Akeley Angler caters minnows to the masses

By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.com A new bait business named after the defunct Akeley School and mascot is now up and swimming. Akeley Angler is the brainchild of Aaron de Roo.
De Roo’s family grew up staying at a cabin by Deer and Shallow Lakes outside of Nevis. De Roo, a paralegal and construction worker, moved back to the area a couple years ago. He and his wife started the bait shop in June in Akeley. He, his wife and infant son live in the old bank building on Highway 34, which they’re renovating into housing. He bought Em’s Café, which had been renovated into apartments, and began running the bait business out of a garage at the back of the store. The bait business started off with a bang, with summer anglers – or their catch – gobbling up the stock. Business has slowed a bit this fall, but de Roo and his trappers still go out almost daily to harvest the traps. He sells the usual assortment of minnows, including shiners and rainbows. He favors ponds rather than large lakes where others are trapping. “Winters can be kind of hit and miss,” he acknowledged. But he recently entered into a deal to supply Cenex stores with bait and he is outfitting campers from Akeley’s campground with boats, life jackets, poles and bait. There are 7,200 campers a year going through the grounds, so it’s been a good business choice. He even kept the old Akeley School’s colors of blue and gold. He’ll furnish bait to anglers for Audrey’s Purple Dream but not on the ice. He’ll sell from his store. He can be reached at 255-5116.By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.comA new bait business named after the defunct Akeley School and mascot is now up and swimming.Akeley Angler is the brainchild of Aaron de Roo.
De Roo’s family grew up staying at a cabin by Deer and Shallow Lakes outside of Nevis.De Roo, a paralegal and construction worker, moved back to the area a couple years ago. He and his wife started the bait shop in June in Akeley.He, his wife and infant son live in the old bank building on Highway 34, which they’re renovating into housing.He bought Em’s Café, which had been renovated into apartments, and began running the bait business out of a garage at the back of the store.The bait business started off with a bang, with summer anglers – or their catch – gobbling up the stock.Business has slowed a bit this fall, but de Roo and his trappers still go out almost daily to harvest the traps.He sells the usual assortment of minnows, including shiners and rainbows. He favors ponds rather than large lakes where others are trapping.“Winters can be kind of hit and miss,” he acknowledged.But he recently entered into a deal to supply Cenex stores with bait and he is outfitting campers from Akeley’s campground with boats, life jackets, poles and bait.There are 7,200 campers a year going through the grounds, so it’s been a good business choice.He even kept the old Akeley School’s colors of blue and gold.He’ll furnish bait to anglers for Audrey’s Purple Dream but not on the ice.He’ll sell from his store.He can be reached at 255-5116.