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2021 8/22/2021 Final 2021 Big Bass Tourney continues small fish trend…
August winner Leon Maxheimer (l) and son, Scout (r)
About 21 anglers competed in the August Big Bass Tournament on White Oak Lake, the final event of the season, and once again a healthy but small largemouth was good enough for the victory. This contest was won by Leon Maxheimer with a 1lb. 4oz. fish. Several fish over 1 lb. were caught, but the big ones remained elusive once again – at least during the 3-hour time frame for the monthly event. Join us in 2022 for more fun! Congrats to Leon and son, Scout!
7/30/2021 Third WOLA Big Bass Tourney Results --- Big Crowd, Small Fish!
July Winner Corey Hasler
The July Big Bass Tournament on White Oak Lake was held Wednesday night, July 21st. During a beautiful weather evening, a larger than usual crowd of more than 30 anglers participated. At least 15 boats and more fishermen on properties and the dam competed in friendly competition. The participants just wished the bigger bass would have come to the party! Once again, a smaller 1lb. 5 oz. largemouth was the biggest bass brought to the weigh-in. New WOLA member Corey Hasler secured his first win, with several other smaller fish weighed in. One member had a “big one to the boat” before losing it, but hey, that’s fishing. Congratulations, Corey, and WELCOME to WOLA!
NEXT WOLA Big Bass Tourney is set for Wednesday, August 18, 5-8 p.m. Note the earlier time change from previously posted times due to darker conditions at scheduled weigh-in time. This will be the LAST Big Bass Tourney of this season! Join in! Call Ronnie Pollitt, Tournament Director, for more information, at (309) 360-0881.
7/7/2021 WOLA Board seeks feedback on Beach Monitor age considerations by 8/1 The current beach area rules state that children under the age of 16 are not allowed in the beach area without adult supervision. Going back several years, WOLA has hired 15 year old beach monitors to be present at the beach as an employee, not as a member enjoying the beach. One of our 4 current monitors is 15 years old. A WOLA member has raised a concern with the WOLA board's practice of hiring 15 year olds as beach monitors. The board is asking for feedback from WOLA members on this practice. Please respond to [email protected] by August 1st so this concern can be discussed and resolved.
6/19/21 WOLA 4th of July Activities Announced
15th Annual Boat Parade begins at 10am All members are invited to decorate their boats and join in the lake-wide parade. Pick a theme that you think will impress the judges: Patriotic, Sports Team, Historical, etc.. Everyone who wants to participate should group up towards the middle of the lake at 9:50 and a long-time member will lead the parade for a couple of laps, including parading past the judges dock for inspection! ** 1st and 2nd prizes will be awarded for kids and adult category **
Members Beach Potluck starts at NOON All members are invited to participate in the 4th of July potluck under the newly renovated pavilion. Please bring your favorite dish or dessert to share. Bring your own drinks or drinks to share in cans or plastic bottles.
Member guest Mark Leaver takes June Big Bass Tourney
Winner Mark Leaver (l) and Tourney Director, Ronnie Pollitt (r) About 16 anglers participated in this month’s White Oak Lake Big Bass Tourney on 6/16. Once again, many smaller bass were caught, and one 1lb. 5 oz. bass was all it took to win the event. A guest fishing with a member was the winner. Mark Leaver has won a few of these events in the past. Congratulations, Mark! The next Big Bass Tourney is scheduled for Wednesday, July 21st from 5:30 to 8:30. p.m. Call Ronnie Pollitt, Tournament Director, for more information, at (309) 360-0881.
6/9/21 Pollitt captures first WOLA Big Bass Tournament of 2021
Ronnie Pollitt took home the first White Oak Lake Big Bass tourney trophy on May 19 with a largemouth weighing 1 lb. 5 oz. It was a tough night for catching big bass—at least 18 participants in nine boats scratched and twitched for a big bite, to no avail. One angler caught 13 bass but none as heavy as Pollitt’s winner. That’s why you keep your biggest bass, period! Congratulations, Ronnie. The next WOLA Big Bass Tourney is Wednesday, June 16 from 5:30 to 8:30. Look at the “Fishing Activities” section of this website for more information and tournament rules.
5/9/2021 WOLA Board Updates: The WOLA Board met together this week in person for the first time in a while due to the Coronavirus precautions. Current financials were presented, reviewed and approved. There are still 14 properties that have not yet paid dues for 2021. It was agreed that late fees would be applied after 60 days past due. The mowing contract for the dam and beach area was renewed at the same rates as last year. The lake treatment contract was also renewed with Marine Biochemists at the same rate as our contract in 2020. The Board has hired 4 beach monitors for the summer, an increase of one. Due to the recent crime activity in Germantown Hills, the hours the monitors will work each week has been increased from 32 to 44 hours per week. The pavilion at the beach will be stained and painted by a lake member volunteer with assistance, as needed, from the beach monitors. Board VP Ronnie Pollitt will help oversee the project. Also, last year we had two NO DIVING/NO FISHING signs taken from the dock at the beach. They will be replaced. The 4th of July Boat Parade and Potluck is ON. Watch the website in June for more information. The Board did not approve money for a WOLA-sponsored fireworks show this year. A number of anonymous complaints have been submitted for WOLA rules violations, mostly concerning trailers and campers parked within WOLA properties. Each complaint received has been addressed in person and rectified. A reminder that a Complaint Form and process can be found on this WOLA website. Updated Board Meeting Schedule: August 24th, October 26, and the annual meeting will be on November 11th at 6pm at Michaels Italian Feast on Rt. 116.
CRIME ALERT: In the past several weeks, many properties and vehicles in the WOLA area and
in other Germantown Hills areas have been burglarized. Please be cautious and observant, always locking your cars and windows and doors. The area police and sheriff’s officers are monitoring the situation closely but need your assistance. Please look out for each other and be safe!
Grass Clippings: As mentioned in past posts, it is against the law in Illinois to leave grass clippings and
leaf debris from your yard in the roadways. This applies to ALL streets, public or private, in the state. WHY? This debris left on the roadways presents a serious slipping hazard for walkers, runners, bicyclists, motorcyclists and even cars. PLEASE—when you are done mowing your yard, immediately rake or blow all debris from your yard back into your yard. If you contract your yard maintenance, please remind your service workers of this law. Besides, this is just what good neighbors do. Thank you in advance!
3/17/2021 New 2021/2022 Watercraft Stickers are being distributed – good for two years. All member-owned watercrafts (boats, pontoons, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, etc.) that are used on the lake must display new WOLA stickers after April 1 this year. Note: Paddleboards do not have to be registered. These new, green-colored WOLA stickers are being hand-delivered to your home by lake committee volunteers, weather-permitting, before 4/1. If you are not home, they will be left at your front door in a clear, zip-locked bag. Your packets will have two stickers for each watercraft that you have registered in the past. As always, each boat must display a sticker on the left AND right side of each watercraft before being used on the lake. These stickers will be good for two years. In the past, each boat had two stickers with the same number. This year, your stickers will have different numbers – but those numbers will still be registered to you. For instance, if you have 4 boats, you’ll get 8 stickers in your packet, each with a different number. It won’t matter which numbers you’ll use on your boats, just place two stickers on each boat. Remember, no guest watercrafts are allowed on our lake at any time. Thank you in advance for your help controlling access to our lake. If you have questions, or need additional stickers (or have more than you now need -- say you’ve sold a boat), please text Mark Melody, WOLA Lake Chairperson, at (309) 229-8547 so that he can update his records.
1/18/2021 Annual Dues Notices going out first week of February The WOLA Annual Membership Dues Notices for 2021 are being mailed out the first week of February and will be due to the Treasurer by the first week of March. Last year’s dues had no late fee charges during the onset of the Coronavirus but this year’s dues will be considered late and will incur a late fee if not received by March 8. The notices have the address which you are to return the fees to the Treasurer, the date due and the amount due (still $300 per member address) clearly explained. Thank you for your prompt payments for this very reasonable Annual Dues fee.
(for older updates, scroll down)
2020 12/5/2020 Message from WOLA Board of Directors It has come to the attention of the WOLA board that a member has sent an unsolicited letter to all WOLA members. Please be aware that the letter misrepresents significant communications between the board and the author of the letter. The board, as always, will address any valid questions and concerns and will update this website as needed. Board member contact information is available on this site.
11/10/2020 LEAVES presenting a problem – please read! A reminder that leaves are NOT to be blown or raked into the lake OR into the streets.
Lake Debris The lake was dredged just a few years ago – at a great cost to all members -- to help slow down sediment and leaf debris accumulation. Woodford County allows leaf burning and the Village accepts brown leaf bags at the Village Office. Please use one of these two options rather that depositing your leaves into our lake.
Street Safety – it’s the LAW! Also, it is against the State of Illinois law to direct grass or leaf debris onto streets. This is a SAFETY issue first (for bicyclists and motorcycle riders) and it is an unsightly nuisance. Please be a good neighbor and remove your yard waste from the streets.
10/27/2020 Annual Meeting Cancelled due to High Coronavirus-19 Risks The WOLA Board of Directors has made a decision to cancel this year’s Annual Meeting, previously scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, due to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak, especially peaking in our Central Illinois area currently. There were no voting issues on the agenda this year, and all Board positions have at least one more year until each term expires. An outline of materials that would have been presented at the meeting will be posted in the Announcements section under “Annual Meeting 2020”, available to read after 11/10. Contact any member of the Board (listed on this website) if you have any questions.
8/19/2020 Pollitt Captures Final 2020 Big Bass Tournament Title
Ronnie Pollitt, current WOLA Big Bass Tournament Director, capped a great season of bass tournaments with a win himself,
landing a big 3.6 pound lunker midway through the three-hour event Wednesday night.
Pollitt got the big one to bite on a wacky rig in the west cove of the big lake, near new construction, in about 15-feet of
water. “It put up a good fight,” said Pollitt, “I didn’t have my drag set very well and it made a run under the boat, bending
my pole almost double.” After a lengthy fight he finally tired the largemouth, and his partner helped him net the winner
into the boat.
Twenty-one participants competed in this last contest of 2020. Some fished from their backyards, most from boats on the
lake. Pollitt wants to remind all members that you don’t have to have a boat to participate. Several contests have been
won from participants fishing from or near the dam, or from backyards around the lake. Come on out next year to see the
fun for yourself. The rules are always posted on the website.
Congrats to our August winner, Ronnie Pollitt! And thank you, Ronnie, for organizing these tournaments again this season!
7/23/2020
(Clockwise from left) Drew Melody with the July winner’s plaque and many participants behind him; Holding up the winning fish with a proud father watching; At the weigh-in (background) with Tourney Director, Ronnie Pollitt, weighing the winner.
Drew Melody wins July WOLA Big Bass Tourney In 85-degree (and humid) heat, Drew Melody bested more than 20 other anglers participating in the postponed July WOLA Big Bass Tournament last night. Lots of smaller bass were caught by participants, but no giant surfaced this month. However, persistence pays off and his 1 lb. 3 oz. beauty was good enough to take home the trophy, topping past multiple-winner Bill Rodier’s entry by 2 ounces. Drew caught the trophy-taker on a crankbait with about one hour left in the contest. It was his first-ever win in the summer series events on White Oak Lake. He is a student at Metamora High School, and son of WOLA Fish and Lake Committee Chairperson, Mark Melody. Congrats Drew! The final event of the summer will be held on Wednesday, August 19 from 5:30 – 8:30. Check out Fishing Activities on this site for more information and rules of these events.
(for more past announcements, scroll down)
7/15/2020 Big Bass Tournament Postponed to 7/22 due to weather The July WOLA Big Bass Tournament scheduled for tonight has been postponed due to severe weather warnings issued this afternoon. The tournament will be held next Wednesday, July 22, at the same time, 5:50 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Any questions, call Tourney Director Ronnie Pollitt at 360-0881.
6/25/2020
4th of July Update amid this current Coronavirus pandemic The WOLA Board has announced that there WILL be a boat parade, with prizes, on Saturday, July 4th. However, no other WOLA-sanctioned activities are scheduled, including NO group carry-in or sharing of food as a WOLA activity. Members can continue to use the beach and pavilion on their own with their family and guests provided they are following safety guidelines in place from the State of Illinois.
PARADE DETAILS: Begins at 10 a.m. in front of the WOLA Dam area. Spectators welcomed! Prizes for top three decorated boats and another special prize for a kids division entry (age 17 or under) Prizes announced at members beach at 11:30. GET CREATIVE! Any registered and stickered member-owned boat can enter the parade. No non-registered or guest boats may be used at WOLA at any time, per our rules. Questions? Contact any WOLA Board Member (listed on this website). Need to register a boat? Contact Mark Melody, Fish and Lake Committee Chairperson (also listed on this site).
6/19/2020 WOLA Big Bass Tourney #2
June Winner Kevin Bannon (guest) Some of the 21 participants at the weigh-in
Big Bass landed (again!) with five minutes to go in Tourney #2 Kevin Bannon, guest of WOLA member Jim Eckhart, landed a lunker just before the horn blast on Wednesday night in sweltering 90+ degree conditions. His 5 lb. 1 oz. bass easily took the trophy in the second event of the 2020 season. It was the second consecutive last-minute winning catch in the four-event series. Twenty one anglers fought the heat in the early hours of the evening. Fishing was tough for anything but smaller bass, with at least one boat landing 15 of the young whippersnappers. But the big bite came late, as predicted, as the sun was setting and the temps began falling into the low 80’s and upper 70’s. “We thought we caught a monster a littler earlier, but it ended up being a pretty big snapping turtle,” said the proud guest. “We had to cut the line to get it off,” he quipped. Then, with the sound of the 5-minute horn, he got into the bigmouth near the large undeveloped lot on the north end of the lake. “That’s a winner!” shouted Eckhart to nearby boats. It would prove to be. There was at least one 2+ pounder brought to the weigh-in but dispatched back into the lake upon seeing the eventual winner bass being weighed. Thanks for another great tourney, Ronnie! (Tourney Director Ronnie Pollitt). The next Big Bass tourney is scheduled for July 15th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Call Ronnie at 360-0881 with questions. See you there!
5/28/2020 Community Clean Up Day -- Large Trash Pick Up Week of June 8 Have your LARGE unwanted items picked up on your regular trash day the week of June 8! Up to two truckloads! Furniture, Mattresses, construction debris (no larger than 4-feet in length and weighing 50 lbs. or less). No tires, liquid paints, batteries, appliances, yard waste, hazardous materials or e-waste (computers, TV’s, electronics). Please have all items on curb by 6 a.m. Call the Village at 383-2209 for more information.
5/22/2020 First WOLA Big Bass Tourney draws 17 participants Despite damp, cold, windy and even rainy conditions, especially towards the conclusion of the three-hour WOLA Big Bass Tournament, the first event of 2020 was a huge success with participation and enthusiasm for “just getting out” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fishing was fun but “catching” big fish proved pretty elusive for all, that is, right up to the final 5 minutes of the event. Member Jon McKee was heading back to the dam with his smaller 1 lb. entry when his final cast hooked a big 4.3 lb. largemouth. The fight to land her was harrowing, as McKee could not get his hands on his just tucked-away net. After several jumps and lots of frigid, soaking splashes, McKee managed to get the big fish to the side of his boat and lipped her in by hand, old fashioned style. He secured her in his livewell without much inspection and immediately motored towards the beach for the weigh-in, confident of a winning weight. It proved to be, as the second-place fish weighed 1.4 lbs. Member Leon Maxheimer had a fight with “a really good one,” most likely another top-place qualifier, but he lost the fish at the side of his boat. That’s fishing!
A nice crowd at the weigh-in made the night even more enjoyable, despite everyone keeping a safe 6-foot distance with boats. Derby Director Ronnie Pollitt got in the water to help measure each entry, so members would not have to carry their fish up to his scale. Thanks, Ronnie, for organizing these events and keeping us all safe! The next Big Bass tournament is scheduled for June 17 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The tourney starts and ends with the sound of a horns long blast. Remember, if you plan of fishing in a tourney, you cannot wet a line on the day of the event – that makes participation fair for those unable to make it to the lake before the contest. Call Ronnie Pollitt with any questions. You can read more in the Fishing Activities section of the website. Ronnie’s cell is 360-0881. See you in June!
5/18/2020 Special additional Algae treatment tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19 The continued early algae in our lake is being treated on Tuesday (weather permitting) with a special treatment from Marine Biochemists, our lake experts. This treatment does not impact watering from the lake (though we doubt anyone is doing THAT this week due to the constant rain!) and should significantly help with the floating algae blooms. Special thanks to the Fish and Lake Committee (Mark Melody, chairman) for their continued care for our resource.
First Big Bass Tournament of 2020 is ON – this Wednesday, May 20 Visit the Fishing Activities tab in the Member Activities section of our website for more information. A reminder to be safe and that no lines can be in the water that day until the horn sounds if you plan to fish in the tournament. Ronnie Pollitt, Tournament Director, can be reached at 309-360-0881 for more information. FREE to all members and their accompanied guests!
5/2/2020 BEACH MONITOR POSITIONS FOR 2020: (applications closed)
Board Member Ronnie Pollitt is no longer accepting Emails for interested members wishing to apply for 2020
Beach Monitor positions. Please contact Ronnie if you have any questions. Thanks for the healthy response!
It is WOLA’s intention to hire monitors to cover 32 hours/week this year.
4/6/2020 Important message to ALL WOLA members:
WOLA Members: The Village of Germantown Hills has advised the WOLA board to notify all WOLA members that when using the members beach and dam area to follow State and Federal social distancing guidelines. If questions please research: www.whitehouse.gov We are required to notify the village if we witness members not following guidelines and will be forced to close the shared members area. Boats can continue to launch with the same application of above rules. * Gentle reminder: Please note that children under 16 are not allowed in members area without adult supervision. Please be kind to each other out there and we’ll all come out the other side of this better. Jamie Theiler President, White Oak Lake Association 309-208-0878
BEACH MONITOR POSITIONS FOR 2020: (applications closed)
Board Member Ronnie Pollitt is no longer accepting Emails for interested members wishing to apply for 2020
Beach Monitor positions. Please contact Ronnie if you have any questions. Thanks for the healthy response!
It is WOLA’s intention to hire monitors to cover 32 hours/week this year.
Happy New Year! 1/19/2020 Attention WOLA Members: 2020 Association Dues Update The WOLA Association Annual Member Dues are being mailed out the first week of February. The dues remain
the same as last year, $300 per member address in the association. Dues will be required paid in full by March 1.
The address is WOLA PO Box 748 Metamora, IL 61548. Thank you for your prompt payment of your annual
dues. Late fees will be assessed for dues not received by 3/15/20.
2019 10/17/19 WOLA Annual Meeting Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m.
The Annual White Oak Lake Members Meeting will be held at Michaels on Rte. 116 on Tuesday,
November 12 at 6:30 p.m. All members are encouraged to attend as this is the ONE meeting
required for our Association each year and ALL applicable members votes are held at this time.
There’s lots to celebrate with another fantastic summer behind us and a completed Phase II of
our Beach Project a success!
(more on next page)
9/23 Village Announces Curbside Fall Curbside Pickup on 10/28
8/22 Richmond Takes Final Big Bass Title of 2019
WOLA member Bob Richmond’s 2.1 lb. largemouth bass was enough to take the Big
Bass Tournament title for August on Wednesday night, August 21.
Man, it was a tough bite all night. Beautiful weather but poor fishing conditions due
to a slight cool front that had moved in the night before. The chances of taking home
the last plaque for the year was pretty good with a low turnout for the event, as well.
Only six boats had lines in the water, with eleven anglers fishing. There were about
one dozen smaller bass caught, but nothing that exceeded the 2-lb. mark other than
the one that gave Richmond the victory.
This was the last tourney planned for this year. Thanks to Ronnie Pollitt who served
again this year as the tourney director. See you on the lake and in next year’s events!
In the meantime, if you catch a wall hanger, please snap a picture and let us share it
on the WOLA website. Send them to Jon McKee at 696-4725.
7/30 Emily Alexander Wins Big Bass Tourney on 7/24
More than 26 men and women of all ages competed in the rain-postponed July fishing tournament on WOLA on 7/24. In
fact, eleven boats gathered at the dam for the weigh-in at the conclusion of the event. In the end, one of the youngest of
the participants prevailed. Congratulations to Emily Alexander with her nice 1 lb. 14 oz. largemouth bass. It was her first
win ever in the member/guest series!
It was a tough-bite night but Emily pulled it off. Many anglers had smaller fish, and one lucky member collected them
before they were released for a nice batch to clean. Remember, we are trying to remove all 8” – 14” largemouth bass until
further notice. This will thin the over-population of that size and allow many more to get bigger.
Next tournament is Wednesday, August 21st from 5:30 – 8:30. It’s the last one of the season! See you there!
7/24 Special requests from the WOLA Board 1. Our White Oak Lake Association is in need of someone to head our social committee. Currently this position is
vacant. Leaders help organize activities like our 4th of July boat parade, prizes and carry-in pot luck luncheon
afterwards, special music events at the beach pavilion, and even in the past helped with signs for our area-wide
garage sales. The sky is limited only to your imagination and an OK from the Board for new events. If you are
interested in planning WOLA events and social gatherings, please get involved! This is a fun way to get to know your
neighbors. Please contact us via the WOLA email ([email protected]) or contact any board member
(all are listed on this website) if you are interested in leading or being on any committee.
2. A reminder to all WOLA boat owners to place two new 2019-20 stickers on each watercraft ASAP. It is mid-July and
these were available/delivered April 1 and due on all boats on the water by 4/15/19. They are FREE, and good for
this season and next season. Stickers may be obtained from Mark Melody, Lake Chairperson, or (when available) a
WOLA Beach Monitor. No watercraft should be launched without these on them to help lake watch volunteers
monitor the member usage only of our lake. Guest boats, including kayaks, etc., are not permitted on our lake
since all stickered boats must be owned by members. Please review the rules and even the sign at the beach for
these types of questions. Thank you for helping us keep our lake resources for use by members and their
accompanied guests, only.
7/17 Fishing Tournament postponed to next week (7/24) due to nasty weather
rolling in. Next Wednesday, same bass time, same bass channel.
7/9 FROM THE FISH AND LAKE COMMITTEE – SURVEY RESULTS The following is the full lake evaluation report from Herman Brothers which was conducted on July 1st. We are
sharing it in its unedited form. Current Fish and Lake Chairman is Mark Melody. Thanks for setting this up, Mark! White Oak Lake Fish Evaluation Survey (electroshock) from Herman Brothers Lake Management Services We spent early Monday morning, July 1st analyzing the fishery at White Oak Lake. The lake is beautiful and very well landscaped all around.
There is little to no rooted vegetation anywhere in the lake and not a whole lot of fish habitat in shallow water.
We found an abundance of skinny largemouth bass 9-13”. These fish were averaging 80% relative weights which means they aren’t currently growing, even though they aren’t very big.
We only found one bass out of over 200 bass collected that had a relative weight of 100%. Relative weight means a fish so long should weigh so much… for example, a 14” bass should weigh 23 ounces and your 14” bass were only weighing 18/19 ounces.
We saw and captured lots of channel and flathead catfish of all sizes from 10” long all the way up to 12 lbs. They are both naturally reproducing in the lake.
The redear sunfish and bluegill are doing great in terms of quality fish 7-10”! However their numbers are a bit low overall when compared to the bass… Ideally we would live to collect this time of year 5 adult bluegill to every 1 adult bass (in spring we like to get 10 bluegill to 1 bass)… however we collected bass and bluegill at a 1 to 1 ratio today… Also we are very low on bluegill sized 3-5” long.
We didn’t collect any crappie or walleye today which means you guys will typically catch big crappie and big walleye but not a lot of numbers throughout the year.
We didn’t collect any tiger muskie today and would like to learn more about apprx how many have been caught or seen since they have been stocked.
We didn’t see any golden shiners Based on our conversations and observations here are some suggestions for your situation:
The lake looks amazing, and I would highly recommend keeping it looking amazing with very little vegetation and algae because most people really enjoy the clean look for your situation… however the lack of rooted vegetation is severely impacting your overall fishery.
o The bluegills are the backbone to your food chain and the baby bluegills have nowhere to hide when they are hatched and so they are getting eaten up right away before they can grow big enough to become good forage for your bass.
o Also the golden shiners need vegetation in order to reproduce so I would recommend not stocking anymore golden shiners into the lake… typically they are the best supplemental forage to have in most cases, but for your lake without rooted vegetation and with lots of hungry skinny small bass, you wont get much value out of them.
I recommend strategically and creatively adding habitat in 3-8’ of water wherever possible… Christmas trees, pallet creations, landscaping bushes, and mossback fish racks all would be good.
I recommend harvesting all largemouth bass caught in the lake under 14” long for the next 3 years. There are way too many in the lake.
I recommend stocking 10 walleye per acre every fall 5-8” long to help gobble up the small bass each year. Walleye like to eat long slender fish like 3-6” largemouth. They cost $2.25 each.
I would also stock 1 tiger muskie 12-14” per acre every other year. They cost $21 each. They also would eat largemouth in your current environment.
To boost crappie numbers I would stock 30 crappie per acre 4-5” long this fall and next fall. They usually cost $1.50 each. If we can get the crappie population rolling that will also help provide more forage for the bass.
I would also add 30 bluegill per acre 4-6” long to help enhance genetics and boost forage. Sometimes a new strain of bluegill (new blood into the gene pool) will boost spawning success overall. They cost $1.25 each.
Like mentioned earlier, I would not continue with golden shiners in the lake without having rooted vegetation. You could stock fathead minnows for supplemental forage (they reproduce in rocks and crevices on the bottom, whereas shiners reproduce on the undersides of vegetation near the surface), but that would be my last fish to stock on the list above… This would be the order of importance for stocking the lake the next 3 years- walleye, crappie, bluegill, tiger muskie, and if funds allow then would be the fathead minnows… fatheads cost $7.75 per lb.
Overall the best thing you can do is harvest every largemouth under 14” long, this will have the greatest positive impact.
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7/3 Special Algae treatment today. No restrictions with this treatment. Also, our lake electroshock survey conducted this week showed too many smaller bass – still. Please help us
improve the quality of our bass population by removing any you catch between 8 – 14 inches. They are tasty at
that size and now you can feel good about taking some out… We will be stocking more Muskies and more
Walleyes, along with Fathead Minnows to beef up all of our fish. Questions? Call Mark Melody, Fish and Lake
Chairman.
6/30 Update on WOLA 4th Activities
Join us on Thursday, July 4th, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. for the annual WOLA Independence Day Boat Parade
and Breakfast! Boaters of all type are welcome. Decorate your boat and join us at the dam for the parade procession of patriotic water lovers! We’ll make at least one complete pass throughout the lake, guiding in one long line of decorated boats past lake judges, and for all to see at the dam. Fabulous prizes awarded to the best decorated boats. Creativity is always a plus.
Then, we’ll head over to the newly remodeled beach area and pavilion for a shared brunch. Everyone, please bring
a dish to share. If you don't have a boat, plan to watch the festivities from the dam and join us for breakfast. Plates,
napkins, silverware and juices/sodas will be provided by WOLA.WOLA will provide a main dish at the POTLUCK following
the boat parade, including pulled pork and buns. Please bring side dishes to share. Some music will be played. For more
information, contact Stacy Orwig, a member of the WOLA Board at 842-9842 or at [email protected].
6/27 Pollitt takes Big Bass Tourney trophy
WOLA member Ronnie Pollitt landed a nice 1 lb. 12 oz. bass to win the June Big Bass Tourney on White Oak Lake.
17 participants fished just one day after a big storm swept across the Germantown Hills lake subdivision, and
plenty of uprooted trees and broken limbs were proof of harsher fishing conditions to follow. Lots of smaller
bass were caught, some boats recording up to 20, but mostly smaller bass were landed. Just two over 1.5 lbs.
were weighed in. Congratulations to Ronnie!
The next Big Bass tourney is scheduled for Wednesday night, July 17 from 5:30 to 8:30. Come on out and toss in
a line! Just one cast is all it takes!
6/19 June Big Bass Tourney postponed due to weather
Rescheduled to 6/26 at 5:30
6/18
2019 4th of July Boat Parade and Potluck is ON! See 4th of July Activities section of this website.
6/12/19 Beach Phase II project COMPLETE! Dear Members:
Thank you for your patience as our contractor completed the Phase II Beach
project, despite weather delays -- which pushed us back two weeks -- and one
ramp repour which set us back another week. We have received word from the
contractor that the project is COMPLETE and the ramp is now safe and OPEN to
members.
Enjoy your Summer on White Oak Lake!
6/7
McKee wins first Big Bass Tourney of 2019
The rain- and ramp-delayed May WOLA Big Bass Tournament was held Wednesday, June 5th. Despite the new ramp not
being safe (see below) nine boats with fishermen and several anglers on the dam accounted for at least 16 participants. It
was a slow, cool night for bites right up until the end. With ten minutes left in the contest, on-lake resident Jon McKee
hooked a big 4 lb. 14 oz. bigmouth to secure the win. A few other one-pounders were brought to the scale but none were a
match for the big bass.
The new ramp was supposed to be finished by that date but was unfortunately delayed due to an improper ramp length
discovered earlier in the evening when one boat was being launched. The ramp was immediately reclosed (since opened
and it is fabulous!). One angler who was planning to fish (an off-lake member) decided to make a few casts from the dam
and then called it a night. No other participants were turned away due to the ramp predicament. Congratulations, Jon
McKee, on a nice win! It was the first for him since 2016 and the 15th win of his career on the lake since he started these
contests in 2004.
Next up…
Current director Ronnie Pollitt reminds everyone that the originally scheduled June contest is still set for Wednesday night,
June 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Please come out and participate! All you need is ONE cast!!!!! Rules and more
information can be found under Fishing Activities on this Website. Remember: No lines in the water that day until the horn
for participants!
6/6 Ramp STILL NOT READY: test fails. Please do not launch. First trailer launched gets stuck when tested. Ramp will need to be extended in the water.
The crew installing the new boat ramp underwater section is coming back next week to lengthen
the underwater portion of the ramp. When the first trailer was tested, the wheels fell off the
end, locking the trailer off the end of the ramp. It had to be “jacked” up, and removed. Please do
not use the ramp until the additional length is placed in the lake. That should be done next
week. We realize that this project has been delayed due to weather this Spring. This latest delay
should only take one week to rectify. The result is that we have also had delayed algae treatment
activity, as well. This will all run its course, expected by the end of next week. Our apologies to
members who want to launch boats. PLEASE do not attempt to launch until this has been
rectified.
6/4 THREE UPDATES (NOTE: RAMP UPDATE ABOVE - RAMP STILL NEEDS WORK)
1) Beach area and Ramp will be open on Wednesday evening, June 5!
2) Lake Treatment Spray catch-up scheduled for Monday, June 10 and
again resumes on regularly scheduled dates (Monday, June 17) posted
on this website.
3) Rescheduled May Bass Tournament ON for Wednesday night, 6/5 at
5:30. See rules on Fishing Tourneys section of this website.
5/29/19 IMPORTANT UPDATE !!!!!
EVERYONE, the boat ramp is CLOSED until it is opened one day next week (week of June 3rd)
PLEASE STAY OFF RAMP AREA! Concrete MUST dry and form completely… No trailer launching of
boats until it is reopened. Call Mark Melody or Jamie Theiler if you have questions. Numbers are
on this website. Weather is critical to complete this project. We are ALMOST done!!!! Please
stay patient! Thank you.
5/28/19 Work to finish boat ramp delayed by weather
The boat ramp area and access at the beach is nearly done, but the weather is
hampering the completion. They will need to pour another ramp slab to be pushed
into the lake, as the first slab was damaged when it was submerged. This will be
done as soon as the weather lets up long enough for the work to be completed. They
are still hoping to be done this next weekend. Until then, please delay launching
with big trailers as this could cause damage to your trailers and vehicles. As stated
earlier, we will issue an ALL CLEAR when the ramp is done and open to members
for use. Please stay patient so we can get this huge project completed without
damage or injury to members, guests or property.
Thank you!
5/21/19 UPDATE!! Beach area remains closed through Memorial
Day Weekend due to construction delays associated with inclement
weather. Our construction engineers have informed us that they are unable to meet their
projected completion date of Memorial Day Weekend due to the continued rain that
we have received the past 10 days causing delays in their work. We apologize for
this Holiday Weekend impact but it cannot be avoided. The crews started as early
as possible this Spring and have made excellent progress. They were on target to
complete this project by this weekend until the recent storms impacted their work. If
the weather cooperates, the beach should be open by the June 1st (next) weekend.
They have already poured the new concrete ramp, which will be pushed in place
when work resumes. Then the rest of the roadway leading to the ramp will be
poured and the beach sand area expanded.
One note: the DNR would not allow us to take any further dirt from the dam than
what was needed to build the new retaining wall structure that has replaced the old
slope. Hope was to expand the beach area even further west, but cutting further
into that slope of the dam was not approved beyond the new wall which has been
constructed on the west end of the launch area. Still the improvements do give us an
expanded swim beach and a safer launch area for boats. We welcome visitors as
soon as construction ends. An “all clear” will be posted on this Timely
Announcements page.
In related news, the member/summer workers beach clean up/prep activity will take
place next Saturday, June 1st, at 9am, weather permitting. If members are willing to
go down and lend a hand to “open” the beach, please come down with rakes and
trashbags.
Watch for more updates soon.
5/14/19 First summer Fishing Tournament POSTPONED to 6/5 due to Ramp and
Beach work. Join us on 6/5 for the postponed May Tournament and also at the
regular June scheduled tourney date later that month. See Fishing Tourneys section
for more.
5/6/19 URGENT UPDATE:
RAMP CONSTRUCTION STARTS TODAY – Equipment arriving Herman Brothers will be delivering the equipment to complete Phase II of our Beach/Ramp Project today. This
Phase will take approximately two weeks, weather permitting. During this time the old ramp may or may not be
open. Please keep an eye out for workers. PLEASE keep children off of the equipment.
Basically, until further notice, as previously posted in April, consider the boat ramp CLOSED until further notice.
Launch at your own risk.
ALSO – Boat Stickers are now on their way – to be delivered the first two weeks of
May. Please call Mark Melody at 229-8547 if you have to launch your boat prior to
receiving your 2019/2020 stickers. You can pick them up from him prior to
launching.
4/18/19 RAMP Update and Boat Stickers… Boat Ramp Construction Update: Begins May 6 for two weeks weather permitting!
Launch area will be closed during the reconstruction. Get your boats in before May
6th if possible. We have concluded our bid process to replace the current boat ramp and move it to the other side of the floating
dock at the beach. The project has been approved by the WOLA Board and by the IDNR. This will widen the
existing beach and make it safer to put in and out, especially with members using the beach area. The old road
lane to the old ramp and the old concrete slab ramp will be removed and will be replaced by more sand. We ask
all members to be patient as this is a very important project for the safe launching of boats, and improved beach
for all members. The project is scheduled to last two weeks, weather permitting, and it is the intent to be
opened by Memorial Day weekend. There will be a lot of bare ground near the ramp (opposite the beach
towards the dam) and it will need to be reseeded and protected. This will take a bit to look great again but it will
be worth the wait!
Call any WOLA Board Member for further information.
ALSO – Boat Stickers are now on their way – to be delivered the first two weeks of
May. Please call Mark Melody at 229-8547 if you have to launch your boat prior to
receiving your 2019/2020 stickers. You can pick them up from him prior to
launching.
4/4/19 Beach Monitor Positions filled
The four Beach Monitors who worked with us last year have been hired to work again this season at the beach.
Dr. Stacy Orwig, WOLA Board Member, spearheaded the interviewing and hiring this year and will conduct
training again. She can still accept applications for possible fill-ins or replacements if the need arises. Her contact
information is listed under the Board listings page. We are very fortunate to have the hard-working crew return
with their experience. Thanks, Stacy, for your lead on this important summer staffing!
3/3/19 Beach Monitors, Dues, Ramp Construction, Garage Sales, and More Welcome to March, everyone!
DUES: WOLA Annual Dues are due TODAY. If you have not yet mailed in your $300 per property dues please do
so this week. Remember, WOLA is enforcing penalties for late payments past due over 30 days as our covenants
allow. This is to ensure that all dues are collected fairly and to have money in our account for important
upcoming projects and bills.
BEACH MONITOR POSITIONS FOR 2019: Board Member Stacy Orwig is accepting calls now for interested
members wishing to apply for 2019 Beach Monitor positions. Please call her directly at 842-9842 to discuss and
email resumes to [email protected]. It is our intention to hire monitors to cover 32 hours/week this
year.
BEACH RAMP: Construction Update: The IDNR has received our plans for the new ramp and ramp access lane
that we want to put in this Spring. Bids are already being accepted for this work. As soon as the project is
approved by the IDNR we will proceed to select vendor(s) and get a schedule published. Members should note
that when construction begins, there will most likely be a closure of the ramp to put in/take out boats until the
project is completed. The intention is to have the new access and ramp completed well before Memorial Day.
The weather this Spring will dictate that date. More specific information will be published right here as soon as
we know more.
BOAT/WATERCRAFT 2019/2020 STICKERS: All old boat stickers are now expired. New, two-year WOLA
Watercraft Stickers will be delivered in March and April to any resident in good standing (dues paid in full) who
have registered boats in the past. All boats launched in 2019 must have a current year sticker placed on both
sides of each boat. If you want to use a boat before your stickers are delivered, please call Mark Melody, Lake
and Fish Chairperson, at 229-8547, to pick them up at his home (see WOLA Directory). Please call him to arrange
pick-ups.
FISHING STRUCTURES: The Fish and Lake Committee has been busy this Winter constructing submerged wooden
structures to attract and hold fish and protect little fish as they grow. They are on top of the ice as of this posting
and will drop through when the lake opens up/ice melts. These will all be deep enough to not be a safety concern
for swimming or diving. To help with more or find out more about these, call Mark Melody – he is on the
Member Listing. A reminder that is not permitted to submerge structures or trees/brush, etc. without WOLA
permission.
WOLA GARAGE SALE: The Germantown Hills Chamber Vendor sale for the area is scheduled for May 4th this
year. We are once again piggy-backing on that date to take advantage of other advertising and expected traffic,
as are other area garage sales. Watch the Village website for more information and to possibly include your
address as having a sale.
GOOSE EGGS: We have once again received a permit to oil geese eggs to prevent them from hatching. This is to
prevent an overabundance of geese on our lake. Their feces causes high levels of E. coli in our lake which CAN
cause the IDNR to close our lake for use, especially swimming. In addition, their feces tracks on shoes and pet
feet to inside homes and can further cause dangerous health issues, especially for children. We all love the
beauty of geese in flight, etc. but they have a very negative effect on our Association properties and lake
environment. Unless we hear from you to NOT treat them, we will treat any nests found bordering the lake. Of
course we will try to contact you once nests are found on your properties to gain your permission. Please, under
no circumstances should you feed these animals.
2/10/19 Updates for 2019 Welcome back WOLA website readers! In the next 30-45 days, the categories on this site will be updated for the
2019 lake season, including important information about the construction of our new boat ramp and access area
at the beach.
The 2018 Annual Meeting Minutes are posted along with a graphic of the Phase II Beach Project which was
approved at the meeting in November. There will undoubtedly be some disruption of lake access prior to the late
May opening of the swimming season due to ramp construction. As soon as firm dates for this project are locked
in with the construction crews, we will post them. We apologize for that in advance and will do everything
possible to have the new ramp and beach widening done by Memorial Day. Watch here for updates.
2019 Annual Dues are being mailed tomorrow, 2/11, and will be due by 3/3. We had some difficulties with
printing them this year accounting for the slight delay in getting them out.
Come back soon for more updates!
---------------------------------------------------
2018
9/18/18 Special lake algae treatment today – no watering or swimming
restrictions
Our lake treatment experts were out on Monday the 17th to inspect and treat the lake and will return today,
Tuesday, September 18, for a deep algae treatment targeting the “binding excess phosphorus algae” in a deeper
stage. Most of this is occurring in the middle of the lake and is usually only present in the early mornings. This
treatment will not affect swimming or lake use, and will not affect yard watering, but will limit late summer
excess algae blooms. This rare late heat is causing this to occur.
9/7/18 ANNUAL MEETING IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
WOLA Annual Meeting Date Changed to Wednesday, November 7
Due to a room conflict, we are changing the previously published date for our WOLA Annual
Meeting. We are sorry for the inconvenience of the switch!
Please join us at Michael’s Italian Restaurant in the Monte Cristo Room on Rte. 116 on
Wednesday, November 7 at 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. (Social Hour at 6 p.m. with light snacks
and beverages) for our Annual Meeting of WOLA members. We will discuss our association
finances, listen to reports from the Fish and Lake, Architecture and Beach Committees (including
a wrap-up of the MANY improvements made to the Beach area this year). This year THREE new
Board members will be chosen (two on-lake and one off-lake members are eligible). Those
positions include President, Vice-President and Secretary. See below in RED for more
information. Please join us as we need members present to approve important decisions! This is
your ONE CHANCE to publicly speak up! What a great year! See you there!
8/17/18 WOLA Lake Treatments/Inspections for Algae Extended into September
Our season-long scheduled Lake Treatments and Inspections would normally end next week as we approach the
Labor Day Holiday weekend. However, we want to be proactive and screen the lake through September for algae
that may appear. Algae-only treatment/Inspections will continue on the following dates in September:
Tuesday, September 4th (one day after Labor Day)
Monday, September 17th
NO watering restrictions are needed with algae-only treatments. These additional treatments to our lake are to
continue to monitor for any presence of harmful algae in our lake during possible swimming times. At this time,
and through this summer, we have experienced NO harmful algae levels in any useable areas of our lake. With
higher levels of blue-green algae present in some other bodies of water in our state and across our nation
(especially Florida), we are monitoring closely for our members and guests. Our lake treatment experts, Marine
Biochemists, have been an outstanding addition to our lake management efforts and will keep us advised of any
concerns. Upon last inspection, they said our lake was, “beautiful.”
Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend coming up!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Three WOLA Board Member Positions Needed Filled at Annual Meeting in
November, to begin in January, 2019
Three White Oak Lake Association Board of Directors positions (of a total of five) are expiring at the end of this
year. We need at least two on-lake members and one more on-lake or off-lake member to step up and consider
serving. The current board team members that are terming at the end of this year are Jon McKee and Jamie
Theiler, both on-lake representatives and Michelle Dose, off-lake representative. The Board positions remaining
for two more years are Lilli Davis and Dr. Stacy Orwig. Lilli currently serves as Treasurer. The President, Vice-
President and Secretary positions will need to be filled. Terms are three years. The current Board has agreed to
help transition the new team members until 12/31/18.
Serving on the WOLA Board is a very rewarding activity. Please consider putting your name in the hat to serve.
For more information, please contact any member of the current Board, listed here:
WOLA Board of Directors: Board Position Name Phone E-mail
President Jon McKee 696-4725 [email protected]
Vice President Jamie Theiler 208-0878 [email protected]
Treasurer Lilli Davis 678-5435 [email protected]
Secretary Michelle Dose (815) 830-6115 [email protected]
Member Stacy Orwig 842-9842 [email protected]
08/16/18
Final 2018 WOLA Big Bass Tournament Results
Arlen Bailey 4lbs 13oz
Fifteen participants fished for three hours on Wednesday, August 15, each trying to hoist the final Big Bass
Tourney Trophy Plaque for the summer. Some big bass came to the party. In fact, the four top bass that were
officially weighed in for the night totaled 15lbs, 7oz! All fish were released unharmed. Here’s the final results:
1st Place went to Arlen Bailey with a 4lb. 13oz. bass
2nd Place finisher was Zach Theiler, with a 3lb. 14oz. bass
3rd Place went to Dave Diggle with a 3lb. 11oz bass
4th Place went to Jon McKee with a 3lb. 1oz. bass
1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 4th Place
Congrats to everyone on a fun 2018 Tourney Season! Thanks again to Ronnie Pollitt, Tourney Director. See you all next
year!
8/2/18
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Three WOLA Board Member Positions Needed Filled at Annual Meeting in
November, to begin in January, 2019
Three White Oak Lake Association Board of Directors positions (of a total of five) are expiring at the end of this
year. We need at least two on-lake members and one more on-lake or off-lake member to step up and consider
serving. The current board team members that are terming at the end of this year are Jon McKee and Jamie
Theiler, both on-lake representatives and Michelle Dose, off-lake representative. The Board positions remaining
for two more years are Lilli Davis and Dr. Stacy Orwig. Lilli currently serves as Treasurer. The President, Vice-
President and Secretary positions will need to be filled. Terms are three years. The current Board has agreed to
help transition the new team members until 12/31/18.
Serving on the WOLA Board is a very rewarding activity. Please consider putting your name in the hat to serve.
For more information, please contact any member of the current Board, listed here:
WOLA Board of Directors: Board Position Name Phone E-mail
President Jon McKee 696-4725 [email protected]
Vice President Jamie Theiler 208-0878 [email protected]
Treasurer Lilli Davis 678-5435 [email protected]
Secretary Michelle Dose (815) 830-6115 [email protected]
Member Stacy Orwig 842-9842 [email protected]
(more)
7/26/18 UPDATE (11:45 a.m.)
Lake is ALL CLEAR. No restrictions!
Marine Biochemists were on the lake this morning (excellent response to our urgent request) to inspect our
water for harmful algae. They conducted a THOROUGH inspection of every inch of the lake and found no threat
of Blue/Green algae. What was reported could have been an isolated patch but it did not grow/materialize to
any degree. They treated any slightly questionable patches in VERY shallow coves, less than 3” deep and not in
areas used by members. They found no threat of any kind to members and guests or pets. In fact, they said our
lake looked beautiful. Great to hear! They will continue our best-practice treatments and inspections every
other week through September. This is a good investment for our members.
Watering: no restrictions with the areas and chemicals used today. Algae treatments (these still occur each
visit) do not bother grass. We still recommend no watering on those heavy days but today there are no
restrictions. Pump away!
7/26/18 (7:30 a.m.)
IMPORTANT! Cautionary Lake Inspection happening TODAY, Thursday, July 26, 2018 *** Swim at
your own risk and do not water from the lake until future notice posted here on
our website
Lake being evaluated after report of suspicious algae
The WOLA Board has asked for a special return visit by our lake treatment experts, Marine Biochemists, to occur today to
evaluate a possible presence in our lake of a particular strain of harmful algae. They are coming to our lake today to
evaluate and take samples for testing, and possibly treat as necessary. They were here to treat on their regularly scheduled
lake treatment date on Monday of this week and did not report any problems at that time.
The Board, as a precautionary measure, is recommending that members use caution, especially with pets, with swimming in
the lake until we can get results back from their observation and testing. At this time, without verification, this is a
precautionary “heads up” to swim at your own risk. We thought it to be too early to mandate more drastic measures.
On Wednesday morning, a member noticed an unusual blue-green algae bloom next to her seawall and reported it to the
Board. She had recently read about a similar algae situation in Illinois and surrounding state lakes in the Peoria Journal Star.
We received a message from the member Wednesday evening. We are thankful for the member alerting us and allowing us
to get professional advice and action from our lake treatment experts. Recently, in the Peoria Journal Star, an article about
“Blue-green algae” was printed alerting readers of the toxins involved with a particular type of harmful algae that is
becoming more prevalent in Midwestern states, especially with excessive heat and still conditions. That type of blue-green
algae can affect the respiratory system in humans, and especially in pets, if it is ingested. There are many stories online
about this algae. Here’s a couple we found informative:
You can find information about harmful algae (blue-green algae) here:
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/blue-green-algae-and-harmful-algal-blooms
In addition to our professional tests that are being conducted, here’s a simple test that one article suggests is pretty
accurate, but not 100%:
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-swm1-04.pdf
Watch for more informational updates here on the WOLA website: www.wolamembers.com
7/19/18 WOLA July Big Bass Tourney Recap
Ronnie Pollitt, Avery Grebner, Alexander Pasquini July Winner Ronnie Pollitt, Big Bass 4.5 lbs.
A beautiful evening for fishing on White Oak Lake on Wednesday, July 18... About 20 anglers participated in this
month’s contest, 12 boats in all. Slow night until later in the contest when the big ’uns started biting…
Tournament Director Ronnie Pollitt scored his first WOLA Tourney win with 4.5 lb. bigmouth. Two other big bass
were weighed in, (shown above with Ronnie on the left), Avery Grebner, son of new member Coach Jared
Grebner, with a 2 lb. 12 oz. largemouth (middle), and Alexander Pasquini with a nice 3.4 lb. largemouth bass (far
right in photo). Nice job young anglers!
Everyone agreed that the bass are getting bigger (shiners feeding program is showing positive results) and more
frequent. Thanks again to Ronnie Pollitt for running these events this year. Has anyone caught a Muskie lately?
If so, please report weight and length to Mark Melody, Lake and Fish Committee Chairperson. We are curious if
they are still around…and how they are growing.
This year’s LAST Big Bass Tourney will be held Wednesday, August 15th from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Look for details and
rules on the website under Fishing Tourneys in the Member Activities section.
7/18/18 4th of July on WOLA pictures wanted!
If you have any photos from the boat parade or carry-in brunch, please
send them to [email protected]. We’ll post a recap of
that day’s events!
7/9/18 May, June Big Bass Fishing Tournament Winners
May Winner Arlan Bailey June Champ Mark Leaver
__
May Tourney Recap
The WOLA Big Bass Tournament in May was held after a front went through and the bite was slow. 17 anglers participated
during the evening and just a few weighed in fish. Arlan Bailey ended up with the biggest bass, a 1.4 oz. largemouth. He has
dominated the series the last two years. Way to go, Arlan!
June Tourney Recap
In June, after postponing the event on its original date due to lightning probabilities in the area (and it ended up coming – a
lot!), 14 fishermen went at it, once again, the following Wednesday evening after a front moved through the area the day
before. It turned out to be another tough-bite tourney, but Member guest Mark Leaver took home the coveted WOLA
plaque with a 3.9 lb. bigmouth. He caught it off the dam in about 15 feet of water. He was the guest and boat mate of
Ronnie Pollitt…
A special shout-out to Tourney Director Ronnie Pollitt for taking two nights out of his June free time to coordinate this one!
Thanks also for posting the WOLA Big Bass signs and removing them promptly after the events!
The next Big Bass Tournament will be July 18th at 5:30. Remember participants, no lines in the water the day of the
tournaments until the horn blast at 5:30 p.m.! This gives everyone, including those working up until the tourney begins,
equal opportunity to scout/find the fish in the same time period.
6/20/18 Threat of lightning postpones fishing tourney tonight
Due to the threat of lightning and storms from 5-9 tonight, the fishing tourney tonight has been postponed to
next Wednesday, Jun 27. Signs will remain posted.
5/30/18 Special Lake Algae Treatment Scheduled for June 4
Due to the rapid algae growth between treatment dates, we have scheduled a special treatment for Monday,
June 4. This DOES NOT affect watering systems and has no other effects on swimming or fishing. The high
temperatures and early Spring lake conditions were perfect for algae to bloom. This treatment will help the
aesthetics and boat operations throughout the lake. This happens naturally and has happened to most every
other lake in the region. When it does we have the ability to react. We cannot guarantee a perfectly clear lake,
ever, but we have WOLA volunteers and treatment specialists looking after our lake resource to keep it as safe,
clean and as clear as possible within the restraints of our WOLA budgets.
Contact Mark Melody, Chairman of the Lake and Fish Committee, for further questions. He is listed on the
website under the Board and Lake Committees section.
5/9/18 Spring Newsletter is now posted! Check it out!
Among postings, here is our new Beach area:
Our beach project (Phase I – Replace the Retaining Wall and improve Member usage areas) is completed. A beautiful patio
and ramp are now poured for observation of the beach area, including wooden steps near the water for easy access. A new
grassy area for blankets and chairs is also available on the first tier. Lastly, our beach sign has been updated and beautified.
Head down to the beach to see our new area!
(more)
5/3/18 Lake Treatment Schedule is Published on WOLA Website
Treatment begins next week. Please check out the schedule for the year with more information!
4/22/18 Reports of Coyote Attacks
In the last two weeks, two WOLA members, one in Thornridge and one on Wedgewood Terrace, have reported
Coyote attacks on their dogs as their pets were out in their yard. Both were severe. The DNR has been
contacted. They suggest owners be out in the yard with pets, or have a flashlight on them. This should scare
away any predators. In the meantime, please observe your pets at all times as they are out in your yard,
especially at night. Our DNR (Department of Natural Resources) contact is Isaac Gerard at (309) 214-0203. If you
have any sightings of Coyote in your area, you can report them to him. As warmer weather comes in, there will
be more natural food for these animals (rabbits, squirrels, birds, etc.) and these uncommon attacks in our more
densely populated areas should end.
3/15/18 ● Important WOLA Rules and Covenants enforcement update! ●
Beginning today, as previously announced, and supported by vote of the members of this White Oak Lake
Association, the Board of Directors will strictly enforce the Covenants at WOLA. Of particular concern to
members is the unauthorized parking of trailers and other un-allowed vehicles and items on member properties,
as outlined in our WOLA Covenants and Rules (see that section of this website for more). All Covenant
restrictions will be watched closely, but the enforcement will not be pro-active. Rather, if and when a member of
the Board receives a WOLA Complaint Form (also found on this website) and determines the complaint to be a
valid recognition of a WOLA Rules or Covenant violation, the Board will notify the member reported to be in
violation that it has received a complaint, will validate or dismiss the complaint and, if found in violation, the
member will be given one (1) week to come into compliance with the Rules and Covenant issue addressed.
If, after notification, validation and after one week, the Board determines that the member has still not come
into compliance, the member will be assessed a $50 fine, per week, per instance addressed, until the member is
compliant. Members not paying their fines incurred by the due dates posted will be charged late fees as allowed
by our Covenant, until the fees are paid in full. In the rare cases that the member still does not address the
violation or pay the past fines, the Board is authorized to act within their power, up to and including placing a lien
on their home, and collecting legal fees to support this action as outlined in our Rules and Covenants.
Bottom line: Please review the WOLA Rules and Covenants and adhere to them to support a healthy, vibrant, and
respectful atmosphere amongst your neighbors and throughout our beautiful White Oak Lake Association. We
DO NOT want to raise dues to support legally enforcing our Rules and Covenants. We are advised that
Homeowner’s Association Covenants are among the most enforceable documents in property ownership in the
nation. PLEASE – talk to a WOLA Board Member (also listed on this website) if you have questions or need further
clarification of our WOLA Rules and Covenants, OR – send your questions to [email protected].
2/11/18 WOLA Covenant Vote Update – Members Vote NOT to Change Covenant
From the minutes of the WOLA Board Meeting, 2/7/18: Covenant 12 Vote – Of the 205 eligible property owner
votes, eighty-nine yes votes were received, and thirty-nine no votes were received on the vote to change Covenant 12. Our
WOLA Covenants require 51% of the entire membership to vote in favor (YES vote) to change any Covenant. That would
require 105 votes. This vote to change the Covenant failed.
After reviewing all vote comments, it was clear that many WOLA members were asking for formal enforcement of
the WOLA Covenants. Members should be reminded of the anonymous complaint form available on the website that can
be submitted via email. When a complaint form is submitted, a board member will check whether there is a Covenant or
Rule violation present. If a member is in violation, they will be contacted by a board member and given one week to come
into compliance. If the member is not in compliance one week from the date of notification of violation, they will be fined
$50 for each week they remain out of compliance. If there are extenuating circumstances, the member may contact the
board. The board may or may not allow more time for compliance, based on circumstances.
The board listened to members, conducted a special vote of all members, and now must try to enforce the
Covenants as written. This entire process will be driven and enforced based on a Covenant or Rule violation that is
presented to the board via the Complaint form. The board is not a pro-active policing entity. The WOLA members will drive
this process using the form on our website. This tracks complaints, allows for compliance and penalizes members who do
not come into compliance. The board does not take this charge lightly and will be instituting this system rigorously
beginning 3/15/18.
2/11 Summer 2018 Beach Monitor Positions Open to Members A new Beach Monitor Job Description will be posted on this website in early March. The position will pay $11 per hour, in part-time employment, a very competitive rate for this type work. The duties are being expanded, with member identification, boat and parking sticker compliance and beautification of the beach area the top priorities. Remember, these are not lifeguards. Anyone interested in working as a beach monitor this summer should send a letter of interest to [email protected]. Applicants must agree to duties in order to accept position. Watch for more here.
______________________________________ 2017
12/19 WOLA Covenant Vote is in the mail
The proposed Covenant Vote regarding changes to Rules and Covenants covering parking boats, vehicles,
etc. in WOLA is in the mail to each of you. Please read the proposal and return your Vote portion of the
letter in the pre-paid postage envelope to the WOLA Board at the PO Box address listed BEFORE the
deadline posted in the letter. Questions? Call any board member listed on this website. Thanks!
11/4 Updated Beach Photos
11/2 Lake and Beach Project Update
Our lake has been lowered approximately 28” over these past three weeks and we will be stopping the controlled
drainage at about 32” this weekend. The Herman Brothers Construction crew now have a low enough lake level to
complete the rip rap portion of the wall which is in the water on the end of the wall. This was the primary reason
to drop the lake this winter. At this time we encourage all lakeside homeowners who are working on their
beachfront properties to proceed with your work while the lake remains at this lower level.
Here is a picture of the progress on the two-tiered beach wall. It is already looking fantastic and in the Spring, when
the final touches are added, it will be beautiful!
Remember to submit projects to the Architecture Committee for approvals (if new structures are being built or if
you are adding sand, etc. to your beach areas that enter the water). If you are just removing old seawalls and
replacing them or if you are doing cleanup work along the waterfront, no approvals are necessary.
9/7 IMPORTANT NOTICES! LAKE LOWERING DATES As announced last year at our Annual Meeting, and again this Spring in our Newsletter, we are busy with two
projects this fall:
Lake Lowering for Beach Improvements and lakeside property improvements
We will begin lowering the lake water level on Monday, October 15, and continue until we have lowered the lake
approximately 30 inches. This is for beach wall improvements and lakefront property owners beachfront
improvements. We will attempt to raise the drain to normal pool after March 1, 2018. The lake will have to fill back
up naturally in the early Spring for normal use next year. In the past, it was filled by mid May, if not earlier. But
there is NO guarantees of when nature will provide rain to fill us back up. It is a risk we must take to complete the
WOLA Beach Improvement project and one we need to do AT LEAST every ten years for property owner
improvements.
Lakefront Property Owners – Remove boats before 10/15!
If you need to use the WOLA boat ramp to take your boats out before winter, do so BEFORE October 15. Otherwise
you will have a very hard time backing in deep enough to pull out your boat and might risk getting stuck. This is a
sacrifice we need to make (to remove boats earlier this year) to finish our beach project. This was voted on last year
at the Annual Meeting.
REMEMBER – BOAT RAMP MAY BE UNUSABLE AFTER OCTOBER 15!
8/17 August Big Bass Tournament Winner is Chris Boettcher with a 5.7 lb. Lunker
Last night’s White Oak Lake Big Bass Tournament was a well-attended event with at least 10 boats participating. We had a first-time winner and that was member Chris Boettcher, who landed an impressive 5.7lb. bigmouth. At least two other fish nearing the 3-lb. mark were caught and released after learning of the leader’s big bass. The lake is beginning to produce bigger bass as the shiner minnow stocking program continues. This provides a natural food base for our fish, including walleye, crappie and largemouth bass, and that stocked population of shiners is reproducing, evidenced by the thousands of minnows of various sizes observed in the lake this Spring. This was the last scheduled big-bass tourney this summer. Thanks to Ronnie Pollitt who helped Mark Melody, Fish and Lake Committee Chairman, in running these events this year. Please continue to report big fish of any species to Mark so we can manage our lake even better. Also, the Summer-Long Fish tourney is still open until September 30. Current Leaders are: Bass – Jim Eckhart Walleye – unreported Catfish -- unreported
8/4 Swim Area Announcement – attention all members!
Next week WOLA is placing three large floating CAUTION buoys on the outside borders of the WOLA beach designated swimming area. The entire area INSIDE these buoys is OFF LIMITS to any fishing, including casting from outside the marked area to inside the marked area. The risk for WOLA is that swimmers can get hooks that have been broken off in this area imbedded in their feet, arms, etc. which can be very hazardous to those individuals. Members or guests found fishing inside this well-marked area will be subject to discipline, including being asked to leave the lake or having privileges suspended. These buoys should also remind boat operators that swimmers inside that designated area have the Right-of-Way in that area so they must use extreme caution while boating in that area. PLEASE – help us enforce this notice. Thank you!
7/21 Second WOLA Big Bass Tourney Goes Down to the Wire
Harry Alexander won his first-ever WOLA Big Bass Tourney Wednesday night, 7/19, “at the buzzer.” Five minutes prior to the horn to end the three-hour contest, Harry and his son, Trevor, had made their way over to the dam close to where the weigh-in was about to take place. Several boats had already come in but Harry was persistent and landed a 4.1 lb. bigmouth bass along the dam, less than 100 feet from the weigh-in area. “It’s my first win!” exclaimed Harry when asked how many he’d won before. So glad to see that outcome for a great fisherman who fishes regularly each week on the lake. At least 11 boats and some homeowners fishing from their docks participated in the contest. No second-place bass were weighed in once everyone saw his lunker. Congratulations, Harry!
7/20 Reminder that boat lights are mandatory from dusk to dawn
It’s not just a rule on White Oak Lake, it’s a State of Illinois law and a requirement for anyone in a boat on any body of water after dark. Fore and aft running lights must be displayed allowing other boats to see
you in their oncoming path. It’s also a respect of privacy and a safety issue for homeowners on the lake. At night, residents inside homes cannot easily see outside though their windows due to interior glare, but anyone outside can easily see into homes. If a boat has lights on, residents can see those and know that a boat is outside or near their property. We have had some theft at night on the lake so it could be assumed that anyone not using lights on their boat after dark has mischievous intentions. This is a hard rule for safety and security reasons. If your boat is on the lake at night, it’s LIGHTS ON. No exceptions. If your lights are not functioning, like driving a car at night with no lights, it should be parked until daylight returns. Thank you for your cooperation.
7/20 We have a new Treasurer!
Lilli Davis, an off-lake member for years, has stepped forward to assume the Treasurer duties for our WOLA. Lilli replaces Fred Bally who is moving to Florida in August. She will officially assume her duties, with Fred a phone call away for questions that might come up, on August 1. Thank you Lilli! And thanks, again Fred, for your service while on the Board.
6/22 First Summer Big Bass Tourney is in the Bag
Congratulations Arlen Bailey – who won a 3-way tie with a 1.7 oz. bass. Its length, 14.2 inches, beat the second place finisher by .2 inches. Six boats weighed in fish at the Weigh-in and 12 boats competed. That’s a good start to our annual angler adventures. Great job organizing the event, Ronnie Pollit, especially after a potential big storm postponed it last week. Next Big Bass Tourney is Wednesday, July 19 at 5:30. Also, watch for information posted here from Tournament Director Mark Melody (and in the Fishing Tourneys section of this website) about an additional after-dark Bass Tourney in July…
6/14 ALERT! Fishing Derby Postponed for tonight – rescheduled to NEXT Wednesday 6/21 Due to impending weather and issued weather alerts. Call Ronnie Pollitt for questions. See you then!
6/2 Spring Newsletter is posted on this site!
Check it out…and send us feedback at [email protected] Enjoy the summer!
5/26 WOLA is searching for a new Treasurer
We are searching for a WOLA member who can serve as Treasurer. If you have experience with accounting or Quickbooks and would like to serve in this capacity, please contact a member of our Board of Directors (listed on this website). Our current Treasurer, Fred Bally, is retiring to Florida and will be leaving August 1. Thank you in advance for your ability and interest in serving in this capacity for the next 19 months or longer, if desired. Thanks also to Fred Bally who has served almost two full 3-year terms as our Treasurer.
4/30 Updates to Website as of 5/1 If you are following our WOLAmembers.com website you’ll notice some updates – always read this page first…we’ll post important information here. We’ve also updated our Fishing Activities and Fishing Limits tabs to reflect new events and size limits for Bass. This year we will not be promoting a separate WOLA Yard Sale, rather, we are encouraging everyone to participate in the Germantown Hills Area-Wide yard sale on Saturday, May 6. See the Germantown Hills website for details on hours of the sale. Also, you have been given your new WOLA boat stickers and they are good for this year and next. Every boat must have these new stickers on their boats BEFORE using them this year. Details on the Boat and Car Stickers tab. Our 4th of July parade on the lake will be on Tuesday the 4th this year. See that tab and watch for updates there. Keep watching this site for other important updates…all of our past updates are below!
4/12 Mosquito Authority offering special rates to WOLA members to treat for mosquitos Mosquito treatment experts from The Mosquito Authority is offering WOLA Members Only a group
discount price for mosquito treatments in 2017. It begins with ONE FREE TREATMENT per member
property when that property signs up for at least one additional paid treatment. Normal treatments
would be $69 or more per yard per treatment with no discount. Call Pricing offer to WOLA members:
0-30 homeowners $59 per treatment after free offer 31-60 homeowners $54 per treatment after free offer 61-90 homeowners $49 per treatment after free offer 90 + homeowners $44 per treatment after free offer
The discounted pricing won't go down to the next tier until each homeowner continues treatments for 2 or more paid treatments. **Here is an example: If 50 homeowners take advantage of our initial free treatment offer, all 50 of those homeowners will pay $59 per treatment, after the initial free treatment offer. Once everyone receives their 2nd paid treatment, the discounted pricing will kick in on the 3rd paid treatment and each homeowner will pay $54 for each treatment moving forward. Once there are more than 60 homeowners receiving more than 2 paid treatments, the price per treatment will drop to $49 per treatment for all homeowners. BONUS: Regardless, The Mosquito Authority will be treating the current beach area at no cost to WOLA.
Schedule your treatment: Toll Free: 855-661-2483 Local: 309-226-4147 Web: www.themosquitoauthority.com
4/12 Spring WOLA Newsletter to be posted during first weeks of May
Watch here on our WOLA website for the WOLA Spring Newsletter to be posted during the first weeks of May. Content will include an update to the WOLA beach project, WOLA boat stickers update, fishing and swimming activities for 2017, and more. Also, an update on some of the issues concerning trailers in WOLA that was discussed at the Annual Meeting in October, 2016. Lots of news about WOLA. Check back soon!
4/12 WOLA Dues Update – 35 homes still not paid
Thanks to all of you who have paid your 2017 dues in a timely manner. These were sent out on February 3 and due by March 5. The annual dues fees are $300 per lot in WOLA. At this time, we still have 35 properties which have delinquent dues for the year, representing $10,500 that could be drawing interest in our bank account. The list of delinquent addresses could be posted on this website soon so please send
in your dues today if you have not done so. Past due notices will be going out next week and 10% penalties could be attached to balances past due. Remember – we are trying to get dues paid on time this year to help pay for the large beach upgrade project. Questions? Send your questions to [email protected]. A member of the WOLA Board monitors those posts.
1/20 WOLA Annual Membership Dues Have Been Mailed
2017 Membership dues have been mailed. The dues are once again $300 per member household address for the year and are due by March 1. Please make every effort to meet this deadline so that we can have the cash on hand to begin our Beach Improvement Project as early as possible this Spring. If you have any questions, please direct your questions to [email protected]. It won’t be long until our lake will be buzzing with activity once again. Watch for our Spring Newsletter in April or visit back to this page as we begin to thaw out!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2016 Date Message
October 10/30 Front Yard Post Lights Must Be On From Dusk to Dawn
Please check your front yard post light tonight to make sure it is functioning and in compliance with our Covenants and Rules at WOLA. Every house MUST have a dusk-to-dawn yard post light in working condition. Monday night is Halloween. PLEASE assist in making sure that the safety of our association is optimum. This is not a request, but rather a final reminder for all members NOT in compliance with this important safety rule to get those lights functioning today. Thank you for those of you who are contributing to the safety of our area. Please help by reminding your neighbors NOT in compliance that they can be fined for their negligence by the WOLA. It’s just that important.
10/11 Annual Meeting Minutes and Financial Information Now Available Our meeting minutes from last week’s Annual Meeting are now posted. Just click the link in this section of the web home page entitled “Announcements / Newsletter” Also, if you are interested in viewing the Financial Report presented at the meeting, please request it through this email: [email protected]. We will email you a copy of the report. We had great attendance with more than 43 families represented. Thank you for staying engaged with our WOLA activities!!!!
10/3 Muskrat Problems in our Lake Once Again. Please read.
We have been in discussions with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources about the ongoing Muskrat damage that is occurring along lakefront properties. Earlier this year, we received our annual approval for a Nuisance Permit to remove them from our lake, but it was for trapping removal only. No shotgun permit. In the past, we have had a permit for both trapping and shooting these varmints. Our Fish and Lake Committee members, several of which are licensed hunters with plenty of experience and
safety training, took care of this for us and disposed of the carcasses. A big belated WOLA THANK YOU to them! It should be mentioned that we have never had an accident using shotgun for this purpose. Shotgun shells do not skip or go far like pellet or rifle bullets do – the risk of ricochet is minimal. This year our new DNR contact thought it potentially would be too unsafe to shoot in such a residential area, so that option was removed from our permit. Unfortunately, no one on our lake is a trapper and we have not had any success in obtaining those services commercially. We have used Critter Control, a local pest removal company, for trapping and shooting in the past -- but they have stopped providing that service. One more disadvantage to trapping is that we have many dogs and children who like to play in the water along the edges. Setting traps along the banks is not an ideal situation when those are present. Consequently, we have reported NO muskrats being removed this year. Now, our muskrats are thriving and damaging yards and could (potentially) threaten the viability of our lake dam. That’s the worst case scenario for all of us. How they damage property: Muskrats burrow under the water edges and up into properties and create a nest above the water line. This can cause yard areas to collapse with weight, such as a person walking over it. They can collapse seawalls or structures built to hold back water, such as dams. They can destroy tree roots causing trees to die or fall. Their burrows hold snakes and turtles. They eat many roots and damage decorative water plants as well. They live in lakes year-round and studies show they are prolific breeders, having up to 20 or more babies each year. That’s frightening once they have numbers present. Trapping these animals kills them. Sometimes slowly. Shotguns are a much more humane method and is actually more dependable. The DNR is considering permitting us to once again use shotguns for eradication but wants to know, since this is a residential area, if there are many members who would object. We have been unable to identify ANY lakefront property owner who would object, of course, when safety precautions are used. But we have not talked to everyone. We feel that we could once again control the population or completely rid them with shotgun options. If you would have any objection to the DNR allowing us to once again remove these varmints with shotguns, safely, please send us an email to [email protected].
September 9/21 West Nile Virus update
WOLA was notified Monday evening by the Woodford County Health Department that a bird that was found dead in the White Oak Lake Association area had tested positive for West Nile Virus. After talking to an official from that agency on Tuesday, they confirmed that NO mosquitoes had yet tested positive in the entire Woodford County area but that we should take precautions to protect ourselves when we are outside.
They also identified at least one area in a ravine that drains into our lake where water is standing, creating a breeding area for these insects. They asked us to consider chemically treating that area to eliminate the insects and larvae present, and to consider altering the check dams to allow water to pass through them at low levels. This would require contractors to make adjustments to the check dams, and likely not be completed before the mosquito season ends in about three weeks. In the meantime, we are meeting with treatment experts tonight to start a treatment process to kill the insects located in that pool and general area yet this season. We are taking steps to protect our WOLA members. The Woodford Health Department acknowledged that the rainy summer has created thousands of stagnant drainage pools across the county and that the likelihood of this or any other nearby water pools containing WNV mosquitos is very low. However, they are testing the insects in that ravine for any signs of WNV and will keep us informed of their findings. They appreciated our quick response to help them with this situation. If you are interested in spraying your property, we are using Mosquito Authority – located on the web under that name. They have come highly recommended by farmers with ponds and ditch water pools. We are assured that runoff from these treatments is not dangerous to humans, the lake or its aquatic life. If you have any questions, please call Jon McKee, WOLA president, at 696-4725.
9/7 NOTICE! WOLA Annual Meeting for all Members
Please join us at Michael’s Italian Restaurant in the Monte Cristo Room on Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. (Social Hour at 6 p.m. with light snacks and beverages) for our Annual Meeting of WOLA members. We will discuss our association finances, listen to reports from the Fish and Lake, Beach and Architecture Committees (with details on WHAT the Architecture Committee looks for and approves for home and lot enhancements presented by Paul Herzog). PLUS, this year, we will be discussing a HUGE Beach Improvement Project that will require your feedback and votes to complete. Also, we will discuss the letter sent to all members (see below, entry dated 7/20). Lastly, one new Board member will be chosen (off-lake members only eligible). Please join us as we need members present to approve important decisions! This is your ONE CHANCE to publicly speak up! See you there!
August 8/24 Maxheimer’s share August WOLA Big Bass Tourney Win Leon and Scout Maxheimer teamed up to win our Big Bass Tourney last Wednesday, August 17 on White Oak Lake. They weighed in a 2.1 lb. largemouth for the victory. It’s the first win for Scout, destined to be one of
the “Future HOF’ers” of fishing on WOLA. Congrats you two! Several anglers participated – thanks everyone for competing in this fun evening series. Members Only: Join us for the summer’s LAST Big Bass Tourney which runs the ENTIRE MONTH of September, closing on Friday night, September 30 at midnight. Pictures and digital weight must be recorded and turned in to Mark Melody for entry. Enter as often as you like. Biggest Bass for the month caught in WOL by a member between 9/1 and 9/30 wins the plaque! 8/2 Bailey reaches WOLA first with 3-peat in rescheduled July Big Bass Tourney! Once, twice, three times a tourney. The WOLA July Big Bass Tourney was delayed twice before Arlen Bailey pulled off a three-in-a-row victory with a coin flip. Fishing was tough for the 11 anglers participating in the weather-delayed contest. Cold fronts and rain fronts turned big bites sour. Only a few small bass were weighed, and Bailey and Jon McKee tied with twin 14 ouncers, by both weight and length. A tiebreaker coin flip determined Bailey’s luck had not run dry. Congratulations for Arlen! It is the first three-peat since the summer series started in 2004. Join us on August 17 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. for the next tournament. For details and rules, check out the Fishing Activities section of our website.
July 7/20 Important message for all WOLA member households. Please Read:
Important Message for all WOLA Members
July 19, 2016
Attention all White Oak Lake Association Members:
Recently there have been complaints about properties within the White Oak Lake Association that are not adhering to the
association’s Covenants and Restrictions and Rules documents. The Covenants and Restrictions document is a legal
agreement that each homeowner entered into when they purchased their home in the White Oak Lake Association.
Regardless of your awareness of the rules, covenants and restrictions, each member is bound to adhere to them to protect
the welfare of the entire association.
One of the main purposes of these documents is to keep the appearance of the community at a high standard, which will
protect the value of every homeowner’s property. The most obvious and visible non-compliance issues being reported
involve the parking of trailers (of ANY type) on homeowner’s properties, trash cans being stored outside and not stored
within an appropriate enclosure, front yard lights not being lit from dusk to dawn and pets being allowed on the community
beach. Of urgent issue is the parking of RV’s, campers and utility trailers outside of approved enclosures or garages on
WOLA properties. The number of reported complaints about these larger, more visible items are growing rapidly.
Please take the time to read the Covenants and Restrictions and amended Rules documents located on the new WOLA
website (www.wolamembers.com) and become familiar with them. Some members might not even be aware that they are
violating ordinances. We would ask that every homeowner strive to adhere to the restrictions set forth in these documents.
We must all do our best to be good neighbors. While one homeowner may not think a trailer or a neglected or abandoned
car sitting in their driveway is unsightly, their neighbors and potential home buyers may disagree. The board would like to
avoid taking action on these issues. If you are not in compliance with the restrictions, please be a good neighbor and do
what is necessary to bring your property into compliance.
Please direct any questions to the WOLA Board of Directors at this email address: [email protected]. A
complete listing of the WOLA Board, WOLA Committees and WOLA Members is located on the website mentioned,
www.wolamembers.com. This website was established to improve communications amongst all WOLA members, including
posting valuable information about our rules, our member roster, lake activities, and more, and to save money for our
association by limiting mailings. This site is live 24/7 and kept up-to-date as best it can be maintained. Please give it a visit.
Every engaged member in our beautiful lake community will surely add value and improve the lifestyle for all members.
Thank you for your attention to these matters.
WOLA Board of Directors
7/13 NOTICE!!! Posted at 4:55 p.m. Tonight’s Bass Tourney is rescheduled to next Wednesday, 7/20. Same bat time same bat place. Weather related, of course!!!!! 7/8 Big Bass Tourney for July “rescheduled” to 7/13 Due to a date conflict between what was posted (below) in the June 21 recap of the June contest, and the posted WOLA Big Bass Tourney Schedule posted on the web (it reads 7/6), we have decided to honor the latest posting. See you from 5:30 – 8:30 on the 13th! Reminder…NO lines in the water the day of the tourney before the start of the contest if you want to compete in the contest at 5:30!!
June 6/21 Bailey Records Back-to-Back WOLA Big Bass Tourney Win
Arlen Bailey scored his second consecutive WOLA Big Bass Tournament win on
Wednesday night, June 15. His 2.1 lb. bass was the biggest at the beach when weigh-in occurred at 8:30 p.m. One other big fish, brought to the dam and dropped in the lake accidentally just before weigh-in, cost a guest of member
Jake Peplowski a chance for the monthly prize. It was too close to call and the fish have to make it to the scale…so maybe next month! Jon McKee caught a nice 2.4 lb. Walleye: Nice fish, wrong species…but good to know they are alive and
kicking in the lake. Join us next month, July 13, from 5:30-8:30 for the next tourney. FREE for all members and one guest each. Contest Rules are posted in
the Fishing Activities section of this website. They are included in the May tourney description. Get out and fish – bluegill are biting NOW!
6/13 Pontoon Boat for Sale Sorry, SOLD
13-foot Gillgetter purchased in 2005. One leather seat at the driver console. Minkota e-drive motor
included. 4 batteries purchased at the end of 2015 boating season. Throwing in another trolling motor
(MotorGuide) all for $1000. Contact Anita O'Neill at 309.472.2324 if interested.
6/13 REMINDER WOLA Big Bass Tournament this Wednesday, June 15 – Member/Guest. 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Look at Fishing Activities page for details and contest rules.
6/6 Fourth of July Activities Update -- Revelers Wanted!
Join us at 10 a.m. July 4th for the annual WOLA Independence Day Boat Parade and Breakfast! Boaters of
all type are welcome. Decorate your boat and join us at the dam for the procession of patriotic water
lovers! Fabulous prizes awarded to the best decorated boats. Creativity is always a plus. Bring a dish to
share for a potluck breakfast afterwards at the beach pavilion. If you don't have a boat, plan to watch the
festivities from the dam and join us for breakfast.
New this year -- July 2nd flotilla! Because Independence Day falls on a Monday this year, we know many are planning Saturday celebrations. In recognition of this, we are reviving a past favorite -- the flotilla. If you're interested in tying up with other boaters, come on out to the middle of the lake any time after 1 p.m. Saturday.
May 5/26 (1:30 p.m.) Lake Treatment Update: Marine Biochemists will be here Friday (weather permitting) to treat again for algae. This treatment will help to reduce algae WITHOUT swimming and fishing restrictions. In other words, you may use the lake as usual after the treatment. Knowing this is a busy holiday weekend, we wanted to do everything we could to help with lake conditions. Again, this treatment WILL NOT affect swimmers or fishing activities, including eating fish, and will not harm yards being watered from the lake. Thanks Mark Melody and the Fish and Lake Committee for fielding these calls and for arranging additional treatment activity. Have a safe and Happy Memorial Weekend, everyone! 5/25 Lake Algae Update: Our lake biochemists have been in touch with us about the abundance of algae in the lake even following a heavy treatment for this on 5/16. The lake has warmed up 10 degrees THIS WEEK. The rapid temperature change is the perfect storm for algae growth and lake turnover. This WILL PASS. We believe that the impending rains will knock this down again – and some clarity will be gained before the next treatment scheduled for next TUESDAY, May 31. If you have noticed other lakes in the region, this same effect exists. Please be patient and understand that this is still a natural ecosystem, not a swimming pool. Our lake is in good hands and it will offer us many great days of swimming and boating and fishing for weeks to come. The Fish and Lake Committee is on top of this daily. If you have questions, please call its Chairperson, Mark Melody. His number is 229-8547. 5/18 Bailey wins first WOLA Big Bass Tourney of the season
Longtime Fish and Lake Committee member Arlen Bailey grabbed the first plaque of the WOLA 2016 Big Bass Tourney schedule last night with a 1.7lb. bass. Fishing was tough with the cooler weather leading up to this delayed tourney. Ten anglers competed and only a few bass were weighed in at the 8:30 p.m. weigh-in. Next tourney is scheduled for Wednesday, June 15 from 5:30 – 8:30. FREE for all members and one guest each. Contest Rules are posted in the Fishing Activities section of this website. They are included in the May tourney description. June temps usually mean bigger and more bass activity! Join us!
5/12 LAKE TREATMENT SCHEDULE CHANGE:
Due to weather delays and an error on the original published schedule, the WOLA Lake Treatment Schedule has changed. Please note we have changed the next few treatment dates. Always double check the schedule for updates if you are watering anything on your property from the lake water. 5/12 Bass Tournament Rescheduled: the tournament scheduled for May 11 has been postponed to May 18 – same times. (see below). Lightning strikes delayed our tournament last night and the participants decided to postpone and start the event over on the 18th. Signs will be posted to alert all members.
5/9 Reminder: Big Bass Tournament (Member/Guest) Wednesday, May 11, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. All ages welcome. No registration required. Member/guest (or 2-person) format. Each participating WOLA member may fish by themselves, with another WOLA member or with a guest in this format. The participant weighing in the biggest bass for the event takes home the WOLA plaque. Participants can begin fishing any time after the start of the event. Each participant can weigh only ONE big bass that he or she caught at the end of the event time at the dam. Fish must be alive. Anglers must be at dam at official time/horn blast at end of event to qualify. Also: Participants may not fish the day of the event prior to the start of the event. Cast and retrieve only – no trolling. No live bait or multi-rigs. Call Mark Melody at 229-8547 for information. 5/9 WOLA Yard Sale 2016 Saturday, June 4 from 8-2 The date for this year’s White Oak Lake Yard Sale has been released! Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Signs will be posted and paid advertising will be listed in the Peoria Journal Star and in rural community newspapers. For questions, please contact Rhonda Anderson, 383-4950.
April 4/23 Lake Treatment Update Yes, we’ve noticed the algae in the lake! It is common in the Spring to see accelerated algae blossom when the lake is turning, but with the earlier Spring we’ve had, it’s a bit worse this year. We have contacted our treatment experts and they will be treating the lake on Wednesday, 4/27. The algae treatment WILL NOT affect watering yards on the lake, so there are no limitations with this earlier treatment. Enjoy the Spring! 4/19 Boat for Sale by WOLA owner: SORRY - SOLD
For sale: 2011 Qwest LS818 Pontoon boat with 2012 Haul Rite Trailer; 18’ black pontoon with tan accents and tan soft touch marine vinyl seating for 7; Black bimini (shade cover) and fitted tan canvas storage cover; 2011 Minn Kota Electric Motor – E Drive; Minn Kota Onboard Battery Charger with 4 deep cycle batteries; Minn Kota “Deck Hand” electric anchor winch with anchor – Model DH 40; Humminbird 300 Series fish finder; Live well for fish with cushioned lid (additional seat); Captain’s seat for driver; Radio; Corner tackle storage and rod holders; Dock bumpers; Removable table; Excellent condition with minimal usage during 2012-2015 summers. Pontoon has been covered with canvas cover when not in use and stored indoors during winter months. $15,000 Call Doug and Jennifer Sloan at 309-383-3095
4/10 OOPS! The Facebook page for White Oak Lake is correctly linked on our new Website, but it is listed incorrectly on the postcard you just received. It should be White Oak Lake Subdivision, NOT White Oak Lake Community (located on the right side of the back of your postcard), which is in some other state, definitely NOT Illinois… But this proves that this website can update everyone instantly when needed! 4/10 Summer Beach Help Wanted. If you would like to be considered for employment as a Beach Monitor or as a Supervisor for this summer, please contact Walt Davis at 678-5437. 4/10 Bench Missing? A red-toned plastic and wooden bench floated up onto the property of Anita O’Neill, 901 Holland Road. If you are missing a bench, please call Anita at 472-2324.
4/9 Dues reminders…as of this date, 25 households are tardy with their 2016 Annual Dues and are subject to late fees. Dues are $300 per household and were due 3/1. Please send your check to: WOLA P.O. Box 748, Metamora, IL 61548. Questions about your 2016 dues should be directed to Fred Bally, Treasurer, at [email protected].
4/1 NEW WOLA Member Website Launched! Bookmark this address: www.wolamembers.com Just a
site to make sure that all members of White Oak Lake Association have the CURRENT information needed to make informed decisions concerning their lake privileges and activities! 4/1 NEW! WOLA Member Communications email. Stay in touch with what’s happening at WOLA by sending us your suggestions or concerns to our new email address, monitored every 48 hours. This is also where you can send us your comments or potential items to post on this new WOLA website. The email is:
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