Steer me in the right direction...

[Taz]

After much research I've made a short list of 3 camps that I want to visit:

Happy Day Lodge - Windermere Lake
Big Bear Camp - Horwood Lake
Five Mile Lake Lodge - Five Mile Lake

The family and I are taking a one week vacation this Summer and we've decided to stay at one of these 3 locations. I've cut the list down to these 3 for a number of reasons: We are camping and these 3 have a campground, I'm coming from Southern Ontario and I'd rather not drive any further (especially with 2 young children), and from what I've found these seem to be the best walleye fishing lakes within 11 hours of Hamilton (near Buffalo NY) that have a campground.

Has anyone had any experiences at these places? Which place would offer the best fishing (walleye/pike)? How is the summer fishing at these places?

Sorry for all of the questions but the websites for these places are quite limiting. I've researched a lot of old posts pertaining to these locations and if I had to make a choice based on them, I would choose Happy Day Lodge on Windermere Lake. I haven't heard much of Five Mile other than it's good fishing.

Any insights/experience/reports would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Taz

[jerry bark]

hey Taz,

i have fished happy day lodge for several years, the new owners are really nice, and they are allready 100% booked for the coming summer on cabins, i don't know about campsites but you should call soon to check (tell them jerry barkley refered you, might not help but it won't hurt since i've referred in 4 groups for this year). bob and sondra have two boys about 7 or 8 years old so your kids might have some friends to play with. www.happydaylodge.com

i have allways been there earlier in the year, late june, so i don't know whats up in august. my general experiences have been there are plenty of eater sized walleyes, in fact i have caught over 100 in a day before. the guys who fish rapalas and cranks generally catch more of the large fish those of us who jig or fish bait get more eater sized fish. there are good numbers of pike up to 24" if you go under the railroad bridge just to the north of the camp and fish the shoreline structure. i have found some large pike near the weed bed that is about half way to the narrows bob will tell you where that is.

the lake is very large, more than 20 miles long, and i have not even begun to fish most of it.

the first year that i fished happy day, a local from chapleau hooked me up with my cabin at happy day because she new the old owner. she also reccomended five mile lake lodge. she knows them as well and told us the lake is good fishing but the cabin are a little nicer at happy day.

these two are close enough together that you could stay at either one and fish both, the only downside would be the long dirt road into happy day lodge.

good luck
jerry

[Taz]

That's great info Jerry, I really appreciate it. My older son is 6 years old so he may fit right in. I guess where ever I intend on going I better make my mind up soon! I like Horwood and Windermere a little better because both have electricity, a must for the old deepfryer!

Taz

[jerry bark]

not all of the campsites had electric last year, six did the rest did not. bring a good quality extension cord as the outlets are not right next to the site but are on a common board so depending on the site you get you may need 50 ft. they do all have water and sewer.

one other thing is that five mile lake lodge is just off the main road happy day lodge is 18 miles off the main road. so consider 10 minutes to town versus close to an hour. with kids that young you may need to be ready for side trips to the chapleau game reserve or the local museum, grocery store, gus' restaurant etc.

good luck,
jerry

[connie]

>After much research I've made a short list of 3 camps that I
>want to visit:
>
>Happy Day Lodge - Windermere Lake
>Big Bear Camp - Horwood Lake
>Five Mile Lake Lodge - Five Mile Lake
>
>The family and I are taking a one week vacation this Summer
>and we've decided to stay at one of these 3 locations. I've
>cut the list down to these 3 for a number of reasons: We are
>camping and these 3 have a campground, I'm coming from
>Southern Ontario and I'd rather not drive any further
>(especially with 2 young children), and from what I've found
>these seem to be the best walleye fishing lakes within 11
>hours of Hamilton (near Buffalo NY) that have a campground.
>
>Has anyone had any experiences at these places? Which place
>would offer the best fishing (walleye/pike)? How is the summer
>fishing at these places?
>
>Sorry for all of the questions but the websites for these
>places are quite limiting. I've researched a lot of old posts
>pertaining to these locations and if I had to make a choice
>based on them, I would choose Happy Day Lodge on Windermere
>Lake. I haven't heard much of Five Mile other than it's good
>fishing.
>
>Any insights/experience/reports would be much appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance, Taz

[connie]

>After much research I've made a short list of 3 camps that I
>want to visit:
>
>Happy Day Lodge - Windermere Lake
>Big Bear Camp - Horwood Lake
>Five Mile Lake Lodge - Five Mile Lake
>
>The family and I are taking a one week vacation this Summer
>and we've decided to stay at one of these 3 locations. I've
>cut the list down to these 3 for a number of reasons: We are
>camping and these 3 have a campground, I'm coming from
>Southern Ontario and I'd rather not drive any further
>(especially with 2 young children), and from what I've found
>these seem to be the best walleye fishing lakes within 11
>hours of Hamilton (near Buffalo NY) that have a campground.
>
>Has anyone had any experiences at these places? Which place
>would offer the best fishing (walleye/pike)? How is the summer
>fishing at these places?
>
>Sorry for all of the questions but the websites for these
>places are quite limiting. I've researched a lot of old posts
>pertaining to these locations and if I had to make a choice
>based on them, I would choose Happy Day Lodge on Windermere
>Lake. I haven't heard much of Five Mile other than it's good
>fishing.
>
>Any insights/experience/reports would be much appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance, Taz

[connie]

Hi Taz,
A few days ago we talked with the owners of Happy Day Lodge. They are very limited on their cabins but they still have availability for small groups of 2 - 4. Sondra said that they have around 10 openings for the 2005 season. She explained that 5 of them were smaller cabins and the other 5 were campers that they rent out. WOW! I couldn't believe it myself. They must be doing something right at this camp. They do have many campsites available. We booked a week in July. They do have water and electric hook-ups to all their sites. This is something new they offer. She said all but three of their sites now have sewer and there is a dump station for those that don't. We did ask several questions about the road back to their place. It is 19 miles back but the road is graded 3 or 4 times a year. They assured us that this is not a logging road.
They were very helpful and seemed very truthful about the questions we asked. We have never fished Windermere Lake but Sondra let us know that her husband would give us all kinds of advice and help. They seem to be very energetic and caring family. I thought her website had a lot of information and some great pictures. Their website is www.happydaylodge.com.

[Buckeye4990]

We stayed at Happy Days during August, about 8 years ago. The fishing was very good. We have not gone back since because of some personal preferences - I don't really need electricity that badly, and didn't like the sound of the diesel generator running 24/7. Also, since the camp is located next to a fairly busy railroad tracks, that kind of took away from the Canadian experience for us. Like most things, it comes down to what's important to you. Good luck in your decision.

[jerry bark]

the generator is in a building now and you can't hear it at all anymore.

the railroad is pretty busy during the day, maybe 5 or 6 trains a day. but i have never heard one at night.

the road is good by the way, well as good as a dirt road can be.

they must have bought som travel trailers last year after we left, when we were there in june they did not have ANY.

cheers
jerry

[Taz]

Jerry, I just finished booking with Bob at Happy Day Lodge. I mentioned your name and he knows who you are. He said because we know you he'd give us 25% off (just kidding). We booked for a week in early July. He seems very excited about the upcoming season.

Also Jerry, I'm going to send you an e-mail and ask you some stupid questions on fishing.

Thanks for all of your help,

Taz

[jerry bark]

no prblem on the email, but i think you mis-understood him on the discount: he's going to give ME the 25% off!

bob is a great guy, his wife sondra is super nice as well (but she doe not like to cook, so leftover deserts are welcome LOL).

hope you have a great trip.

jerry