Established October 1998

The concept of a lake group focused on a specific cause was started some years before the formal creation of the Pike Lake Chain Lakes Association (PLCLA) in 1998. Prior to this time in the history of the Pike Lake area, a group was loosely put together whose primary objective was to promote the chain for fishing and recreation but was not functional for a very long period of time. In about 1995, another informal group was formed by the business and resort owners of the lakes area and was called the Pike Lake Improvement Group (PRIG). The organizers were Doug Noetzel of Idle Hour Resort, Tim Dietzel of Moose Jaw Resort and others. Their purpose was to improve the numbers, quality and size of the walleye population in the lakes and resulted in discussions with the WDNR on how to accomplish that. Residents donated funds to help in that effort, with the idea of privately stocking fish of some decent size. DNR was not strongly advocating that as they felt the lake environment was conducive to good natural production. The group, with the help of DNR, built and placed a number of fish cribs in Pike and Round lakes but did not get into a stocking program.

Recognizing the adoption of new State laws regarding the creation of Lake Districts and Associations, on February 6, 1998, an informal and informational meeting was organized by Jack Wierzba, Bill Ave’Lallemant, Charlie Granger and Manny Stein. They discussed the concept of developing and incorporating a formal organization with the help of DNR staff and the County Conservationist Diane Dalton. A fairly large group of residents attended and had put together a number of ideas and questions for state and county staff to help answer. Based on a very positive response by all present, the group publicized and promoted a more formal presentation, inviting all lakes area residents, the DNR and County Conservationist, to be present which was held on July 25, 1998. Based upon the feedback received, a more formal organization was proposed with another meeting to be held on October 24, 1998. At that meeting it was announced that a new lakes association was proposed to be created and announced the incorporators composed of Bill Ave’Lallemant, Charlie Granger, Manny Stein and Jack Wierzba had applied to the State for formal incorporation under chapter 181 of the Wis. Statutes. The new organization would be a non-profit and non-stock corporation and would file for tax exemption under the Internal Revenue Code. They also announced the group’s first annual meeting would be held on Sunday, May 30, 1999. The incorporators would serve as temporary officers until the annual meeting, at which time a slate of officers and directors of the new organization would be nominated and elected by the membership. A preliminary draft of proposed bylaws was prepared, distributed to all present and temporarily adopted for formal consideration and adoption at the upcoming Annual Meeting temporary committees were created with a number of residents offering to serve and develop formal responsibilities to be considered and adopted in May. Initial dues were established of $25 and initially, 123 members were paid up for the 1999 calendar year. The initial slate of officers and directors to be considered and placed into nomination at the upcoming annual mtg. in May were as follows: Bill Ave’Lallemant for President Lon Newman for Vice President Karen Macgregor for Secretary/Treasurer At large directors to be Randy Clark, Arnold Clement, Jim Nelson, Doug Noetzel The rest is history and recorded in the minutes of the Association. Since that time there have been 3 Presidents and various other officers and directors. The Secretary/Treasurer position has been split so as to have a separate person with those duties. The bylaws have been amended a number of times and various projects have been considered and a Lake Management Plan created and adopted, which will need to be updated in the near future in order for the Association to continue to be qualified for State Grants and funding for future projects. Water quality and invasive species monitoring have been ongoing efforts of the Association. The Association is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership which holds an annual 3 day convention usually in Stevens Point which is attended by Association members or officers and directors.