The trophy count now stands at 7. Tonight, mere minutes after leaving the dock, one of our loyal guests, Mr. Roger Ingerson, boated a 28.5″ walleye! Trolling in the Back Bay has been very successful thus far! Later on in the evening, with most of the staff anchored in the honeyhole, head guide Ryan Hewitt caught a big-time pike of 42.5″. He was using a 1/16th oz jig and a bobber. As the darkness set in, he lost sight of his bobber. To his delight, it was because this hog with a 18.5″ girth had sucked in his jig. Check the Master Angler’s Club page to see the picture!

Believe it or not, we are wired at Aikens! What an incredible thing to be able to update this newsletter while staring out at the beach and the lake! With our new satellite internet, we now have full time internet access. Guests staying in the Boardwalk Chalets have plugs for their laptops. There is a laptop in the lodge that is available for rental as well. Guests can now email pictures of their big fish to jealous loved ones on the same day!

Last year, our chef Megan landed her dream fish while fishing with Rob… a 48″ pike. However, not being able to bear the weather today, she decided to head back to the lodge. Rob and Danelle (the assistant-chef) headed back out. The fishing action really heated up after the rain stopped and the sun broke through those dark clouds. Danelle hooked into a monstrous 46.5″ pike! Just look at the stunned look on her face! Rob is awfully proud as he once again provides expert guiding to our kitchen staff!

Since getting to Aikens at the beginning of the month, we have been working on opening up the camp. However, with the help of some good friends, we have also been continuing the masterpiece that will be the second Boardwalk Chalet. In the picture, Grant Watson is busy at work with his grinder. The exterior is now complete, and the interior finishing has begun. In the next few weeks, many skilled hands will be leaving their signatures on the new Chalet. Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and grunters will all be lending a hand.

Mere hours after arriving at the lodge, Julie Turenne had already accomplished one of her goals for the week… catching a Master Angler fish! With her sixth trophy walleye in the past few seasons, Julie is now going to set her sights on different species… specifically pike! Although fishing time has been limited to after-dinner affairs thus far, it has been dynamite! The walleye spawn is finished and the post-spawn patterns are starting to produce some good catches along with some big fish!

Aikens Lake would like to wish all the best to the fisher-mothers of Aikens Lake. No matter how many times I have guided a couple, or a mother and child, or sister and brother… the women always outfish the men. Maybe it’s because their attention span is so much longer - who knows! Anyway, all the best to you on this fine May morning!

For those of you at the lodge last season, you will remember that the dock had a little dip in it near the first crib. Well, since that crib (the closest one to shore) is out of the water right now, Maurice and Denis decided to fix the dock AND stay dry! More updates as we get them!

This morning, Gerry flew to Aikens along with Maurice and Denis. They were also accompanied by the super-excited puppy, Kody! Things appear to be fine around the lodge. Last year’s problem of the prairie chickens flying through windows and claiming a cabin as a winter home thankfully was not repeated! The water levels are a little lower than usual. The ice has completely melted. Usually, only the back bay is melted at this time. Stay tuned for more updates as we move further into the season!