2022 RATES & NEWSLETTER
2021 FISHING While our Master Angler and Century Club stats column may have slumped due to the lower volume of fishermen in the past two seasons, the quality of some of our boated specimens has been tremendous. Amidst the tumult of the past two seasons, one silver-lining was that our fishery got an unforeseen chance to proliferate and fatten up with unfettered and unpressured ease. That is, unless you happen to be the preferred quarry of third-generation Aikens Lake stalwart guide-in-training Martin Turenne. This strapping young man took the helm of his rig and boated some truly impressive fish. It was touching and cathartic to watch him take his grandparents, his cousins, his siblings and his little Trudel buddies out on the lake and Well, here we are in the fall of 2021, resting up after an absolute whirlwind finale to the season. As we’ll explain later, the six weeks from mid-August to late September was the best end to a season we’ve ever experienced. That said, we are not here to sugar coat it… 2021 proved to be another challenging year in the tourism industry, and for Aikens specifically. But once again the incredible “Aikens family” which consists of our guests, our staff, our volunteers, our partners and our suppliers all contributed in their own way to make the eventual success of 2021 a truly incredible story. It all started in early May. For the 2nd year in a row, we flew up to Aikens with the uncertainty of closed borders. This spring, there was an additional layer of uncertainty in the form of Provincial Health Restrictions and the start of the 3rd wave in Manitoba. “Onward into the fog”… as they say. The Trudel and Turenne families flew in on May 7th with all the kids and dogs in tow. This year, we brought a little extra help as well – if last year taught us anything it’s that we are not getting any younger and it takes more than just us to get things ready! Marcel and Kik helped us get the camp out of its slumber, then they returned home and it was just the two families again for a couple of weeks. As the kids get older, they can take on more responsibilities and it was great to have Annika and Marty pitch in more than ever. Their quad skills as we unload planes and move supplies around have become top-notch! Natasha, Oscar, and even Arthur also got in on the action and were able to stock wood boxes, fetch tools, and get things put into the right places. What a blessing it was to spend that family time with the kids. And once again, the kids caught the first trophy fish of the year. Marty took Natasha out to The Falls during “recess” in their virtual school, and they landed only one fish… a 44” monster pike, Natasha’s first trophy pike! With news that the US border closure was extended yet another month, we delayed the start of our season from May 21 to May 27th. But we still had Canadian guests coming in, so we flew in one planeload of staff on the 26th in anticipation of the first guests the following morning… but by then the 3rd wave was hitting Manitoba hard and the most restrictive health orders were unveiled that very afternoon. No guests would be arriving the following morning. We were essentially closed until the province could ride this one out. It was a strange feeling being in our little Eden while the rest of the province was under strict lockdowns. The few staff on-site were pretty thankful to have just snuck in before the announcements, and we spent the time getting more cabins and boats ready for prime time. We might even have gone out fishing once or twice – no one tell the boss, okay? Finally, on June 11th the restrictions were eased once again, and we got ready to host our first guests on June 12th. For a month we hosted groups of Canadians, although the restrictions meant that instead of having 25-30 guests in camp, we could only realistically host 8-12 at a time. Without an open dining room or bar, we were delivering food to cabins and serving happy hour drinks outdoors from our “happy cart”… the golf cart was converted to a portable bar. We are so grateful for the guests’ understanding and appreciation of 2021 YEAR our efforts. We tried our best to offer up as much of the Aikens Experience as possible, and the smiles on their faces showed us the efforts hit home. People were happy to be at Aikens, soaking in the wilderness and escaping reality for a few days at a time. Things loosened up more in July, and we were really starting to ramp up until another unforeseen roadblock hit - a travel ban for the provincial park. This was the 2nd government mandated shutdown of the season, ouch! Manitoba experienced an incredibly dry summer with critically low water levels. Once the forest fires sparked up and grew in the spring there was no stopping them. We are situated in Atikaki Provincial Park, and on July 19th, just hours after news that the US border was reopening in mid-August, we got the update that the park was going to be closing at 8:00 am the following morning until further notice. Our guests in camp were allowed to finish their trips, but once those trips had wrapped up we flew all guests and staff out except a small “fire crew” that was kept on-site. The next 3.5 weeks were a daily routine of setting up sprinklers and water pumps, clearing brush around all the buildings, and rescheduling/canceling trips for a completely different reason than we had experienced before. There were some days where the smoke was so bad we couldn’t see the other side of the Back Bay. We prayed for rain and kept daily tabs on weather forecasts, forest fire updates, and conditions. A small fire sparked up near the Lost Lake Outpost (the flames got to within 50 ft of the cabin) but the province in review One must choose to find opportunit
NG REPORT wrangle in some incredible trophies (including the biggest pike and lake trout of 2021). While Martin’s summer story may have been unique, our skilled pro-staff guides and faithful guests also had the opportunity to experience the bounties that Aikens Lake had to offer. was there in under an hour to snuff it out with a firefighter crew and a water bomber. They also put out a few other spark-ups within 5 miles of Aikens throughout that time. This was noteworthy because all of their resources were tied up about 50 miles NW of us where three giant fires combined into an incredible inferno that burned over 500,000 hectares of forest. A huge thank you to the province and crews that kept us safe. It was a tough stretch of the season for us, but the skies finally opened up on August 10th and 3”+ of rain fell over 48 hours. By 9 am on August 12th, we had already greeted 4 planeloads of staff, guests, and family. We were back in business! At the time, we didn’t realize how busy the next 6 weeks would be. The effect of pushing back trip after trip because of border restrictions, health restrictions, and finally travel bans made it so that there were no holes in the bookings calendar. We extended our season an extra week in September to accommodate as many displaced groups as possible. How to describe the busiest 6-week stretch we have ever had to finish a season after restrictions had wiped out 7 of the first 12 weeks of our summer? Well, it is nothing short of a miracle. It’s the kind of outcome that makes your eyes watery and helps you believe that karma is real and hard work truly does pay off. Busy outpost camps, boats zipping across the lake, a jovial vibe in the bait shop and around the dock every morning, a bustling main camp with multiple planes landing daily, full dining rooms on a nightly basis, hearing American accents again for the first time since 2019 (We Canadians don’t have accents, do we?), Big Molly’s Bar once again staking its claim as the best meeting place for everyone after a fun day on the lake, an army of extra staff and guides flying in and out constantly to help cater to everyone – this was truly the blitz that made our season. In the end, we are extremely grateful to everyone for working together and helping us put on an unforgettable 2021 season. This year will be remembered as the most challenging one in the past 30 years. Despite that, everyone ensured that we could operate and provide the experiences and “joie de vivre” that has become our signature. So, thank you to each and every staff member, they all worked so diligently to provide an Aikens Experience that was incredible despite the circumstances. Thank you to Bluewater Aviation and their ace pilots who shuttled people and supplies all summer and kept us going through the shutdowns. Thank you to our volunteers who were so understanding when we had to cancel Molly Week for the 2nd year in a row – we will be back in spring 2022, so be ready! Thank you to the Canadian and Manitoban governments for the great programs put in place for the tourism industry and for the fire protection. None of this happens, however, without our biggest supporters – our guests. Thank you to all our guests who traveled to see us from near and far. We know that logistics and travel requirements were different than in past years, so we are appreciative of the effort you made to make it to the dock. It appeared to all be worth it once you could kick your feet up in the boat and just enjoy the natural beauty all around you. To those that have to wait until 2022, a massive “thank you” for being so accommodating in rebooking your stay with us – we can’t wait to roll out the red carpet this upcoming season. The past few summers have had their share of turbulence, but there is an immense optimism as we move into a post-pandemic era. The pent-up demand for travel is real. The stars shine brightest after the storm. Thanks for being a part of this unbelievable chapter, and we can’t wait to write many more stories in this book with you all! Congratulations to all these lucky (and obviously skilled) anglers for their outstanding trophies. Aikens Lake is bestowed with an astounding bounty of fish. While catching the big one is always a blast, our lake also gives its visitors a rare freedom to enjoy a breath-taking granite and pine swathed body of water that has been left untouched since time immemorial. Get those reels oiled and spooled up, knock the rust off your hookset and buckle up for what will be a standout 2022 season at Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge! 1 3a 2 3b ty and benefit wherever it may lie. 1 29” WALLEYE CAUGHT BY: Mr. Gordon Brown of Carman, MB 2 44” NORTHERN PIKE CAUGHT BY: Ms. Natasha Turenne of Winnipeg, MB 3a 38” LAKE TROUT (TIE) CAUGHT BY: Mr. Joel Tetrault of St. Anne, MB Here are our 2021 season’s BIGGEST fish caught: 3b Mr. Jager Buekert of Steinbach, MB 19.5” SUCKER CAUGHT BY: Mr. Pit Turenne of Winnipeg, MB 24” WHITEFISH CAUGHT BY: Mr. Cory Froehlich of Winnipeg, MB
2022 SEASON Our upcoming season has a calendar stacked with hundreds of eager and earnest anglers. We are incredibly thankful for our guests’ flexibility in rescheduling their trips for the past two seasons. We’re suiting up for what will be our busiest season ever. Due to the deferred trips from 2020 and 2021 we are approaching sold-out capacity in certain 2022 months already, so if you haven’t already reserved your dates, please get in touch with us soon. Pit and Patrick have been reconnecting with group leaders to reconfirm their plans and dates After two shortened and irregular summers, we are looking forward to a 2022 season that will be buzzing from beginning to end. 2023 SEASON To offer our visitors more options to book their visit to Aikens Lake, we have opted to open our 2023 calendar earlier than usual and to start penciling dates for guests. Due to the limited availability in 2022, and the pent-up demand we are already seeing for travel, we are confident that some new groups will want to “beat the rush” for 2023 dates. But before we do that, we wanted to offer our current 2022 guests the first opportunity to pencil in their dates for 2023. No commitments (ie: deposits) would be required on those 2023 trips until November 2022, and you can change your mind anytime. We are happy to hold spots in our 2023 calendar for our repeat guests, and it will allow us to build our schedule around it. CURRENT TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS (AS OF DECEMBER 2021) International travellers need to be fully vaccinated to travel to Canada. Additionally, passengers must be fully vaccinated to board any aircraft in Canada (floatplanes are included on this list). We anticipate these two requirements will stay in effect for the entirety of the 2022 season. There have been recent changes in testing requirements for international travellers, and as things evolve on that front, we’ll be sending our guests the most current guidelines closer to their trips this summer. Our conversations with our extended Aikens family have shown us that there is a strong desire for people to return to our idyllic lake (present reader hopefully included). The appetite for travel has returned and some folks are champing at the bit; we are too. We are poised and ready to greet you at Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge in 2022 and beyond. We couldn’t be more thankful that we will, once again, be able to reconnect in person on our dock. See you at the lake soon! Our Facebook page now has over 17,000 followers! www.facebook.com/aikenslake Our Youtube channel has lots of cool videos www.youtube.com/user/aikenslakelodge Our Instagram handle is @aikenslake Social Media There’s a lot of BUZZ about Aikens Lake online. Follow Pit Turenne (@aikenslake) on Twitter: twitter.com/aikenslake TO 2022 If the world was a boat, it got rocked for the past 20 months. We could make innumerable parables between fishing and our situation, so let’s take the bait. Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge had to learn to pivot, twist, swivel, bend, and like a taut monofilament line, avoid snapping while we tackled the tug-of-war between safety and travel. The last two years left us reeling, but we’ve righted the ship after riding wave after wave. Without getting out of our depth, let’s assume we’ve found the bottom and that we’re now buoyed by the hope that we have left the worst of it in our wake. Anchored by our dedicated crew, we weathered the storm. Let us now focus downstream, where current challenges calm and we can navigate our plans with hardly a ripple. and beyond!
THREE LEVELS OF SERVICE MAIN LODGE ($$$$) Enjoy the award-winning, 5-star, full-service experience of the main lodge. Fly to Aikens with only a change of clothes and a smile and stay in one of our modern two-person suites or our luxurious four-or-six person chalets. Our main lodge guests enjoy a fully guided, award-winning service experience from the time that coffee is delivered to your door first thing in the morning until the bartender pours you your nightcap. Our all-inclusive Platinum Plan can also be added to your package. The Main Lodge can accommodate groups of 1-32 people. GREAT GRAY OWL (GGO) MINI-LODGE ($$$) You will love the combination of serenity and isolation, all the while being fully catered, guided, and downright pampered with our Great Gray Owl American Plan packages or with our popular and all-inclusive Platinum Package. Your hosts will take pride in their care of you, and once the day is done you are left to your whim at GGO, which is situated about 3 miles across the lake from the main camp. Groups of 6-12 can book exclusive use of GGO. LOST LAKE LUXURY OUTPOST (LLO) ($$) Situated on a peninsula between Lost Lake and Aikens Lake, this inspired, majestic and truly one-of-a-kind Outpost provides you with a unique fishing experience. Accommodating groups of 4-8 people, the 1,800 sq ft Lost Lake Outpost is the perfect getaway. The experience is completely do-it-yourself... from the fishing to the cooking to the cleaning. Customizable packages for groceries, prepackaged meals, or limited guides are now being offered as well. The basic package includes flights, accommodations, boats, gas, 24-hour power, filtered water, kitchenware, linens and WIFI. Guests have exclusive use of Lost Lake. As a bonus, you also have the ability to fish Aikens Lake and the Gammon River. For groups of 4-8 people. 2022 AIKENS LAKE SPECIALS FISHERKID DISCOUNT Any fisherkid 18 years of age or younger receives a 25% discount when accompanied by an adult. Note: GGO minimum is still 6 adult fares. Lost Lake minimum is still 4 adult fares. PATRIOT’S DISCOUNT We love celebrating our country’s rich history, and we know that the same for those that live south of the border. So, why would you have to pay to be at Aikens on your nation’s birthday?!? July 1st is a free day for Canadians, while July 4th is a free day for Americans! Essentially get a free day’s stay on any package booked over this time frame. (note: Minimum 4 night stay, pay for 3). FISHING UNGUIDED Some guests prefer fishing on their own, cooking their own shorelunch, and setting their own schedules. If you want to fish unguided, remove $200/person/day from your main lodge trip. (Note: not available for GGO or Lost Lake packages) AIKENS LAKE CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM Our most popular discount! To reward those loyal group leaders who bring their groups back to Aikens Lake, we have developed an “Aikens Lake Customer Loyalty Program”. This three-tiered program allows for discounts of 5%, 7.5%, or 10% on any package at the main lodge, GGO, or Lost Lake. Please call us for more information. TRIPADVISOR RANKS US #1 SPECIALTY LODGE! According to the reviews, we are the gold standard in the fly-in fishing industry. With 212 reviews as of November 2021 (211 at Five-Star and one at Four-Star), we rank #1 in Specialty Lodges! Also, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge was recognized with an eighth consecutive Certificate of Excellence in 2021. These commendations are only handed out to the top 10% of all listed destinations. Thank you to all respondents who took the time to type out a review on TripAdvisor. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and your suggestions allow us to better mould the “Aikens Experience” into an unforgettable visit. For those of you who have not visited us yet, come discover why the “Aikens Experience” is so well regarded in all these reviews on TripAdvisor.
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