North Lake

ALL Ladies Welcome! Tuesday, December 13 # 58 North Lake Park 6:30 pm. (The cookie exchange is optional) Please bring one container with 5 dozen of one kind of homemade Christmas cookies. Bring an additional container to put your new selection of cookies in. Some ladies bring baggies to separate the types of cookies. You will go home with 5 dozen of a new selection of cookies. Please bring a $10-12 new, wrapped gift (something you would want to open!). Snacks, hot cocoa, hot cider and coffee provided. If you would like to bring an appetizer, dessert or drink to share, feel free. RSVP to Trish.

Thank you Kevin Burch for creating the new Beer Bottle Beach sign.

Beer Bottle Beach Sign

The Fuel Depot in South Bend is going out of business this weekend.  The customers from the Fuel Depot will have a farewell get together at Mahoney State Park restaurant on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 dutch treat at 7:00 p.m.

After the 1998 train derailment Channel 6 ran a story on their evening news.  Rob Clements converted the video to digital and it is posted here:  Channel 6 Report

The North Lake Salmon Bake will take place on Labor Day, September 5, 2011 at 6 p.m. at Beer Bottle Beach. Bring side dish, salad, or dessert and your own drink. Plates and silverware provided. The Salmon Bake is a community event for North Lake cabin owners and their families put on by Craig Johring.

The band Tuna Fish Jones at Kevin and Penny’s Summer Party on August 6th.

Don’t miss the party of the summer for North Lake and Middle Island.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011 AT 7:30PM, BURCH RESIDENCE, LOT 86. LIVE MUSIC.  “TUNA FISH JONES BAND”  BEER, BOTTLED WATER, SLOPPYJOES & HOTDOGS PROVIDED. IF YOU LIKE, SHARE A DISH, IT’S APPRECIATED. ADULTS ONLY – MUST BE 21 AND UP TO ATTEND.

Royalty for the 2011 North Lake Park’s 4th of July Festivities was John and Edelene Grier.  Their family cabin has many happy memories of their years spent at Lot 43 since it was purchased by John’s father in 1953.

John and Edelene Grier

Thank you to following who donated to the 2011 Forth of July Fireworks fund:

The Ladies of the Lake meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Contact Gloria Grimm for details on the next meeting.

Ladies of the Lake getting ready for the 4th of July. Picture taken at monthly luncheon.

Keep in mind this summer that all household pets need to be confined to the cabin owner’s property, or on a leash when not on their property.  At no time may unleashed pets be turned loose to run at Beer Bottle Beach. (See the “North Lake Rules” under the Rules and Bylaws for more information and clarification)

Cabin owners may reserve the pavilion, parking area and beach area for private parties.  However, private parties do not ‘close’ the beach for other cabin owners and their guests. As a courtesy, cabin owners should use discretion about using the beach when there is a private party at the pavilion and keep to the fire pit area of the beach.

Beer Bottle Beach

The “Ethanol” video below promotes some brand specific products but makes good points about avoiding ethanol fuel, purchasing fuel from a high volume station and using a fuel stabilizer

Ethanol

The annual North Lake Get Acquainted Party took place on June 3rd at 6:00 p.m. The evening was an opportunity to reconnect with neighbors, and meet new cabin owners from this past year. Grilled chicken and pork were smoked, and served by Bruce Skinner and Jim Fey.  

White Perch are an invasive species of fish in our lake. The adults range between 7 to 12 inches in length.  White Perch are competitors of native species of fish because they eat the eggs of walleye and other species we stock. They are aggressive feeders and are commonly caught on worms, minnows, or a jig. With all other species of fish we encourage catch and release. When you catch a White Perch don’t return it to the lake. They can be disposed in a dumpster or eaten. You can fillet and cook a White Perch similar to a Bluegill or Crappie.

One of the amazing additions at North Lake is cell phone coverage. North Lake board member Kirk Yost, spent two years lobbying for the installation of the cell phone tower. 

An eagle nest can be seen across the river from the west end of our lake. Pull over at the picnic table. With binoculars or a zoom lens look across and upriver. You will see a male or female eagle always guarding the nest. If you are paddling down the river, from the water you can see an eaglet in the nest.

Zebra Mussels are not in our lake. If Zebra Mussels invaded our lake we would have almost a zero change of getting them out. Precaution is the best way to keep our lake from being infested.

1. Boat trailers that have been in outside lakes or rivers need to be disinfected before entering our lake.

2. Water from the Platte River, or water from minnow buckets should never be dumped into our lake.

3. ATV’s, pets, kayaks, and people should never enter, or wash off in the lake after being in the Platte River.

Morel mushrooms grow anywhere there are trees. Many say that morels come out when lilacs start to flower. Around the lake the lilacs are starting to bloom and mushrooms are being found in wooded areas. Need advice of where to hunt? Rob Clements found mushrooms on his lot.

Rob Clements with morel muschrooms

The annual North Lake and Middle Island fireworks show will take place at sundown on July 2nd. Donations are being collected for the fireworks fund. Ted Hubbard has fronted the money to secure the fireworks show at a reduced cost; we just need the donations to re-pay him.  Checks should be make to the North Lake Park Association and given to Dale Engelking.

Zebra Mussels are almost impossible to kill and they ruin your sand beaches among other things. If your boat leaves our lake to go to another lake for vacation purposes, etc., you must sanitize your boat and trailer with a bleach solution prior to putting it back in the lake.  This includes all boats of any size and inflatable’s (float tubes).  Other items that need sanitized are your minnow bucket, and other fishing equipment, and even your dog.  Prevention is the key to this.  Zebra mussels spread by microscopic larvae that can’t be seen by the naked eye.  If in doubt check with Bob Ellsworth, Bruce Skinner or Mike Dodge.

The past winter during the cold days of January hundreds of geese found open water on North Lake.

A Fish Fund has been established. In 2010 the Fish Fund received $1200 in donations. The Fish Fund is used to purchase fish above the normal fish stocking from our budget. The $1200 was used to purchase 900 walleye that were stocked in our lake this past fall.

More fish will be stocked as funds are received into the Fish Fund.  To contribute to the Fish Fund, checks should be make to the North Lake Park Association and given to Dale Engelking.

The following donations were received in 2010 for the Fish Fund:  $1000 Hamilton Families (George, Jeff, Tom, Chris), $100  Craig Johring, $100 Anonymous.

22 1/2″ Large Mouth Bass caught by a guest on August 13, 2010

We launched our first website in 2004. From the beginning until now the format has remained largely the same. Several years ago Microsoft discontinued their support of the web design program we were using. In time the company hosting our website did the same resulting in not being able to post updates to our site. As a result for the past seven months our website could no longer be updated.

In January we moved to a new format and in April we launched our new site. We will continue to add new features to our new website. Comments, feedback, or suggestions are welcome.  craig@northlake.us