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Organization will assist Clintonville with fish habitat

Shadows on the Wolf to donate up to $10,000

By Bert Lehman


Shadows on the Wolf offered to help with the financing and permitting for the city of Clintonville to place fish sticks habitats in city-owned areas of Pigeon Lake.

Dan Bouchette, a member of the nonprofit Shadows on the Wolf outdoors organization, appeared at the Feb. 28 Clintonville Streets Committee meeting to discuss the project.

Bouchette said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recommends implementing a fish sticks habitat because Pigeon Lake does not have the proper water depth for fish cribs.

“They don’t feel [fish cribs] would benefit our lake in any way,” Bouchette said.

He said a general permit is needed to install fish sticks habitats.

“Once issued, it’s good for five years,” Bouchette said. “Total cost is $300. We can leave it open, available to add members of the community to it.”

This would allow citizens who like to project to be able to be added to the permit to add fish sticks habitats to their properties.

Committee member Brandon Braden asked if the permit application process was started by engineering firm Ayres Associates, who the city had previously approved to apply for a permit for the city.

Committee Chairman Jim Supanich said the council had approved up to $3,200 for Ayres Associates to complete the permit application, but that process hadn’t started yet.

“We wanted to get everything put together,” Supanich said. “We wanted to coordinate with the lake district and see what they were going to do.”

The city had originally planned to prepare the fish sticks habitats while Pigeon Lake was drawn down. It now plans to do it next winter.

Supanich said the plan is to lay trees used for the project on the ice next winter and tie them into the shoreline. When the ice moves out of the area, the trees will sink into the lake.

Bouchette said the DNR prefers hardwood trees be used for the project.

Supanich recommended that the city enter into an agreement with Shadows on the Wolf for installation of fish sticks habitats in Pigeon Lake on city property and allow them to obtain the permitting required for the project.

Bouchette stated Shadows on the Wolf is willing to spend up to $10,000 to do this project, so the city does not need to spend the $3,200 it had already approved.

“I don’t think we’ll come anywhere near that cost, but that was the number that was approved,” Bouchette said.

According to the DNR, implementing fish sticks habitats – submerged trees near lakeshores – helps to restore woody habitat, improve fish habitat and expand fishing opportunities.

Cloverleaf Lakes and Waupaca’s Shadow Lake are among local waters that have implemented such habitats.

The Shadows on the Wolf organization as a whole has implemented or supported outdoor enhancements throughout the area including fishing piers in Manawa and New London and a boardwalk at Navarino Nature Center.

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