What’s happening with your lakes?
Read the 2026 MCLA Newsletter, published and mailed September 2026.
Editor: Dave Pozorski. Read more
Category: silver lake
RSVP now for the 2026 Annual Banquet on Sat, Oct 17
MCLA Annual Banquet 2026
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Autumn Ridge Banquet Hall
1 Straight Drive, Valders, WI
5:00pm – Registration and Social Hour with Cash Bar
6:00pm – Dinner
Followed by Door Prizes and raffles
Organized and hosted by the Cedar Lake Improvement Association and the Town of Schleswig Sanitary District #1 in conjunction with the Manitowoc County Lakes Association.
New Fishing Regulations Effective April 1, 2026
New Fishing Regulations (Effective April 1, 2026)
At the February 26, 2026 Meeting of Manitowoc County Lakes Association, Jason Breeggemann, WI-DNR Senior Fisheries Biologist, discussed the new regulations designed to balance fish populations that take effect across several county lakes on April 1.
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Long Lake: 25 panfish daily limit, including no more than 5 bluegill
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Bullhead Lake and Pigeon Lake: 10 panfish daily limit
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Cedar Lake: Northern pike 25–35 inch protected slot limit, daily bag of 2; 10 panfish daily limit (max 5 bluegill)
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Silver Lake: 26-inch minimum length for northern pike, daily bag limit of 2.
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English Lake: 10 panfish daily limit (max 5 bluegill)
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Harpt Lake: 10 panfish daily limit (max 5 yellow perch)
photo credit Scott Otterson
Winter Kill ’26 on Silver Lake
What Happened: The January 2026 Winterkill on Silver Lake
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In late January 2026, the Wisconsin DNR received reports from anglers on Silver Lake of a lack of fish on sonar and bait minnows dying in the water.
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DNR biologists investigating the reports found dead fish — including bluegills and other panfish — and low dissolved oxygen levels in multiple basins; several dozen fish were initially documented.
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Sampling across multiple sites (see map) by Fisheries Biologist Jason Breeggemann and Claire Hetzel confirmed low dissolved oxygen throughout the lake, with dead crappies and bluegill observed in some locations using an underwater camera. Pink circles = low O2 and no dead fish observed; yellow circles = low O2 and dead fish observed.
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The leading explanation is oxygen depletion under ice — a common winter condition in shallow lakes — likely linked to high nutrient levels, a possible late-season algal bloom, and limited submerged vegetation producing oxygen beneath ice cover.
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Additional water sampling is underway to determine whether oxygen decline resulted from natural biological processes or runoff inputs; early results show normal E. coli levels, ruling out an acute spill.
What’s Next?
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Similar past events suggest some species may persist in limited refuge areas, but the full extent of this winterkill cannot be determined until after ice-out.
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Testing and monitoring continue, with electrofishing surveys planned for spring — and possibly netting if conditions allow — to assess impacts.
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Some media coverage has suggested the event may have eliminated an entire species locally and that recovery could take years; officials say the final impact assessment is pending survey results.
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Findings from ongoing sampling and surveys will guide future management discussions, including whether aeration or other mitigation strategies should be considered.
Media Coverage
- https://fox11online.com/news/local/dnr-investigating-fish-die-off-at-manitowocs-silver-lake-bluegills-minnows-oxygen-levels-black-crappie-panfish-basin-kill-anglers-winter-wisconsin-outdoors-ice-manure-runoff
- https://www.htrnews.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/2026/02/02/silver-lake-fish-deaths-in-manitowoc-county-caused-by-low-oxygen-levels-as-investigation-is-ongoing/88288788007/ (pay wall)
- https://www.nbc26.com/manitowoc/fish-killing-at-silver-lake-prompts-state-investigation-in-manitowoc
2025 Annual Banquet
READ THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THIS EVENT
Annual Banquet
Saturday, Oct 11, 2025
Location: Viking Bow and Gun Club, 13431 Rusch Rd, Valders
Organized and hosted by the English Lake Association in conjunction with MCLA.
Time: 4:00 PM – Social time with cash bar
5:30 PM – Buffet dinner catered by the Altona
Program to follow:
Speaker: Phil DeCastro, Meteorologist at WLUK-TV FOX 11, Green Bay
Phil has been a meteorologist at WLUK-TV for 14 years, after spending 2 years at WLUC-TV in Marquette, Michigan. He has a degree in meteorology from Penn State University, and since coming to this region has developed a deep appreciation for the crucial links between weather, climate, and our local environment and ecosystems.
Annual meeting, election of officers, awards, 50/50 raffle and door prizes will follow the speaker. Door prize donations from Lake Associations or individuals are welcomed. Please inform Kim of door prize commitments.
RSVPs and door prize commitments due no later than Friday, October 3rd
to Kim Braun at kimskattebo@icloud.com or phone/text (920) 973-2390.
Cost: $20 per person, payable at the door, cash or check only payable to “MCLA.”
We look forward to seeing you at the banquet.
Lake Volunteers Needed
MCLA, with volunteers, continues to conduct annual water quality testing of our county lakes—if there is a volunteer monitor on the lake.
Silver Lake Waterway Project Update
January 26, 2017–From the Planning and Listening Session with GARY ROBINSON, Manitowoc County Parks Superintendent
This is a brief update to keep you informed that we are moving forward with this divine plan.
The Silver Lake waterway project design for bidders has been completed. The notice has been posted in the local paper and the chronicle.
Winter Lake Management
November 2016–Manitowoc County Lakes Association and The Manitowoc Fish and Game Protective Association are currently working on providing aeration systems for Weyers Lake and Silver Lake. Read more
2015 Silver Lake Fish Survey
Feb. 24, 2016–The 2015 DNR Silver Lake Fish Survey is now available for review.
Preliminary Plan of Channel Reconfiguration
Thin Ice Warnings [2016]
January 5, 2016–Residents on Silver Lake are reporting patches of hazardous thin ice due to the abnormally high activity of deep springs in the lake bed. Greater care than normal should be exercised when accessing the lake ice this year.
Read more
Thin Ice Warning [2016]
January 5, 2016–Residents on Silver Lake are reporting patches of hazardous thin ice due to the abnormally high activity of deep springs in the lake bed. Greater care than normal should be exercised when accessing the lake ice this year. John Durbrow, president of Manitowoc County Lakes Association points out that the ground froze very late this year, and we experienced very heavy rainfall throughout December. This late recharge of the subterranean water table will cause all spring fed lakes to be particularly dangerous, as the greater amounts of comparatively warm spring water rise to the ice capped surface.
