# Roy Lake controversy



## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

I know some of you guys on here regularly come down to NESD to fish, and a controversy is boiling up.

The following is an announcment put out by GFP yesterday.

GFP To Host Open House at Roy Lake to Discuss Property Trade

ROY LAKE STATE PARK, S.D.-The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department will be hosting an open house to discuss a possible property trade that would open up access to Piyas Lake in Northeastern South Dakota.

The open house will be held from 4-7 p.m. Monday, January 12 at Roykota Resort. No formal presentation will be made, but the open house meeting format will provide an opportunity for the public to visit one-on-one with staff and share their thoughts about the merits of the proposal.

Piyas Lake, located in Marshall County, has seen heavy fishing pressure the past two years, but has little access to sportsmen. The GFP has a proposal that would trade a parcel of land near Roy Lake, for access to Piyas Lake. Along with lake access, the GFP would acquire CRP, an existing boat ramp, boat trailer parking, a graveled trail to the lake, and several acres of marsh and water. In exchange for the Piyas Lake property, the GFP would trade 226 acres of Department lands located adjacent to the southeast corner of Roy Lake.

What they neglect to mention is that along with a net loss of land, the parcel that would be being traded on Roy Lake is one of the best fishing spot for shore fishermen on the lake, and that it is also coincidentally one an absolutely incredible cabin site development prospect. If anyone is familiar, approximately 2/3 of Roy Lake is owned by GFP, and every inch that is privately held is fully developed. Current lot prices for a couple of poor lots on the lake run at $1000 per linear foot and the property in question contain 3700-3900 feet!!!! They want to trade this for a piece of pastuer on a lake that fairly regularly winterkills. The fishing on Piyas has been good the last two winters, but what GFP fails to reveal in the press release is that the land around Piyas is controlled 90% by the Sisseton Wahpheton Sioux Tribe. They have an awesome access point to the lake, all you have to do is buy there 15$ lisence to use it. (In the interest of full disclosure, I used to work with the tribe for my job.)

The long and short of it seems to me that rather than work with the tribe to come to a solution that would work for all, the State of SD is willing to pay 3 million dollars to aquire a marginal piece of pastureland.

If you read my posts you will find that I am normally a solid supported of GFP and NDGF, defending there actions and understanding there motivations. This shakes my faith in such to the core. If anyone is interested, please comment.

Tom


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

I've fished Piyas a few times in the last few years, meaning I've bought a tribal license to do so. I've never thought access was a problem, although it may be now that the lake has taken off. It seems pretty cut and dry that if you want to fish the lake, you need a tribal license. It's unfortunate that now that the lake is "hot", the GFP wants to jump in and provide more access on a lake that is marginal at best most years at the expense of another established and developed lake. The lake already has an access point, maybe the GFP should focus more on providing access to a few other lakes around the area that nobody can get to. Probably wouldn't cost $3 million to do so either.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

You mention that the tribe controls 90% of the land around the lake. Does that mean that they also control a similar percentage of the lake? I believe that is the case at Red Lake in MN. If that is the case it would be likely that the tribal license would still be required to fish a majority of the lake regardless of where the access is.

This warrants some investigation into exactly WHO is getting the land and WHAT their intentions are. Sounds like a back door deal that somebody with connections is gonna make a pile of money on at the expense of sportsmen. If development were planned only a portion of the land would easily make for an "even" deal.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Tom, that doesn't sound good. Has SDWF moved on this? Or any other wildlife group? You just knew we'd have to dig up Tony Dean.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

The tribe controls the boat dock. As long as you have a tribal license, you are good to go.


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

A little more from the local paper with a map.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5429&rfi=6


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## jpallen14 (Nov 28, 2005)

I 100% do not support the land swap. If it happens it will be another lake ruined by developement. More people and jet ski's and weekend warriors in the becoming over crouded NE. I know of no one in the area that is in support of it.


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