donations made our 2025 Annual Picnic a success! Donors from this and past years are listed on our Fundraising page.
Businesses: ALASKA FRESH SALMON | AMY’S PANTRY & WINE CELLAR | COLDWELL BANKER BARTELS REAL ESTATE, INC. | FALLON AND FLOUR | FIRE MOUNTAIN-BEST CRAFT FURNITURE | FLEET FARM ANTIGO | GREAT LAKE TESTING INC. | GREEN BANANA | GREEN BAY PACKERS | KARLA'S COUNTRY KITCHEN | KWIK TRIP | LAKEHOUSE WINERY | MAPLE BUZZ | MCCAUSLIN BROOK GOLF COURSE | MEPPS-SHELDONS INC ANTIGO | MIGHTY FINE SPORTS SHOP & FIREWORKS | MILWAUKEE BREWERS | NICOLET COUNTRY CLUB | NORTHERN PERKS | PAUL BUNYAN SKI HILL AND BAR | PICK AND SAVE ANTIGO | PINTSCH’S HARDWARE | POTAWATOMI CARTER CASINO | POWERS SPORTS | ROCKY RIDGE GREENHOUSE | SEROOGY’S | SWEET MEMORIES CANDY SHOP | TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA | TWIGGY BLU IMAGES | WALMART ANTIGO
Families: MARY BENSON | ERIN CULLIGANE | JOE & LUANA DEMBIEC | BRIGITTE JANOS & DON DESIMONE | MAE & ED ENZ-THRIVENT | DIANE & TERRI GARD | JAN AND JERRY GONNERING | JAMIE HAAK | JODY & STEVE HANSON | DENISE HAPKE | MARTY & LAURA KOMPERDA | MARY & DOUG LONGLAIS | JP MICHEAU | KEVIN & LAURIE OSADJAN | GARY ROONEY FAMILY | EMMA SEQUIN | MIKE & PARI SCHILZ | JANA & BRIAN SCHLEIS | JEFF & ELLEN SCHMIDT | SHERRY & LEE SCHUBEL FAMILY | JOHN & LYNN SHAD FAMILY | KRISTINE SLOSSER & SHAWN LAVEY | AL & BARB TRUDELL | LISA & CRAIG VAN ALYSTYNE | ANDY VAN HANDEL | CLAIRE & CHLOE VAN HANDEL | DENNIS & PAT VAN HANDEL | JEFF VAN HANDEL | MIKE & AMY VAN HANDEL | MARK & DARCIE ZELLE
Boat Parade Winners
Thank you to our judges, boaters, and everyone cheering on for making this such a fun event, even in the brutal heat and with those crazy biting flies! More pictures and videos are on our website Boat Parade page. Thanks to Tim Moore and Marty Komperda for grillmastering; to the Shilz family for the sound system; and to Drew and Michelle Zelle for additional logistical support. And to everyone for putting up with the murderous flies.
Judges: Local celebrities and an AirBnB renter – none of whom had a family connection to any of the contestants – served as Parade judges.
Judges for our 2025 Boat Parade (left to right): Linda Ziegler, Town Clerk, Town of Townsend | Amy Ziegelbauer, AirBnB renter | Gigi Bartels, Realtor, Coldwell Banker | Grace Farrell, Summer Intern, Wheeler Lake Association.
Winners: Each boat paraded around the lake, ending at the Oughton Park judges stand. Each had music, some dancing, and some swedish fish… um… eggs and eagle hats. The video says it all. We had a great time!!
First Place: Jailhouse Rock - Laura and Marty Komperda and friends
Second Place: Something Patriotic - Lisa and Craig van Alstyne and family
Third Place: Eagles - Michelle and Drew Zelle and Pari and Mike Schilz (and a lot of Swedish Fish stuffed eggs)
Runners-Up: Aloha Prime (the Dallaire Family) and Aloha Too (the Conradt Family and Buddy the very large dog).
2025 PCLA Boat Parade Winners!
Megafauna Updates
Our six swanlets have made it through the summer and are preparing to migrate south. The loons nested, laid eggs, but alas no baby loons this year. Eagles, sea gulls, and sand hill cranes were frequent visitors.
As Drew noted, we have a new beaver dam in the channel near Little Pickerel Lake. I haven’t seen the otters this year, but plenty of muskrat action and of course lots of pine snakes. Remember to give these animals space, particularly when nesting and raising young.
Loon nesting - Spring 2025. 2 eggs, no babies this year.
PCLA Website Overhaul
It’s been two years since we launched the PCLA website. Based on your feedback, we’ve updated the site architecture, creating landing pages for Events and Programs as well as the About page. We’ve changed the newsletter into a blog, so it is easier to find back issues – and also more straightforward to distribute on our Facebook page.
Keep those ideas coming! If you find any broken links, please give me a shout at boardPCLA@gmail.com or use the Contact Us button on the website.
Et Cetera!
We’d love to share your pictures of the lakes on the PCLA website! And kudos! Please send your pictures, ideas for newsletter content, and your nominations for people to recognize for their lake stewardship activities to BoardPCLA@gmail.com.
