WARMING UP
It’s getting pretty warm in the north. The last few days of April will see temperatures into the 60s with rain forecast in early May. That’s quite a contrast to the below freezing temperatures of last May. It is looking good for an early ice out. Scott Lake Lodge, with its collection of 28 buildings, is also looking good. A crew led by Jason Hamilton, Scott’s General Manager, returned recently from an inspection trip. There were very few snowmobile tracks in the area (the caribou that lure snowmobiling hunters north stayed much further north this winter, leaving the lodge untouched). Everything was exactly as we left it last September. The final loads of lumber and supplies were flown in with a single Otter on skis to complete the new staff dorm that was started last fall. A small group, including guides Paul Hamilton, Jan Phoenix and Cody Mychalyshyn, will be flown in by helicopter (the skis come off the planes very soon) in mid-May to finish that job and get the island ready for the June 10 opener.
SOME NEW/MANY FAMILIAR FACES
The entire guide team will back for the season. Steve Yanish and Shaun Ledoux will be splitting the season with Shaun on deck for the first half and Steve for the second. And we are very pleased that long time Scott guide Greg Hamm is returning after a few years in civilization, if you can call working in potash mine civilized. All of our guys will be ready, willing and eager to show their anglers a fantastic trip this summer. There are some new faces in the Shore Staff group, arriving from all compass points except north—Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. We have a new massage therapist, Sydney Raeburn. Returning veteran Dani Grunberg will be the Hospitality Manager this season. She will be bringing into the fold three new servers—Brenna Savery, Mary Reid and Jackie Tourand. Head Chef Jeff Walker has all of his team back except for Sefan Beattie. Those shoes will be filled this year by Nigel Rivera. Agnes Ramos, our Hospitality Manager for several years, will be heading to the lodge office to take over as Office Manager. She will be utilizing her organizational expertise to keep track of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of logistical details and dilemmas that get passed off to that position. Everyone at Scott appreciates the hard work and big smile that Agnes always brings to her work.
WELCOME RON SPORK, NEW SHAREHOLDER
After 19 years of going solo as owners, Tom and Pat Klein are delighted to share the risks and rewards (yes, we do have secret, private water) of ownership with Ron Spork. Ron owns and operates Consolidated Fabrication and Contractors, Inc., a Gary, Indiana company specializing in building custom petroleum storage tanks and other equipment for the gas and oil industry. Ron has been a Scott “regular” for several years and shares with Tom and Pat a tremendous love and appreciation for Scott’s pristine lake environment. And he does love to fish as well: lake trout are at the top of Ron’s favorite fish list. Ron’s stated goal for joining the shareholder group is to “make sure that the unique culture at Scott doesn’t change”. It will not. And with his sons he will be doing some Scott Lake fishing for many years to come when his busy travel schedule allows. The management structure at Scott will not change at all: Tom Klein will continue to do what he’s always done over the past 19 years—interact with customers and fish. Jason Hamilton will run the place. It’s a great system—for Tom.
SASKATOON TRAVEL: GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY
For any angler traveling to northern Saskatchewan, Saskatoon is the jumping off point. It is a very busy summer city. With the recent pull out of United Airlines, commercial air travel to Saskatoon has become a bit more difficult. The only non-stop from the United States is now the Delta flight from Minneapolis. There are connecting flights from Canadian cites to Saskatoon. Air Canada flights from Winnipeg and Edmonton do synch up nicely with the Scott Lake charter flight. Check with the Scott Lake Customer Service Office before you book your flight to Saskatoon or play it safe and do what many Scott customers are doing– arriving the day before their charter flight to the lodge or stay with the daily Delta flight leaving Minneapolis at 1:05 PM. The Scott Customer Service Office number from the US is 888/830-9525 (from Canada use 715/362-7031).
STAY IN THE LOOP
Stay tuned to all lodge developments including ice conditions, the spring work schedule and some great pictures by regularly checking out our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/scottlakelodge). And check out the News from the 60th section of our website (www.scottlakelodge.com). If you can’t make the trip this summer, it’s the next best thing.
JOIN THE FUN BUT DO IT NOW
But a digital, vicarious trip is nothing like the real thing. We have very few openings left for 2015. There are have fewer than normal cancellations this year but we do have a few. We now have openings for two anglers July 10-14; July 20-25 and July 30-August 4. And we have room for up to six for August 19-24. That’s it! Call Jon Wimpney, the Scott Sales Manager, today at 306/209-7150 for details.
