We wanted to share an important update regarding fish stocking for 2025. Unfortunately, we’ve learned from our stocking company that walleye from the hatcheries are infected with Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). The DNR has confirmed evidence of VHS in fish from both Minnesota and Wisconsin. No other fisheries carry the walleye species we are permitted to stock.
Learn more about VHS here.

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/vhs 

This means walleye will not be available for stocking this year. Gary Croisatiere from our Fish Stocking Committee explored alternative species, and while yellow perch is available, our DNR fish biologist, Eric Wegleitner, advised against this option. We’ve included his full response at the end of this letter. A budget discussion on this matter will follow.

Meeting Notices & Communication
Wisconsin Statute 33 requires that meeting agendas be posted physically at least two days prior to the meeting. Currently, we post paper copies in the glass cases outside EnergyMart on Highway 45 and at the Town Hall. Agendas and meeting minutes are also available on the Conover Town website and our Lake District website. The next meeting date is typically listed at the end of the minutes.

Due to fiscal constraints and limited volunteers, agendas cannot be mailed or published in newspapers. We are considering posting agendas on the Buckatabon Lakes Community Facebook page for informational purposes only. Please note: this will not be a forum for discussion. Questions and comments should be directed through our website or addressed at meetings.

Volunteer Support Needed
We acknowledge that the Board is behind on distributing meeting minutes and other updates. With only three elected Board members and three non-voting committee members handling most of the work—and without a dedicated secretary—information flow has been slower than we’d like. If you can spare even an hour a month or once a year, your help would make a big difference!

Next Meeting
Our next meeting is scheduled for February 2, 2026, at 5:30 PM at the Conover Town Center. You can also join by phone:
Call-in Number: 1-425-436-6200
Access Code: 171060

We hope you can attend.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

Peggy DeFranceschi

As referenced in the Chair's letter above, the DNR's response to alternative fish stocking options:

Gary,

I would not recommend doing so. Unless you have a fish kill of some kind and are replacing panfish that are no longer there, stocking of panfish is pretty much a futile exercise, in my opinion. Lake characteristics, habitat and fish community really dictate what panfish species are going to be present. Also, Buckatabon fell below the average yellow perch catch rate for two-story lakes during this survey but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that number for various reasons. The target of the survey was muskies and the netting occurred at water temperatures that were more in line with muskies than yellow perch. The catch rate was compared to netting surveys for walleyes only, muskies only and combination muskies and walleyes in other two-story lakes across the state. If we had completed both walleye and muskie netting we likely would have had higher catch rates of yellow perch. This was the case in during the last spring survey of Buckatabons in 2010 when catch rates from walleye and muskie netting ranked around the 75th percentile for two-story lakes. Without continuing down a rabbit hole I would just say, do not be worried about yellow perch in Buckatabons, it appears to be what I would expect to see in a lake like this. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Eric Wegleitner

(715) 356-5211 (ext. 246)

eric.wegleitner@wisconsin.gov