Torrential rains and high winds have besieged Aikens Lake for the last few days. The water has risen to within six inches of the top of our new dock, flights were delayed, trees have fallen over… But all is not lost. Despite these challenges, our anglers have shown their clout and resistance by boating a half dozen trophy fish in the last three days.

The fishing is just as spectacular as in years past. Water temperatures fluctuating within the 60’s mean that our spring patterns are here for an extended stay. The Back Bay, Honey Hole, The Falls, The Flats, Split Rock, Fast Waters, Lost Lake are all hitting…Hard!

With forecast for hot weather rolling in, one can only assume that our summer structures will soon be visited by droves of large fish pods. June has been a month of hard fishing while braving the elements. Our guide crew has been exemplary in their ability to put our guests on the fish they seek. A hot shorelunch and a few laughs are the “ordre du jour” to keep folks warm and motivated for a day in the Lunds.

Let us not forget to mention that the Dockbite is still in full effect. Many an evening multiple anglers can be spotted relaxing with rods and cocktails in hand, only to be interrupted by scores of fish (big slots at that). Even young Annika and Martin have been joining in the fun, entertaining folks with their particular fishing style and flair.

With our short break looming a few short days ahead, the staff are eager to see where the bite has travelled upon their return. Come on Saddle! Let July be your month!

On Saturday, June 20th, the second “Aikens Marriage” took place in Carman, MB.  Since 1988, the only couple to ever get married after meeting at Aikens was Lise Turenne and Marty Bisson.  They got married 2001 after having worked together at the lodge in the late 90’s.  Although there had been many romances at the lodge over the years since that first “Aikens Marriage”, none of them had ever culminated with a wedding ceremony until now!

That all changed last Saturday as Aaron Brown and Devon Schwabiuk tied the knot at the Brown family farm in Carman, MB.  This homestead recently celebrated it’s centennial anniversary.  Grampa Brown originally settled here and built a home he purchased from an Eaton’s catalogue.  The 3-storey mansion still oozes craftsmanship and has a rich history in the community.   This is where Aaron and Devon eventually would like to settle down, but that won’t be for a while yet!

Back to the wedding.  Mona Brown, Aaron’s loving mother, had the ornately decorated grounds looking absolutely fantastic.  Her green thumb is second to none, and the flowers, lawn, and shrubbery surrounding the house gave the whole event a fairy-tale like atmosphere!  To everyone’s relief, Mother Nature did her part and offered an splendid day of sunshine with a light breeze to keep everything cool.  The ceremony was set in the beautiful flower terrace.  The bride and groom were each escorted down the brick walkway by their parents, and the ceremony was under way.  Devon looked stunning in her wedding gown, while Aaron had a very classy look of his own.  Everyone that attended knew that these two were meant to be with each other.  The Justice of the Peace delivered a short ceremony that was sprinkled with humor that had everyone chuckling… even the bride and groom!  After a beautiful song sung by Aaron’s sister Megan, the newlyweds exchanged wedding vows, rings, and finally their first married kiss!

After the ceremony, the party got underway quickly.  Using full advantage of the spacious grounds, people mingled in all corners of the yard for several hours while champagne and hors d’oeuvres were diligently served by the groom’s family.  At suppertime, the partyers converged in the main tent and enjoyed a great meal followed by a hilarious set of dances and speeches.  Bacchanalia ensued for several hours.  Later in the evening, everyone was amazed at the fireworks show.  Colored lights and great explosions fascinated everyone for miles around in a show that would have rivaled the Canada Day celebration at the Forks in Winnipeg!  The partygoers included many people you would recognize from Aikens over the years.  Pit, Julie, Andrina, Gerry, and Lorraine all attended.  As well, the Maid of Honour was Megan Schwabiuk (the other half of the Schwabby sisters!), bridesmaid Danelle Trudeau, Rachelle Vandale, Rob Jounot, and Paul Turenne.  Some other people that guests may not recognize, but that contribute a lot of their time to Aikens from year to year include Mitch Monnin, Bernie Jounot, Paul Sidley, Brigitte Jounot, Hayster Soriano, Dan Vandale, and Amanda Gilhooly.

All in all, it was a regal wedding that set the bar high and delivered even more!  These two newlyweds have a long and happy road in front of them and we would like to wish them all the best in their lives together.  Congratulations Brownie and Dev, we are so proud of the two you.  Thank you for being in integral part of the Aikens family.  You each spent many valuable summers at Aikens as fulltime employees, and you each continue to offer your time to help out year after year at the lodge!  We are truly honored to call you our friends.

For a pictorial of the wedding, check out: http://blfstudios.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/aaron-devon-manitoba-wedding-photography/

ps - Sorry for the delay in getting this update out to the masses that follow the “Aikens Newsletter” religiously.  Pat and myself (Pit) are the main writers for the newsletter, and we’ve both been out on the lake guiding because the camp has been full for the past week!  We promise a huge update on the fishing in the next few days.

Saturday is the big day! Aaron Brown and Devon Schwabiuk will walk down the aisle to celebrate with friends and family their happy union. The two love birds met at Aikens and shared many special moments at the lodge. Now Aaron, a certified commodities broker and Devon, a registered nurse, will tie the knot at Aaron’s family homestead on Saturday.

Aaron (A.K.A. Brownie, A.B.) was one of our cherished guides. His jovial attitude, big smile and fishing prowess made him an excellent captain. Having met a few key players in the agricultural business while guiding, Aaron applied his university degree (Ag.) into practice and landed a job with a big firm immediately after leaving Aikens. But his best catch upon his departure from the lake was his lovely bride to be.

Devon did it all at the lodge. Starting in the housekeeping crew, she deversified her skills by hosting at GGO, then working as our sous-chef with the guidance of her sister Megan as chef. The year following, Devon took the reins in the kitchen and assumed the coveted Chef position. Yet her most savoury offering was to be her hand to her charming man.

The ceremony and reception should be a veritable Aikens Alumni reunion. Even Pit, Julie and the kids have flown out to be a part of this joyful day! Congrats Aaron and Devon, we wish you both an exceptionally happy, long and prosperous lifetime together!

This past week we were thrilled to host Ron Pradinuk of Journeys Travel & Leisure Supercentre in Winnipeg.  Ron is a well-known expert on travel, with a weekly column in the Winnipeg Free Press, and also a weekly talk show on Winnipeg’s largest AM radio station, CJOB 68.

Please tune in online tomorrow and listen to Ron interview Pit about his week at the lodge, the history of Aikens Lake, and how the rest of the summer is lining up.  The interview will begin at 12:15 PM and last 15-20 minutes.  If you miss it live, you can always check out the “Audio Vault” on CJOB’s website.

Link: www.cjob.com

Those of you that have seen the Great Gray Owl cabin on the Southern shoreline of Aikens Lake know that it is a wonderful and unique accommodation.  This magnificent log cabin annually hosts a number of groups from 8 to 12 people.  Those who have stayed there before are a fiercely loyal bunch because of the luxury, the unique remote appeal, and the incredible service they receive in an “out-of-the-way” setting.

This year, Pat has traded in his Lund key for the GGO key.  He and Janelle are the proud host couple of the Great Gray Owl cabin for this year, and many more down the road.  This will be Janelle’s 3rd year as the hostess at GGO, and for Pat it will be his first year in a role other than head guide!  They have already made a long laundry list of items they would like to address this year, both inside the cabin and outside of it.   The process began a few years ago, with the shorelunch area and shed storage, and will continue with fervor this season.

Already this spring, two major improvements have been made.  Firstly, there is a brand-new ice machine in the screened-in porch.  We no longer need to boat over the ice from the main lodge, and this machine is large enough that it will never run out of ice!  The other improvement is seen in the upstairs shower room.  We have replaced the small stand-up shower with a large full size 5′ shower!  This was a recommendation we had heard a few times last year from our guests and we were only too happy to oblige this spring!

At any rate, many small improvements are scheduled during the summer (including the use of Pat’s favorite new toy… the wood chipper!)  Guests will certainly notice the attention to detail and the commitment to service that Pat and Janelle will provide this summer, and for years to come.  We are proud to open the front door of GGO this year and let our loyal groups re-enter their “Home, Sweet home!”

You might have heard about our new wood chipper. This piece of heavy machinery has completely reshaped our network of paths at the lodge. It’s golden hue greets all travelers and offers a plush, dust-free commute from your cabins all the way to the lodge.

  Those of you familiar with the facilities at the lodge are well aware of the sawmill. This lumber producing rig also creates a lot of smaller unusable strips known as slab. In the past the only use for these pieces was for our shorelunch wood…Until now. Loud and savage, this wood chugging dynamo churns trailer after trailer load of quarter size nuggets. The path now is equipped to combat erosion and is able to soak up all of the rain water that used to pool up on the trail.

Our housekeeping team is very pleased as well, very little sand accumulates on the floors of the cabins and the lodge as a result of the esthetically pleasant upgrade. Léo, once again, came up with this winning plan.  The path currently extends from the Bait and Tackle shop to the lodge, but we will continue to produce chips and cover our vast network of trails around camp.  It will be a continual process and it’s one that we are very proud of.  It’s just another tweak to make your “Aikens Experience” even better every year!

Wizard of Oz step aside, the yellow-chip trail is the way to go!