Photo courtesy of Rooster Retreat cottage, Redstone Lake
Photo of the Week – The Lure of Fishing
The Kennisis Kourier
Photo of the Week – Dock Spider
Picture courtesy of Cleary Cottage, Kennisis Lake
Photo of the Week – Married at Moose Haven
A Game of Fox and Mouse
Mice are a part of life in the country. Some cottages do have to contend with mouse or two. Because we have pets, poison is out of the question and to our guests a dead mouse in a trap can be less appealing than the brief flash of one disappearing into the woodwork. Provided we are not overrun — they aren’t scooting across the bed or the kitchen counters — it’s something one can live with. A few years ago, we had an mouse epidemic in our area. Homes and cottages that had never seen mice were plagued by the varmints. As it turned out, the fox had developed mange and did not fare well that year. Fox tend to keep the mouse population in check. You may be pleased to learn, healthy, bushy-tailed fox are thriving this year. Still, I give you my heartfelt advice: If you’re terrified of mice, you’d be better off staying at the Holiday Inn.
Owner Tips: A good mouse deterrent? In the Fall ,when you’re closing up the cottage for the winter, place bounce sheets in the drawers and on the mattresses. Sprinkle whole cloves on the floors. Mice hate the smell.
The Lure of Fishing
One visitor to Kennisis Lake left us some decent instructions about luring the trout after the success he and his son had the week they spent at Loon Landing cottage.
They can only be caught down-rigging and we used blue and silver hammer finished Williams spoons ( Try different colors if Blue and silver isn’t working, like silver and gold etc.) ( 4 to 6 inches in length) 40 to 60 feet down trolling depth and about 50 to 75 feet behind in about 80 to 100 feet of water on the opposite side of the lake from Loon Landing; fairly close to the dam and island area at the edge of the deep water (around 150 to 200 foot drop off). We trolled the edge at 80 feet water depth and not more than 1 to 1 1/2 mile per hour. Hope that helps your renters a bit. — S. Dorey.
www.hhoa.on.ca
www.haliburtononthefly.com
www.familyfishingweekend.com
Septic Care and the Health of our Lakes
Urban centres have sewers. At the lake, we have septic systems. Over the years, septic systems have improved, not only by their safer location in proximity to the lake, but by their ability able to handle waste. Even so, an overtaxed septic system can result in leeching, and put the health of our lakes in jeopardy. It’s as much the septic system as the sleeping arrangements that dictate an owner’s decision on cottage capacity. So given due consideration, rather than risk saturating the tile bed, stagger water use: Don’t shower one after another or while running the washing machine or dishwasher.
Septics are extremely sensitive to the introduction of any foreign materials — the rule of thumb being: If you didn’t eat it, don’t flush it. Nothing will ruin a holiday faster than a backed-up septic system. To cottage guests and renters, we cannot emphasize this enough. An oversight can be a costly mistake. Cottage owners make note in their information packages and generally post a sign in the loo as a reminder.
Use 1 ply toilet paper if possible, and eco-friendly soaps. And please don’t bathe in the lake. Many residents draw their drinking water straight from the lake, which is filtered against bacteria not soaps and chemicals. And for those of you introducing boats into our lakes from outside areas, be sure to wash the hulls thoroughly before launching. We do not have zebra mussels here in Haliburton County, an invading species that litter the lake floor making wading in a lot like walking on broken glass. With the seeming abundance of fresh water in Ontario, we often forget that what we have is a precious and finite resource. The health of our lakes and our own health are inextricably linked. We would like to maintain the clear, pristine waters of the Highlands for future generations to enjoy.
