Sudsmaster

Three Mile lake is just up the road from Windermere ...oh I'd say 5 kms ....if you want some idea just look up google map ...less than a five minute drive from my house to this end of the lake ...From Port Carling I would have to say 20-25 minutes max....oh maybe add 5 min for deer dodging as they are really active along Brackenrig Road....as for perch I really can't help you there as it has never been a fish I really targeted ...usually only just went down to the lake and let the kids have fun with them. Suds

There was someone with huts out there last yr with signs on them for rent ( I have no idea who it was just a laminated sheet stuck on the hut with a contact number) but I haven't seen them this yr... Birchdale Cottages rent a few huts on Three Mile Lake if you are looking for perch or walleye. Lots of ice in Windermere ...fishing is good...quantity not an issue although size so far had left a little bit to be desired ... Suds

I've seen some that are old in great condition and newer ones that are ready to be recanvassed ....Big thing here is to check the covering material extremely well ...check the stitching at all zippers and stress areas ...don't be afraid to ask if it was used or setup for just a couple of weeks a yr or whether it was setup all summer ....longer periods of course give you some idea of the remaining life of the canvass or covering material ....get what you can afford if you can afford the 10-12' box get it you will not regret it. How does it setup? Some are electric some are crank ...have the cables ever been replaced or serviced. Is there a outside propane connection ? This usually allows you to move the stove or connect a outside grill to the tanks on board. How was it stored in winter indoors or outside? The list goes on and on ...tires, berrings last replaced, if electric brakes ...last time serviced ...and of course then there are all the creature comforts ...fridge or ice box ....onboard water...furnace ? etc etc ...Just don't rush into anything look around there are some nice trailers out there for good prices it just takes time to find them. Make sure you see them completely setup and look them over throughly before you make an offer to purchase and of course never offer the asking price ....you can usually find most people that are selling privately have lots of room to deal as either they are getting out of camping all together or they have or are moving on up and need to get rid of the older trailer ...good luck. Oh yeah one other thing ....get the weight and tongue weight to confirm you towing vehicle has the ability to tow the trailer ....there is quite a difference from some brands to others in this area ...seems that the Coleman and Starcraft trailers are quite alot heavier than some of the others if my memory serves me right. Suds

What kind of portable fishfinder? I have a Hummingbird Matrix 17 that does all I need it to do on the ice ...I just made an aluminum T stick and attached the transducer to it with the normal screw down boat mount ....I just spread the tstick and drop in the hole then adjust the angle of the stick for the best signal return...it may not reach below the ice as the season gets on but as long as the hole is straight it works fine ...you may get a little surface clutter on the screen but after a while you will never notice it. You will not be able to use a float on a standard boat transducer as it will never sit flat in the hole ...Floats only work well with properly designed ice transducers. Suds

Well I fished all day Thurs with a buddy from down south and we caught 10 fish with the best 4 trout being over 4lbs each ...unfortunately had company all weekend and didn't get back out till this afternoon for four hours ...again I caught 10 + fish but they were all about 1.5 lbs of less so they all got to swim ....the ice is doing well and there are now a few more machines running around ...I myself am still waddling out until we get back into true winter weather. Suds

I haven't seen anyone head towards the island other than the two airboats that are running around but yesterday I did see a hut being pulled by an ATV go over to the point directly south of the Windermere House where the 80' plus water is ....I was extremely nervous for them as that ice was only a week old and it's not like we are setting all time lows right now!!!! They just cut it in and left and I never got a chance to talk to them ...I'm sitting on just over 7" right now but I'm only out 150 yds in 62' of water. I'll be out there for a bit tomorrow and hopefully sometime Sunday but we have company for the weekend and lets just say they are land lovers. LOL Suds

Bait on the Lake is just south of 118 on hwy 169 in the community of Glen Orchard ....its located right beside the Glen Orchard General Store which backs on to Butterfly Lake...it is also a beer bottle return location ...an interstate battery dealer and BBQ dealer as well ....I drop in there for my licences and bait if I'm over that way and they were always nice people to deal with ...When was it sold? Suds

Houston the eagle has landed ....put the hut out today on 7" if good clear black ice in Windermere ...unfortunately we couldn't get the atv over the bank and had to manually push it out but hey it's out ....so let the games begin. The hut is a light blue corrugated aluminum with a darker blue stripe ....wifey painted it so I best not complain about her choice of colour... so if your in the neighbourhood don't forget to knock on the door and say hi!!!! Suds

Huts have found there way to the ice in Windermere ...down there today and there was a 8x8 planted on the ice and a smaller one on the wharf waiting to be put out ....checked all my stuff and my hut may just be heading down there sometime tomorrow ......they walked the hut out but I will be checking first and if the ice is better than 6" everywhere I check the machine will be pulling mine out .... Suds

Well if you can get past their looks they are actually quite good to eat ....some people call them poor man's lobster or fresh water cod ...I found that if you boiled fillet chunks in salt water they actually have a lobster like taste ...just add garlic butter and you are good to go...last year we seemed to be catching a look more than the previous 5yrs on Rosseau and if you have multiple lines down they have a tendency to get them well tangled as they kinda ball up on the retrieve. Suds

Just got back from the Windermere Wharf ....the bay is finally iced in as far as I could see with my telephoto lens on my camera ...there was someone straight out from the pier fishing today (walkers) but unfortunately they were gone before I got down there today. I didn't have my float suit or spud and had my 2.5 yr old grandson with me so I was unable to venture out myself to check the thickness ...hopefully either tomorrow or Sun I will finally be able to play with some trout ...I have a few pics that I will post a little later once I get them on my photo hosting site. Suds

Was down to the wharf in Windermere late yesterday afternoon ....still no real gains on the ice ...wind is continually breaking out any ice gains we have made with the recent cold snap ....I'm going to go down again this afternoon and hopefully snap a pic for all to see ....that is unless I get really depressed and break down and head over to Three Mile for perch ...urgggggggg Suds

I went down to the wharf on Sunday afternoon ...ice had built its way out about 100 yds ...but the damned winds were just pounding it ...I'll go down tomorrow and see if it has improved at all ....there wasn't alot of steam rising off of it so it must be ready to start to harden up .....Hell even Simcoe is ahead of us this yr ..... Suds

Well I just got back from the Windermere Wharf (Lake Rosseau) ....there is no ice ....docks are iced in but other than that the water is wide open as far as you can see in all three directions ...Damned winds....Portage Bay is closed up but no idea as to the thickness and it doesn't appear to had any walkers/sledders on it just a few deer tracks...Three mile Lake is closed up and snowmobiles are now crossing the lake ...there is one hut out about 100 yds from Northland Recreation's loading ramp ....the usual earlybird at Wonder Beach still has his hut on shore ....I didn't take a walk with the chisel so I can't tell you anything about the quality or thickness of the ice ...its going to be few weeks yet before Windermere will be ready to go ....that deepest dock is starting to look like a good spot ..LOL Suds

I got myself a SHC flip up helmet at Royal a few yrs back ...I love it ...when I'm fishing in the open on a windy day I just leave it on flipped up ....real handy when you stop for a break while riding just flip it up and everyone can hear what you are saying ....Heated visor is really nice ....mine has a removable breath deflector and some are built into the helmet and not removable ....my wife's helmet is built in and she now wishes she had gone for the removable one as well ...the flip up works great for me as now I can take the helmet off without having to remove my glasses....several times prior to the flipup I have left them on the seat and driven over them by mistake ... glasses can put a differnet dynamic to purchasing a helmet make sure you take them with you and try putting the helmets on while wearing the glasses.....make sure you try several different models/manufacturers on as we all have slightly different noggins and you need to get the one that fits best without being uncomfortable. Suds