The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of those at the Golden Lake Property Owner’s Association’s Annual Smelt Fry.
Organiser Glen Bingham said that more people came this time than in previous years despite the weather. At the time Bingham said he had served around 200 people. The first year saw around a hundred diners partake in the event.
The event raises funds for GLPOA’s Fish Committee. The group received a mandate to look into the decline of Golden Lake’s Walleye population. Bingham said that they had identified up to 15 potential issues that kept the population from recovering, and the abundance of smelt in Golden Lake is one of the major issues. However, they cannot just fish the lake. Bingham said until recently Smelt were considered an invasive species. But DNA testing proved that the fish were actually native to the lake, and under the same fishing rules as native fish.
Bingham said that with efforts by GLPOA’s fish committee, the Walleye populations are making a comeback. He said he would like to thank not just the people who came out to the event, but also everyone at the Property Owner’s Association and their partners around Golden Lake.