The atmosphere at Aikens is bright even though the clouds dampen rainsuits and bring chills to the hands. The fishing has really picked up with 8 trophies being caught in a day and two guests picking up double trophies on the same day! Spirits are still high, helped by a decrease in evening fishing but a noticable increase in Clubroom activities and general merry making. Both groups in the camp have made good friends and spent many hours last night in pool and dart board challenges. The desire for a break in the weather hasn’t overpowered the desire for a fishing trip with good friends and especially hot fishing. Great times. Hoping to see you all here soon!

The Great Grey Owl has begun to house Aikens Lake’s fishing fanatics once again. This solar powered two floor lodge is the temporary home of the Gratton group and they are enjoying the luxury fully. The fishing is into full swing now as almost a full fleet of boats is being employed and the trophy fish are finding less and less places to hide from groups of dedicated fishermen/fisherwomen. Walleye trophies are becoming the norm and everyone has been searching for the so far elusive pike. It is only a matter of time before the floodgates open and the pike find themselves being dutifully measured by gleeful anglers. To all who read this we hope to see you soon.

We are happy to report that Aikens lake is ahead of the game in the race to beat last year’s number of trophy fish. At this point we have 25 trophy catches compared to last year’s 23. This may seem like small potatoes but when you consider the September like conditions it shows the signs of a bright future. Walleyes trophies have been steadily caught but the trout have begun to really heat up with a 40′ caught by Pascal Breton (more often known as the man/machine Turbo). Everyone here has made optimistic predictions for the trophy season with the estimates going as high as 500. While we may not reach those heroic heights we can definitly predict another sucessful summer at Aikens Lake. Check the master angler lists at the home page.

Ms. Colette Fontaine, media tour specialist with Travel Manitoba, organized and escorted a press tour of three “wonderful women writers” to Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge between June 15th and 18th, 2004. Krista Foss from Hamilton, Ontario was looking for different angles for women anglers, different perspectives and adventures such as hiking, photography, wildlife viewing and maybe even “ghost busting”. Krista, a former Winnipeg based correspondant for the Globe and Mail, was on assignment for Outdoor Canada. Judith Neimi, from St. Paul, Minnesota, writes about active adventures in Northern resorts. She also leads adventure trips for “Women in the Wilderness”. Joining them was local favourite, Shel Zolkewich from Winnipeg, Manitoba, on assignment for the Nationl Post and Flavours Magazine. She was particularly intersted in the unique aspects of the world famous walleye shorelunch. Make no mistake about it, Shel was an active and pro-active “outdoors Woman” who was also looking at catching and releasing lots of BIG FISH! Their first shorelunch was interrupted by a black bear that wanted to share in the spoils but that was safely kept at bay by the ever vigilant Pro-Staff Guides. The bear/shore lunch became a bonding experience for the group and will hopefully be remembered by one and all as a highlight to an enjoyable insightful, relaxing (at times) and memorable few days at Aikens Lake, the “Jewel of Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park”.

On June 15th 4 women from Travel Manitoba came out to Aikens to write about the guide staff and the shore lunch experience and ended up with something more rugged than they expected. The group was stopping for shore lunch at the GG0 site to eat out of the driving rain when a 270 pound visiter wanted some of their morning spoils. The black bear pestered the hungry journalists and was not even repelled by an advancing wall of rock hurling and imposing Aikens guides. The bear was eventually scared back into the bush and Travel Manitoba ended up with some great footage. The group also had some great times on the water as Chris’s corner continues to heat up and Lakers are spending more time in the guide boats than in the water.

Despite the downpour that has made fishing very wet in the last two days, our first guests persisted enough to land the first trophy of the year. A 43″ pike beauty was landed while trolling in the back bay this afternoon. Mr. Roger Ingerson, who seems to catch a trophy every year, was the lucky man on this day. He was being guided by Turbo, who is going to guide full-time this summer after doing admirably well last summer in a dual role. Here’s to many more big fish for these two men!