Lake Report Spring 2009
MNR
Splake Stocking Program
Good
News for anglers! MNR
Bancroft Mazinaw District stocked 7500 Splake in 2006 and 7000 Splake
in 2008
in our lake.
Save
the Bass!
Don’t
fish near the shore
of Steenburg Lake
in the spring. The
bass are on their spawning beds until late June. Once an adult male
(baby bass protector)
has been taken off it’s nest by a catch and release angler,
it rarely returns
to protect the fry. This leaves the nest open to predator Rock Bass,
Perch, and
Sunfish. Congratulations
out of season
angler – you just killed a lot of future whoppers! Instead,
use May and June to
go after the Splake in the deep sections of the lake away from the bass
spawning beds until the season opens in late June.
Stealth
Cottaging
A
good time at the lake
includes a healthy mix of wild times with friends and neighbours,
snoozing in
the hammock, work weekends, camp fires, and communing with nature. This
is your
slice of heaven. You cherish the view from your porch (often the screen
saver
on your computer). Think about what you neighbours see when they look
across
the lake at your place. Do they see a dock poking out of a densely
treed shore
and wonder what your place looks like, or do they see a white
boathouse, a
beautifully manicured treeless lawn, sand beach, patio lanterns, and a
huge
yellow blow up trampoline out front. If the shore across from you
looked like
your place, would you be happy? Consider the following to turn
Steenburg Lake
back to nature:
1.
Shade your outdoor lights so
they point down, not out in the lake –
avoid the “Honest Eds” look.
2. Let the shoreline go back
to nature. Create a natural buffer at
the lake edge back 45 feet (15 meters) from the shore.
3.
Camouflage your cottage –
go with colours that blend in such as dark green, dark blue or dark
brown.
White and yellow stick out like a sore thumb.
Your
cottage will be your
screen saver that you look forward to all winter long.
Wouldn’t it be great to
have the best of all worlds – a summer retreat in a natural
environment. Always
keep in mind that your lake environment is fragile.
It’s
a great
time to consider an upgrade to your cottage Septic System
Take
advantage
of this year’s Federal Government Home
Renovation Tax Credit
(up to
$1350) to bring your septic up to the current building code
requirements before
the rush starts in a few years (as a result of the proposed Ontario
Government’s clean water legislation and mandatory septic
system inspections.)
Septic
Pumping:
If you and your
neighbors can coordinate 3 or 4 septic systems to be pumped, then Don
Tripp (613-474-2237) is
willing to reduce his price from $150 to $125. You have to be
on the same road, and have Don make a single trip to complete three 800
gallon
septic pump outs, or four 600 gallon septic system pump outs. Post your
request
to on the Steenburg Lake website and watch for other cottagers to join
in the
discussion.
Septic
Inspection:
Several Steenburg Lake Cottagers have
recommended Kirk Tripp, a local septic system installer. He charges
$200 to
$250 to inspect your current system. Again, work with fellow cottagers
to
arrange yourselves into groups so Kirk minimizes travel time and
related
expenses.
Save
the Loons