Well week number 7 of our season is in the books and what an awesome week it was. Firework display in camp for the 4th, one of our new groups, the Jandre family from the Milwaukee area, sharing some roasted smoked Wisconsin cheese at the firepit with everyone, and just enough good fishing to keep everyone interested! It is definitely a different pace in July around camp with more family’s joining us and it becomes more about the time together and the experiences vs. the number of fish caught.

Matt Wise and his family were here with us again this summer and what great fun it is to have them in camp with us. Wife Jennifer, Papa Bob and three beautiful daughters Audrey, Annie and Abby. Both Matt and wife Jennifer are commercial airline pilots and desperately seek the relaxation and serenity of the wilderness experience. They told me at least a half dozen times in camp how well they slept and rumor has it that Jennifer even had a couple of naps during the week….!!!!  As always, Matt had me in stitches all week- funny guy! Papa Bob has been here many times in the past with his family and on separate trips with fishing buddies. Never has a bad word to say about camp and is always a pleasure to listen to his many stories of fishing in Canada. Now for those girls. As a father of four beautiful daughters of my own, I like to think I know a little bit about raising beautiful girls both inside and out. You will never meet three nicer young ladies than Audrey, Annie and Abby. Sweethearts to the core. Audrey is in school at the University of Tulsa, Annie will be heading off to school this year at Trinity University in San Antonio and who knows about little Abby with that 12 year old smile she might be the our first female President. At weeks end the girls gave me a nice 30 oz. Yeti tumbler, but it was the note inside that was the real gift, “Thanks for having a place that we can grow up at- the Wise girls” Annie, Abby and Audrey AND cue the tears in 3, 2, 1…. Dang kids, anyway.

We also were fortunate enough to have our first family take advantage of our 20% military discount we offer in July. No stranger to camp, having been here some 30 years or so, Mark Frakes brought his wife Carolyn, son Andrew, daughter Amy (first timer) and Hannah daughter in law to camp. They were last here a few years ago to celebrate Andrew and Hannah’s graduation from West Point and have since married. Mark is also a West Point grad from “years ago” as he says. Andrew will be on his first deployment soon to Iraq, Godspeed to you son, we pray for your safety and well being. Hannah recently graduated from EOD school. Yeah EOD, EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DISPOSAL. I asked her about it when I saw her a couple of times during the week in an EOD hat, she says ” I didn’t want a boring job”. BADASS! Check out our Facebook page with a great pictures of Hannah and her first smallmouth bass she caught from under the camp docks.

Phil and Lori were in camp for the week with us too. Veterans of camp (generally in the fall), Phil’s hunting trips and Lori’s busy work schedule resulted in them having to switch their week this year to July. Never fear, while fishing was slower, they still managed plenty of fish including some great perch catches which are always a bonus to take home. See you next year back in the fall!

We had one new group with us this week also. The Jandre family as mentioned earlier, was kind enough to share their roasted smoked Wisconsin cheese with us. But more importantly, they are a great family and we had lot’s of fun with them in camp. Relative rookies to fishing Canada, and being on a new body of water, they were persistent and dedicated to the effort that it takes sometimes when the weather is warm and the mayfly’s are hatching.

Cody Stone (my oldest daughter Megan’s boyfriend) was here with his stepdad Scott Snyder. This was Cody’s third time here, Scott’s first. Cody did a good job learning the lake more without me as his guide and found a good walleye pattern out in Gawley’s Bay on his own that produced some nice walleye at week’s end for them, including a beautiful 25″ that Scott caught. While they didn’t perch fish a lot, they still took home 60 big perch as a bonus. To Cody’s credit, he told my daughter (who elected to stay home and take a couple of summer classes at DePaul), that he was going fishing at her Dad’s place with or without her. Atta boy, get it in now, as later on in life… Still hopeful that Megan will have a small window in August to come see us even if only for a few short days.

Week 8 is underway. A little slower in camp this week, so time to get a few projects done!

Take care, until next time!