In the fall of 1952, Ruth and Woodie Wheaton purchased a white pine grove on the shore of East Grand Lake and began construction of a main lodge and four cabins. A few of Woodie’s “sports” followed him from Grand Lake Stream, and they told others. The willingness to work long days and a sincere interest in the comfort and enjoyment of their guests slowly led to a viable business. A terrific fisher
y helped.
“Best Smallmouth Lake in the World,” a feature article in Outdoor Life (July, 1960) by Wynn Davis, put Wheaton’s on the map of anglers nationwide. It was the first of many articles by Davis, Ben East, Al McLain, Bill Rae, Bud Leavitt, and other prominent outdoor writers of the day that verified a good thing and drew fishermen from afar. And the fishermen returned year after year with their wives and friends. The lodge was sold in 1976 to a young couple from New Jersey, but faltered in their third year along with their marriage. The fellow’s aversion to physical labor, clumsy people skills, and indiscretions with the camp waitress may have had something to do with it. So, in the late seventies Dale and Jana bought what was left of the business and began to put the pieces back together. Hoodwinked by the pledge to “give it five years and re-assess,” Jana gave up her lesson plans and grade books to tackle something new. It was not always pleasant, with an overburdened electrical system and an archaic water supply pumped from the lake. And then, another young family. Her dire threats provoked a string of physical improvements. Jana grew to enjoy the dimensions of operating a family business on the fringe of human habitation. Her high standards for meal preparation and attention to detail, embraced by a reliable and conscientious staff, added class to an establishment otherwise consumed by fish stories. The fish continued to cooperate. An abundant supply of rugged smallmouths, aerial landlocks, and hefty lakers offered combat for savvy anglers on the lakes. And a busy stream just a stone’s throw from the lodge provided opportunity for those with a prejudice for waders and a fly rod. A competent guide corps, willing to shape their outings to the expectations and skill sets of their clients, nurtured parallel relationships. Shore lunches, the traditional Grand Lake guide canoe, and vast unspoiled waters all contributed to a unique experience afield for guests--and memories worth repeating. Articles by Jerome Robinson in Sports Afield and Tom Davis in Sporting Classics began another era of media recognition. Two world record smallmouths on fly rod, later eclipsed, spoke to the quality of the fishery. Wheaton’s made North America’s Greatest Fishing Lodges by John Ross and Katie Anders, Fishing Vacations for All Budgets by H. Lee Simpson, and “The 25 Best Fishing Lodges in North America” in Field and Stream. (Author John Merwin had us tied for second). There were kudos in Kevin Tracewski’s A Fisherman’s Guide to Maine and other books. We did three television programs. Accolades in the outdoor journals can be a lot of hot air, as you know. Still, it’s nice to be there. The Down East fishing experience continues to attract people who want an active, involved vacation far away from the crowd. Wheaton’s is fortunate to be situated in the midst of sixty miles of lightly fished, unspoiled, boundary waters that look the same as they did many years ago due to the active conservation efforts of the Woodie Wheaton Land Trust and engaged citizens. But, all said, it is our guests who define us. The many wonderful people--such as you--who return every year or just once in awhile, give the camp its distinct character. After all, it’s not everyone who can put up with our standard dose of marginal stories and genial irreverence. You understand that a nasty wind or a day of lousy fishing is not the end of the world, that a fry pan full of white perch fillets and a cup of strong coffee under a leaky tarp will do just fine until the serious fish decide to bite, and that many of life’s problems can be solved on the camp porch over a little bourbon or in the lobby after dinner. That the host will just smirk attentively when you describe how the big one got away is pretty much assured. We look forward to seeing you.
