Lake Country This Month

By Karen Pilarski Freeman Staff CITY OF PEWAUKEE — Tom Koepp has lived his whole life on Pewaukee Lake. He is also a Lake Pewaukee Sanitary District superinten- dent. "My whole life has been fishing and here is my chance to take care of the lake," he said. The Pewaukee Chapter of Walleyes for Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization dedi- cated to improving the fish- ery, future and overall health of Pewaukee Lake. Its mem- bers are helping the Wiscon- sin Department of Natural Resources to stock walleye, which hasn't taken place in a few years. Koepp, chairman of the group, said due to all the development taking place around the lakes, walleyes don't reproduce naturally any more. Koepp said there is a lack of young-of-the-year walleyes. He added the walleyes are the only spawn- ing fish left in the lake. On April 19, the PCWFT went out on a boat to complete the last in the current cycle of netting walleyes. The 'birds and bees' of walleye For three years, the PCWFT has helped repopu- late walleyes in Pewaukee Lake. They start the process by putting a fyke net out, so male and female walleye are caught in the net. The fish are then taken to the "wall- eye wagon site" where they are separated by gender into two bins. All fish are handled with gloves so they are not harmed in the process. "Then we milk the eggs out of the ripe females," said Koepp. If the females are not ready or ripe, they are con- sidered "green" and released back into the lake. Koepp said to milk a female fish, the fish belly is gently massaged. He said if they are ripe, the eggs or "liquid gold" comes out. The male fish go through a similar process. The midsec- tion of the fish is pressed to release the sperm or "milt," which fertilizes the egg. Koepp said the milt and milk are mixed together and water is added. A turkey feather is used to stir, as they want to be gentle on the eggs. A bentonite clay mixture is applied in the water. "It coats the eggs so they don't clump together, which could cause a fungus to grow," he said. They are placed in about 12 hatchery jars, which are located in the walleye wagon. One gallon of water per minute is pumped through to the fertilized eggs. Water is pumped from the lake so the eggs will be in the same temperature as the lake. The release is done after 22 days, by hooking up a siphon hose and slowly siphoning the hatched fry into Pewaukee Lake. The first year PCWFT released 4 million fry, and the second year released about 6 million. Koepp hopes this year they will release 6 million. "If one percent of those survive, at least we are adding that to the lake," he said. Koepp said whatever is happening is working to make the lake healthier. The end goal Koepp hopes to get the word out and educate kids about conservation. He wants everyone to respect fishery. He said there is an "old mentality" that people need to kill every fish they catch. They want to take their catches home to cook and fill the freezer. Koepp said it is the people who over- fish that will be "crying" when there are no fish left to catch. He wants to impart knowledge on adults about the benefits of catching and releasing. The more fish peo- ple kill, the less fish PCWFT can catch in the hatchery to reproduce. "When we run out, then it is over. It would be up to the DNR at that point to stock the fish," Koepp said. Not all is lost on the young; his 18-year-old son Dakota Koepp is studying to be a fish biologist. "I keep telling him to become a lawyer or a doc- tor to make more money, but he is all pumped up," he said. Koepp added his son's heart and head are focused on nat- ural resources, which he respects. For more information on Koepp and the different pro- jects he is working on, visit walleyesfortomorrow.org. Email: kpilarski@conleynet.com 249995027 262.337.9578 Ridgepoint Centre W307 N1497 Golf Road #104 Delafield www.lakecountryacu.com • Acupuncture relieves pain and improves circulation • Acupuncture elevates mood, reduces stress and promotes wellness • Acupuncture is safe, effective and painless • The W.H.O. recognizes its ability to treat over 50 different medical conditions • ACUPUNCTURE WORKS! Enjoy summer without pain! First visit at no charge! We are in-network providers for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna. Others coming soon! LAKE COUNTRY ACUPUNCTURE David Fife L.Ac. The FREEMAN Lake Country T H I S M O N T H MAY 2016 SECTION B LIFE Making a difference > 2B Inside Giving nature a nudge Group works to improve Pewaukee Lake's walleye population, overall health Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Members of Walleyes for Tomorrow take walleyes from a net as part of a breeding and stock- ing program on Pewaukee Lake. Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Colton Koepp holds a net with a large walleye being brought to be part of the restocking program. Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Tom Koepp and nephew Levi Koepp work with a walleye as part of a restocking program on Pewaukee Lake.

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