Joyce Beauchamp
Special to the Tribune
The winter fishing season is coming to an end and the tiny ‘fishing villages’ that form on area lakes every season are quickly disappearing, but they have certainly evolved over the years.
Some people still call them “ice shacks.” Wikipedia defines the word “shack” as “a type of shelter or dwelling, often primitive or rudimentary in design and construction.” Indeed, some primitive or rudimentary ice shacks can still be found dotting the lakes in West Nipissing. They are the gray tin variety with a tiny window and a bench inside, meant to allow someone to fish out of the wind and snow. Nothing fancy – maybe a wood stove for warmth.
However, what most people are building now cannot be labeled a “shack.” They tend to be very sturdy structures, usually 8’x10’ or 12’, with an attractive steel door and several windows. Colour is becoming important, with siding and complementary trim and tin roof. There is often a protruding portion on the short (8’) side where the propane heater is housed.
Because ice huts are now heated, they are also now insulated. Often there is an attractive paneling to cover the insulation, even on the ceiling. The windows and door may be trimmed. Selecting paint colours with matching curtains is the next step before designing the furniture, which usually includes bunk beds, comfortable seating, a table, a counter and many other comforts of home.
While shacks might have simple plywood floors with holes in them to auger the ice and fish, modern ice huts have more elaborate “trap door” floors featuring a row of possible access doors. Floors are now being insulated. Why let in the cold when a barrier can be installed?
The question of whether to build an indoor or outdoor potty, and in what style, occupies a great deal of online discussion space. It is abundantly clear that if women are to be included in the ice fishing experience, privacy and warmth are key ingredients. The days of the 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat located out in the open may be over. They are too tippy, too uncomfortable, too exposed.
It is the ice fishing outfitters that are raising the bar for ice huts. Most of them are located on the south shore of lake Nipissing. Calling them “ice bungalows,” Fish Bay Marina on the south shore of Lake Nipissing advertises various sizes, from two to eight-person bungalows. “All bungalows are powered by generators as an inclusion. Propane furnaces and cook tops are complemented by a propane barbeque (…). TVs and DVD players provide entertainment or gaming options. Foam mattresses on each bunk and table and chairs are provided. Pots, pans, cooking utensils available in each bungalow,” they boast. Rob’s Five Star Fishing website shows they have chosen to include a separate outhouse for use with each rented ice bungalow.
There is no doubt the outfitting business is thriving. A glance through the West Nipissing Ice Fishing Board Facebook group this season showed steady postings by outfitters advertising available ice bungalows. For regulars, there is also the option to build or buy your own. A quick look at Facebook Marketplace on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 showed a posting by someone who builds aluminum frames of ‘any design or size.” He advertised a 6’x8’ frame for $3,650. After adding all the finishing, however, the price tag could be significant.
Those who like to move to different fishing spots opt for trailerable ice huts, i.e., built on trailers. One ad offered an 8’x12’ plus 8’x4’ utility room/bathroom turnkey ice hut/tiny home built on a tandem axle trailer, already on the water. It came with a diesel heater and wood stove, 3 holes in the floor with catch covers and safety covers. It slept 2 to 3 people comfortably, with lots of storage. Solar panels generate power and adjustable mirrors in the windows afford visibility of the tip-ups outside. It was selling for $7,500. Or there was a simple trailer ice hut of 9’x7’, for $3,000.
Most ice huts are not trailers. One had 2 bench seats, 4 holes, 12-volt lighting, was lined with tongue-in-groove pine for $3,600. An 8’x12’ insulated ice hut with 4 corner holes was $5,000. There was a 7’x7’ ice hut for $2,250, another hut for $2,000, and they went down in price to what we would call an actual “ice shack” for $900. Obviously, there is much variation in how much one can invest in the sport of ice fishing.
Gaëtan Beaudry, a seasoned West Nipissing ice fisherman, had his ice hut near Iron Island this year. He observed, “There are lots of pop-up tents on the lake this year.” Pop-up tents might be a wise choice for those wishing to test the (frozen) waters. They are a great deal less expensive than ice huts. They are also a lot easier to transport. If snow makes pulling an ice hut difficult, that’s not a problem for a pop-up ice hut – simply disassemble, fold up, place in bag. They seem to be insulated, even from the ice. They have windows. Portable seating and cots can be arranged inside. Their occupants, often first-time ice fishers, seem happy enough.
The bottom line seems to be that it isn’t necessary to break the bank with a fancy ice bungalow, especially when trying it out the first year or two and having to buy all the fishing gear. The goal, after all, is to catch a fish or two and relax a while. There’s time enough for fancy accommodations once you know you can fish. It’s something to keep in mind for next season, when we’re sure to see the ‘ice shack villages’ proliferate once again on our bodies of water.
