FALL NEWSLETTER 2026
Hello to our Sheepscot Lake Association members, and goodbye to Summer of 2026!
We launched the summer with another successful 4th of July Boat Parade, with 30 boats joining, along with many households cheering on from the shoreline as we passed by. Thank you to Grand Marshall Joe Burke for your enthusiastic participation!
The Courtesy Boat Inspection Program was a success with 137 inspections and no invasive species found! We have been quite lucky so far. As you know, our inspectors are only at the launch for 12 hours per weekend throughout the summer, so most of the inspecting should come from the boat owners themselves. Please remember to check your boat, trailer, and fishing equipment for any plants both before and after using the lake. If you ever come across a plant that you are not sure is native or invasive, please take a photo and email it to us.
Starting in 2027 we will need a volunteer CBI Coordinator, and we are hoping an SLA member would like to help. After nearly a decade, the current coordinator cannot commit any longer. This is an opportunity for you to show your support for a healthy Sheepscot in a meaningful way. You must be available to train the inspectors in mid-to-late June, supervise them throughout the summer by monitoring the weekend weather to determine shift work, occasionally check in at the launch, and report the inspection hours worked to our treasurer. Before the training (held both at the library and on-site at the boat launch) you would be trained via zoom with both the Maine State Department of Environmental Protection and the Lakes Environmental Association. In total, this is about 20 hours of your time spread out from mid-June through Labor Day. Our current Coordinator will still handle end of the year report and grant proposal required by the DEP. We would hate to see this vital program come to an end. If you are at all interested, want more information, or have any recommendations, please reach out to us via email at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com
Our loon nesting platform was launched again this past spring. Shane and Barbara, the nesting pair that used the platform in 2025, used the platform to mate again this year but did not produce any eggs, which according to Maine Audubon is not uncommon. We will launch again in the spring of 2027 and hope they have success. A total of seven loons were spotted during this year’s annual loon count in July.
Barbara preening after mating on the nesting platform this past June.
The 2026 General Membership Meeting at the Fish and Game was well-attended, with food provided by Lori’s Café. We acknowledged two long-term board members – Carolyn Viens and Ursula Burke – who retired from their positions. Thank you for your many years of service! Wes Ashe, from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, gave an informative talk about the health of Sheepscot, the fish species that reside within it, and the lake trout study that he spearheaded here in August. This SPIN (Summer Profundal Index Netting) study provides insights into the population and habits of the lake trout species. The results will help dictate any regulation changes. Fifty lake trout/togue were collected and through the study it was determined that there is a large population of togue in Sheepscot, possibly over 3,000. These numbers will help determine the need for a change in regulation size. This study will be conducted again in 2027 and then every five years thereafter. Thank you to Mr. Ashe for an informative discussion, and to all members who attended this year’s annual meeting and showed support for your Lake Association!
Please remember that we have an online store with many options to show your love of Sheepscot! They make fantastic gifts for the holidays or a birthday. Visit our store at https://www.bonfire.com/store/sheepscot-lake-association/
If you have not yet renewed your membership, you still may do so by visiting our website at https://sheepscotlakeassociation.com We will be keeping in touch throughout the “off-season” via our Facebook page.
Have a happy and healthy fall/winter and we look forward to seeing you on the lake in 2027!
- Sheepscot Lake Association Board