This is Earl Gillis from Thunder Bay, Ontario. He and his lovely wife Susie started coming this year to our camp and are quite the fishermen. Earl caught this 42 inch, 40 pound Lake Trout right here on Indian Lake. It is the biggest Lake Trout I have ever seen.   He said it might be an older one, but it was very healthy. Earl released it to let it live another day.

Picture Perfect Pike

-The Jack and Renee Anderson family and Steve and Marie Mickelson recently stayed at camp and really hit upon some good Northern Pike fishing in a nearby lake.  Steve has come to this camp since it began and to the area well before that.  So, he is pretty familiar with the lakes in the area and all the best fishing spots.  However, this time it was Marie, his wife who outshined them all.  She caught both the Pike she is holding and the one Steve is holding as well.  Who says women can't catch fish, eh?

New Sign In

This spring we finished putting together a new sign to replace the old one just a mile up the 325 road from Hwy 599.  We realized the timing was right because the old one was rotting away and fell apart as we took it down.  We know from our first experience driving down the 325 road to Agimac River Outfitters, that it is very comforting to know you are on the right road since it seems to be a fur piece to the camp. 

Fishing Fun at Agimac River Outfitters

Pete Oettinger, his Dad and some of his brothers and close friends joined us for a stay at Agimac River Outfitters last week.  They did very well bringing in the fish, traveling to different lakes and out on Indian Lake.  His brother Mark brought his sons Kadin (11) and Keegan (9) along as well who are pictured here with Grandpa Tom.  Kadin actually caught the fish he is holding.  Pete's group and others from camp enjoyed a memorable time around our new campfire ring one night.  We have found it is a great way to spend time with our guests and get to know each other better. 

The Grandbaby is Here

Our son Jonathan, his wife Reseth and their 14 month old son Aaron came for a visit in August along with our daughter Cherish.  Our greatest treat is to have all our children and grandchild home.  It seems I live in a state of always longing to see them more.  Aaron, our only grandchild, is growing by leaps and bounds.  I want to be involved with every stage of his growth and maturity.  Children are absolutely precious and he was our entertainment for almost two weeks.  How he loves music.  Every time someone starts to sing or play a song, he wiggles his body, claps his hands and hums along.  Music is in his little heart.  He is game for anything.  He has only been walking a few months and never on the uneven ground of the forest floor.  We took him on a hike to the falls and he began walking that trail all by himself, lifting his feet over large roots and stabilizing himself when he would encounter rocks sticking up.  He actually got into a run.  Then he would stop and clap and laugh, so pleased with his new accomplishment.  Jonathan and Reseth also took him on his first boat ride and on a four wheeler ride.  I think he fell asleep on that one.  Can you tell I'm a new grandma???

About the middle of our visit, my mother passed away, so Jonathan and Cherish accompanied me as we drove to Winnipeg to fly down to Atlanta, GA  then drove up to Franklin, NC for the funeral.  It was a whirlwind three day trip.  Cherish officiated at the funeral and did a superb job.  It was a beautiful celebration of Mom's life, bringing glory to God and a very special time with family and friends. 

Goodbye For Now, Mom

 


My mother passed from this life into her Savior Jesus' arms early yesterday morning.  Though I miss having her here with us, I celebrate knowing she is totally free and more alive than she's ever been, experiencing all the glory of heaven. 

I've realized through the years how blessed I have been to have the parents I have had.  Mom's whole life was devoted mostly to her five children.  She so encouraged us, supported us, trained us, challenged us and loved us.  I will always be most grateful to her for encouraging me to attend some meetings by Campus Crusade for Christ when I was a senior in high school.  In my own heart, I was feeling such a strong urge to really know God, to get close to Him, to feel loved by Him.  Even though I went to church every Sunday, I did not have a personal relationship with God.  It was more a religious ritual.

I finally did attend those meetings where they spoke the truth from God's Word telling me that Christ, who is God and was perfect in every way, humbled Himself, came to earth in human form, shed His blood on the cross paying the price for my sin and every human being ever created. 

With a childlike heart, I received His forgiveness for every wrong thing I have said and done and asked Him to come into my life to be my Savior and my Lord.  Jesus is my life now.  I am experiencing a love that is from heaven, far beyond anything this world has to offer.  My heart is full and free and satisfied with Jesus as my best friend. 

Mom, I am eternally grateful to you for all the ways you have impacted my life and I am so thankful for the hope I have to see you again someday when I enter my eternal home in heaven. 

It's a Walleye Day

Jerry Williquette caught this nice Walleye on Indian Lake this spring.   A lot of our guests are telling me that they are catching mostly larger Walleyes and having a harder time finding the smaller eating sizes.  I wish I had that problem.  Maybe I need to get out more.