Long Glade Lake Report By: Johnny Kosarek

     We are so fortunate to have such a great lake. The lake has a great exchange of water through the rain and springs which feed the lake. By maintaining our lake, we can control the aquatic weeds, stock the lake with shad that supplement the fish food and fertilize the lake (this grows plankton) at spawning time to maximize the survival of all species of fish.
     We have had consistently good fishing over the past few year and we want to continually improve. In essence; we are doing a little fish farming.
     For those who were not already aware, Long Glade Lake has a catch and release program. This is a great program and a benefit to the lake since you can catch as many as 15 to 20 bass in one morning's fishing trip. At the time of this writing, we have an abundance of channel catfish and it is time to harvest these catfish. Bass are doing good as well though there is not a large amount of them. Since the average fish is about 90% are 12" or smaller the catch and release program is a great way to build up our supply of fish by selectively keeping what we catch. The biologist that we consult with has recommended that if you catch 10 bass and they are 12" or smaller, it is a good practice to only keep 6 of them. Doing this will lessen the competition of the remaining fish for food. If we retain this practice of selectively keeping our catch, we will gain bigger and better bass. You are free to do whatever you like with the fish you take out, just don't release back into the lake. Our other local lake, Lake Cherokee, has adopted this practice as have other lakes.
     We are starting a program of tagging the bass that are caught if they are 3 pounds and larger. Six of our most active bass fishermen and women will have a tagging kit. The members with the kits are: Jess Allen,,  Jesse Garner, Scott and Kerri Kinsey, Mike Lewis, Bob Mitchell and Bruce and Diane Williamson. If you don't have a kit and you catch a bass that meets the requirements, borrow a tag from one of the above listed members, tag the fish and release it back into the lake. Instructions on how to tag a fish will be inside the tagging kit. Tagging the fish will help us monitor what condition the fish are in and how they are growing. If you catch a fish that already has a tag: write down the number on the tag; include the date,weight and length of the fish; include the location of where you caught the fish. The information you record can be given to any of the current board members.
     Our next maintenance project will be to fertilize the lake this spring around the time the fish are spawning as well as a lake temperature of 65 degrees has been reached. The fertilizer creates a bloom of plankton which is also food for the newly spawned fish. This increases the survival rate of all fish. In the shallower water,the density of the fertilizer works to block out the sun so aquatic weeds cannot grow.
      Just a reminder: To keep our lake free of aquatic weeds, make sure that you thoroughly clean any boats of all weeds that could be clinging to the boat itself or trailer of your or a guests boat.  
     Also, help us keep our lake free of the fish eating Cormorands birds. If you see one of these birds on the lake, chase it away.
     We are also monitoring the lake's oxygen level, clarity and PH balance. Carlos Holley has access to the equipment to do this for us. He will be doing this periodically but especially in the spring and summer months. Dry and hot summers are the most critical times for our fish and lake water. At this time, our lake is in excellent condition.
    Finally, to the crappie fishermen and women: It has been reported that the crappie are biting now. Go have some fun!

*Robert Sterrett
Edited slightly by SF

Freezing Temperatures!!!

Dear friends: Bundle up, stoke up that fire and snuggle in late in the morning. It's going to be a cold night tonight!

I was looking over the weather for our area tonight and tomorrow and my teeth nearly started chattering on their own. For the Tatum/Henderson area the temperatures are going to drop to the upper 20's tonight. Now, I know that doesn't sound bad to the ones who are currently experiencing 6-8" of snow or more but for this East Texas girl-That's cold! I rummaged around in the suitcases of my mind and thought of a few tips for the weather.

1. Check your outdoor pipes. Yes, even if you already have this season, go check again! A pipe that we thought we had turned off during our last cold snap had not been off and we are praying we don't have to replace it after it thaws out.

2. If you have outdoor pets please make sure they have a heat lamp, extra hay or other filler and plenty of food and water. You may have to replace their water more frequently because of freezing. Take care of your furry family members.

3. Make sure you have plenty of flash lights, oil lamps, blankets and water where you can easily find them in case of a loss of power.

4. If you are feeling unwell or have other difficulties that prevent you from being able to do ANY of these things please call on a neighbor or family member to help you out. Don't suffer in silence.

Finally,
Be safe, stay warm and God Bless!

Shawnda
* I am adding the link to KLTV in case you need to check on the temps!*
kltv.com