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LAKE SARAH NEWS
updated January 7, 2021
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Winter is Spearing time!
Darkhouse spearing is a fun and enjoyable way to enjoy our great Minnesota outdoor resources.
As with any outdoor activity we need to be prudent to follow basic outdoor etiquette and safety while enjoying our sport.
When moving from a darkhouse spearing location, always mark your darkhouse spearing holes with wood lath, sticks from the shore our other natural vegetation before leaving, this will minimize the risk of someone falling into your darkhouse spearing hole.
Never leave blocks of ice on the ice after leaving a location. Break up the blocks with your ice chisel or push them back in the hole before leaving.
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| Never leave ice blocks above ice when you move your shelter |
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| John May 18.5" 1/3/2021 |
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| Walleye Caught!
John May, fishing on the morning of January 3, 2021, pulled up this nice 18.25 inch walleye on his tip up on the east side of Lake Sarah. Beautiful sunrise photo, Thanks for the photo Jeff!
As we continue to track the success of our walleye stocking program - please send in any photos of walleye caught on Lake Sarah to b.spencer@lakesarah.com. The walleye stocking program which added 2,200 more walleye fingerlings in fall of 2020 is privately funded by lake residents, area sportsmen, and the LSIA. If you'd like to contribute see the link below,
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Help support continued walleye stocking in lake Sarah! Click the Paypal button on left to donate to the stocking program with any major credit card or bank balance transfer. Your tax deductible donations are greatly appreciated!
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LSIA members and Lake Sarah stakeholders:
As we have all experienced in one form or another, 2020 has been a challenging year as we navigate our changing world. Following pandemic protocol and state guidelines we have not been able to adhere to our typical regiment of association meetings and were unable to conduct Spring and Summer gatherings. Given the current guidelines, limited venues and safety concerns, the board had to cancel our Fall meeting planned for October 19th. We have strived to reach out to all of you through various communications this year and have in fact had a successful year on the lake. We appreciate your patience, encourage your participation and are always open to your feedback.
We have included some highlights for the year and overall 2020 has been a good year on Lake Sarah. We have had a fabulous boating season and hope for a little cooperation from Mother Nature regarding some much needed moisture. It is always with mixed emotions as we pull our docks, boats and lifts out of the water and start the transition to the next season. It has been a beautiful Fall and we look forward to 2021 with optimism.
Stay tuned for future correspondence as we transition leadership positions on the board. Kevin Horn (President) and Nate Uselding (Vice President) have completed their terms as officers and we appreciate their service. The board will be formulating transition plans for 2021. Should you have an interest in joining the board please reach out to any current board member or email us at lakesarahassociation@yahoo.com.
Best regards,
LSIA Board of Directors
2020 LSIA Yearly Highlights:
2020 LSIA Yearly Highlights:
- Communications: Newsletters (Spring/Summer/Fall)
- Distribution newsletters electronically and via US mail
- Special articles (Thanks Deloris Ullstrom)
- Cooperative Water Resources Management Agreement continues
- Treatment partnership with Three Rivers Park District (TRPD) and Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Commission
- March Ice Clean up (thanks volunteers)
- Membership Drive (148 Members)
- Discount programs (Randy’s/Finkens/Moorhouse Motorsports)
- April Spring Meeting: Cancelled due to COVID
- AIS Management Plan summary by AIS Consulting included in Spring newsletter
- Treatment Program of Invasive species continued (positive progress being made, over last 10 years total phosphorus reduced by 18% & water clarity improved by 37%)
- 111 Donations received to support treatment costs in 2020
- 122 Acres treated for Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP)
- 34.3 acres treated for Eurasion Water Milfoil (EWM)
- Big thank you to those who contributed to the lake treatments and ongoing contributions from our partners: Pioneer Sarah Creek Watershed Commission and TRPD
- New record for water clarity (July secchi reading of 7 feet in both bays of Lake Sarah)
- Lake Sarah hosted first loon family in recent memory
- 4th of July Boat Parade (Thanks to Sarah Evjen for organizing and Nate Uselding for leading)
- July Summer Picnic General Meeting: Cancelled due to COVID
- Outlet Management (all season)
- Ensuring proper flow (thanks volunteers)
- Neighborhood Directory (to be issued late Fall 2020)
- 3D AIS Monitoring Station operating since May at Public Landing
- Thanks to volunteers who help manage the station
- Grant updates
- Hennepin County AIS Grant sidelined in 2020 due to COVID
- Hennepin county grant issued for additional AIS surveying
- Walleye Stocking (Oct) (Continuing program that started in 2001)
- 22 donations received totaling $1100, board agreed to match donation amount
- ~2200 fingerlings recently released into the Lake
- Board Member status: Help Needed: Please, please consider volunteering
- Outgoing board members: Nate Uselding, Kent Roers (thanks for your service)
- Thanks to Kevin Horn for completing 4 years as LSIA President
- Returning Board members: Mike Malone, Andy Althauser, Anne Horn, Scott Beaupre, Jon Arneson, Marcus Zahn, Kevin Horn, Bill Scandrett
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2020 Minnesota Recreational Boating Survey
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| photo courtesy of Take Me Fishing |
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The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking boat owners throughout Minnesota to complete a survey to help us understand your experiences and improve services for the boating community. This survey is being sent to a select group of boaters, so your participation is very important to the success of this study.
Follow this link to complete the survey. Or use this accessible survey that works better with screen readers. Please consider this past boating season (2020) when answering the questions.
The survey will take about 10-15 minutes and your answers will remain completely confidential. Thank you for your time and feedback.
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OFFICIAL ICE OVER FOR 2020 WAS DECEMBER 2, 2020
This is the same date lake Sarah froze last season and exactly the average ice over date from our available records.
The average Ice over date when calculated using the last 30 years of records as listed below is December 2. The earliest Ice over date was November 12 (1995) and the latest ice over date was December 21 (1998, 1999, 2001). This website uses "remains frozen for the season" for our records and for reporting to the MNDNR and MPCA Citizen lake monitoring program.
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The final water level reading of 2020 was 978.38 on November 8 (east bay gauge)
This can be compared to the initial reading this spring of 979.58 on 4/5/20, the final reading last fall on November 6, 2019 of 979.47' and the Ordinary High Water Level for Sarah of 979.90'.
Thank you to Cindy Keating (west bay) and the Spencer family (east bay) who continue to volunteer their time to monitor our lakes’ water levels for the MN DNR, LSIA, and our website for yet another year!
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Walleye stocking continues!
2,200 walleye stocked in Sarah on 10/7/2020 off Joe Slavec’s dock by Marcus Zahn with fingerlings from Ron Radermacher.
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Many of the questions emailed to this site regard illegal or inconsiderate snowmobile, atv, boat or pwc operation or fishing/hunting violation questions. To report illegal vehicular activity you should contact Hennepin County Sheriff Water Patrol (612)596-9880, or West Hennepin Public Safety (763)479-0500, The Water Patrol will not issue a citation for offenses they do not witness. They may issue a citation if the witness agrees sign the complaint (much like a citizens arrest). If you plan on filing charges against an individual you should make note of the date, time, vehicle description and license number, identity or good description of the operator. A side note; If the offender wishes to appear in court you may be required to appear as witness / accuser. To report hunting or fishing violations call DNR area Conservation Officer Officer Name: Brent Grewe Phone: (763) 205-6014, DNR Enforcement (651)582-1502, or orTIP (turn in poachers) toll free hotline 800-652-9093. Click the blue text for a copy of the 2017-18 Minnesota Snowmobile Regs , Personal Watercraft Regs , 2019 MN Boating Guide , ATV/OHV Regs, or the 2019 MN Fishing Regulations , in Adobe Acrobat Reader format (.pdf).
Lake Sarah (MN DNR #27-0191) is located in sections 1 and 2, township 118, range 24; and in sections 34 and 35, township 119, range 24, Hennepin County, Minnesota. GPS 45°4'19"N 93°41'24"W surrounded by the Minnesota cities of Independence, Greenfield, Loretto, Medina, and Rockford. Click here to view a Google hybrid map of lake Sarah. Suggestions for content and services to be provided by this site are always welcome! E-mail this website with your feedback, suggestions, comments or ideas.
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