Welcome to Week CLXXIII of ‘Fishing Parkland Shorelines’. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I’ll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don’t have access to a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
If you like fishing you are always on the outlook for a new place to toss a lure with the hopes of catching a fish. Our ears twitch like miniature radar dishes if we hear the word fish in a coffee shop, and we are always picking the brains of fellow fishermen in hopes of a shared secret regarding a special fishing hole somewhere.
So when I saw a Facebook page post about Birch Lake in the Kelliher area, I was drawn to find out more.
It turned out the lake recreation area was undergoing a massive facelift, and as I delved deeper I found the plan was to restock the lake for fishing, should conditions prove viable.
The reporter side of me, coupled with the fisherman side, had to find out more.
The best way to find out more was to climb in the rig and head west down Highway #52. The trip is only about an hour, thankfully because the highway is one of those all too typical in Saskatchewan, a patchwork of potholes and previously patched potholes. It did keep me awake at least.
Once at Kelliher I searched out Conway Maydonick.
I had been in contact with him via Facebook as he was one of the driving forces behind the work taking place at the nearby lake.
Maydonick explains Birch Lake was once a summer recreation hotspot.
“In the ‘50s it had a dance hall, a beach, swimming lessons,” he said.
But it was also in the 1950s the dance hall burned to the ground, and that was the beginning of a decline for the recreation area at the lake just southeast of the community.
There was an effort in the 1970s to reclaim the area, but Maydonick noted, “It just didn’t work.”
Flash forward a few decades and the once popular campground was a grown-over tangle of scrub brush.
“Basically you couldn’t even drive down there anymore,” said Maydonick.
But Maydonick believed the area could be a community gathering spot again, and he spear-headed the effort to reclaim the recreation area.
“I was going to do this year’s ago,” he said, but like many things it just never got started, at least until this past spring.
It helped that Maydonick operated Can-American Enterprises, a construction services firm, and dealer for lines such as Terrax and Mustang skid steers.
“My equipment, I donated it all,” said Maydonick, adding that was the only way the project was viable. He estimated had they hired the work done it would have been near $1 million, and even renting the equipment it would have been near $150,000.
Spending most of his spare time over the summer at the lake, Maydonick and others scrubbed bush, created campsites, planted grass and trees, hauled in sand to re-develop a beach, and installed a boat launch.
All the work culminated with a grand opening and dance Aug. 29 (sans a dance hall). Maydonick said he does hope at least a covered area is created so that when they hire a band, and have a dance, they do not have to worry so much about a rain cloud.
But what about fish?
Maydonick said there are plans to stock, and at least indications fish may still be in the water.
When taking people out on boat rides Aug. 29, he said people where reporting seeing fish jump. There were some trout stocked in the lake back in the early 2000s.
As for current plans Maydonick said it would be to stock walleye and perch, but that effort is with the local Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation branch.
“They’ll do some oxygen level testing this winter and see where we stand,” he said.
Maydonick said he expects fish can survive in the lake noting there are spots where there are 18-feet of water in the spring-fed lake, and there is the potential to aerate, although it is a large lake, one that is much bigger than appears from the campsite with smaller water areas accessible by kayak and small fishing boat.
Maydonick also said a mudpuppy was found at the lake this spring. The aquatic, gilled salamander must have survived the winter.
I was not aware mudpuppys were in local waters, but some online research suggested their range does extend into Southern Saskatchewan.
For those as unfamiliar as I was, “mudpuppies, also called waterdogs, are one of only a few salamanders that make noise. They get their name from the somewhat embellished notion that their squeaky vocalizations sound like a dog’s bark,” detailed www.animals.nationalgeographic.com
“Among the largest of the salamanders, mudpuppies can exceed 16 inches (41 centimeters) in length, although the average is more like 11 inches (28 centimeters). Their range runs from southern central Canada, through the midwestern United States, east to North Carolina and south to Georgia and Mississippi.
“Mudpuppies live on the bottoms of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, and never leave the water. They hide themselves in vegetation and under rocks and logs, emerging at night to feed on whatever prey they can catch, including crayfish, worms, and snails.
“Mudpuppies are easily distinguishable by their bushy, red external gills, which they grow as larva and never lose. They have flat heads, wide tails, stubby legs, and feet with four distinct toes. Their bodies are gray or brownish-gray with blue-black spots.
“Females lay large clutches of eggs and guard them until they hatch, a unique trait among salamanders.
“Mudpuppies are common throughout their range and have no special conservation status. However, habitat loss and pollution is putting pressure on some local populations.”
But back to Birch Lake, Maydonick said they are proud of what they have accomplished so far, but they want to do more.
“We seeded two acres of grass,” he said, adding that it will be additional campsites once established.
And they would like to add a few neighbouring acres to the recreation area if they can, providing a few more options down the road as they develop a fun place for Kelliher and area residents to gather for fun and relaxation during the summer.
With luck that will include fishing. I just hope they remember shore fishermen with a few cleared spots to allow casting room.
You can keep track of progress by searching Kelliher Birch Lake on Facebook and liking their page.
