about FCAL
The Forest County Association of Lakes (FCAL) is a cooperative effort between each of the lake associations in Forest County, Wisconsin to protect our inland water bodies, environs, and watershed. As a team, we facilitate research and sharing between organizations, governmental bodies, and the general public and work together to preserve the aesthetic beauty, water quality, wildlife habitats, and fisheries within Forest County.
Join FCAL
Join online or by mail.
Our Environment
Forest County Courtesy Code
- Be Kind to Wildlife, Your Neighbors, & Your Lake
- Watercraft Safety – OBEY THE LAWS, REGULATIONS, & RULES
- Clean Boats/Clean Waters – OBEY THE LAWS, REGULATIONS, & RULES
REPORT INVASIVE SPECIES VIOLATIONS TO THE DNR’S TIP LINE
1-800-847-9367
OTHER VIOLATIONS CAN BE REPORTED TO Austin Babich WDNR WARDEN
608-896-5217 or ">
Or FOREST COUNTY SHERIFF
715-478-3331
WDNR Tip Line
800-847-9367
Forest County Sheriff’s Recreation Officer–Chad Mullis
715-478-3331
RECYCLING MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE
If left out in the environment, monofilament fishing line can tangle or be ingested by wildlife, endanger swimmers or become wrapped around boat propellers. It can last up to 600 years in freshwater, meaning it poses a threat for a long time. Removing discarded fishing line from the environment is a great first step. Recycling gives it new life.
How to recycle old fishing line
Monofilament fishing line is the line anglers most commonly use: single-strand, high-density nylon. Recyclers that specialize in fishing line melt it down into plastic pellets, which are then recycled into products such as tackle boxes, spools for fishing line, toys and fish habitat structures.
Look for collection bins specifically designed for fishing line at boat launches or similar locations. Line may also be mailed directly to:
Berkley Recycling
1900 18th Street
Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360
Never put fishing line in regular recycling bins as it can cause major issues at recycling facilities designed to handle cans, bottles, paper and cardboard.
Forest County Association of Lakes are building monofilament fish line containers. We are donating them to Forest County lake associations that are members of FCAL for their boat landings. They have been installed on Camp Six Lake, Lily Lake, Little Long Lake, Pine Lake, Pickerel Lake, Roberts Lake, Lake Lucerne, Silver Lake and Lake Metonga. Anyone who is interested in obtaining a container can contact us through this website by filling out the contact us form or purchase one.
News & Events
To view the whole article tap or click on the picture
The 5 Largest Reservoirs in the U.S.
Building a dam leads to the creation of enormous artificial lakes known as reservoirs. They are used to store water later used to supply households and businesses, as well as for collecting water that generates hydroelectricity. Moreover, many of these bodies of water...
Wild Instincts takes in more than 1,000 animals each year. Its funded almost entirely by donations
“It's been a very strange year.” Wild Instincts Wildlife Rehabilitation Director Mark Naniot says this year will likely be right up there with the record number of animal admissions. That’s not the strange part. “Not as many songbirds, like I said, a lot more mammals...
Which States Have the Most Lakes?
Who doesn’t love a lake? They’re the perfect place to idle the day away swimming, boating, waterskiing, or fishing. But what exactly defines a lake? Scientists and government agencies differ on which bodies of water count as big enough to be considered a lake, and...
Snapshot Day invites people to search lakes and rivers for aquatic invasive species
Eurasian water milfoil, curly leaf pondweed, and spiny water fleas are a couple aquatic invasive species known to have found their way into some lakes in the Northwoods. “It's definitely not a losing battle,” said Emily Heald, the Rivers Educator with UW Madison...
A Guide to America’s 11 National Scenic Trails
In 1968, the U.S. government passed the National Trails System Act, which called for the creation of publicly accessible trails in urban and rural settings across the country in order to promote appreciation and enjoyment of the great American outdoors. These trails...
Snapshot Wisconsin celebrates 10 years of capturing wildlife
Snapshot Wisconsin is celebrating two major milestones. This year marks the 10-year anniversary and the collection of 100 million photos. Snapshot Wisconsin is a wildlife photo collection project through the Wisconsin DNR. It utilizes a statewide network of...
