- Sleeps eight
- Four bedrooms, five beds, one full bathroom.
- A block and a half from the lake
- Walk to the boardwalk and the shoreline.
- Winter access road
- At the north end of town, a short drive from the door.
- Built for a cold night
- Wood-burning stove, electric fireplace, full kitchen.
Getting on the ice
How anglers get out from Winnipeg Beach
Winnipeg Beach sits on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg, and the fishing happens straight out from town. In winter the way onto the lake is the access road at the north end, past the lighthouse. A plowed road runs out onto the ice and the hut operators and local anglers work from there.
Access and ice change through the season, so check before you drive out rather than relying on last year's route. IceIntel tracks Lake Winnipeg conditions and thickness at iceintel.ca.
No ice is ever guaranteed safe. Check thickness locally, travel with others, and use your own judgment; nothing on this page replaces local knowledge.
What's biting
Walleye and sauger, all winter
Lake Winnipeg is a walleye lake. Anglers fish it through the ice for walleye and sauger from first ice into March, and it is the reason people drive up from Winnipeg and across the border for a weekend. Manitoba requires an angling licence, which you can buy from the province online before you come.
Why a house
A hut is for the day. This is for the trip
Eight people fit here comfortably: four bedrooms, a full kitchen with a coffee bar, a dining table for six plus three counter stools, and two separate sitting rooms so nobody has to share a sofa. There is plenty of gear storage in the house too, so rods, buckets, suits and coolers come inside overnight instead of sitting out in the truck. Come off the ice to a hot shower and the wood stove instead of a drive back to the city.
The drive is gravel, so there is room to park the truck and unhook a trailer. Check-in is 4:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 p.m., and the minimum stay is two nights.
The town
A block from Salty’s
Winnipeg Beach is small enough to walk end to end, and everything is close: Salty’s Drive In is across the street about a block away, and the boardwalk and shoreline are a block and a half the other way.
Freight still runs through town on the line from the distillery in Gimli, and some days a long string of whiskey cars rolls past on its way south. It is worth standing still for.
Questions guests ask
Ice fishing at Winnipeg Beach, answered
Can you ice fish at Winnipeg Beach?
Yes. Winnipeg Beach sits on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg, and anglers fish through the ice off town all winter. In winter the access is from the north end of town, where a plowed road runs out onto the lake.
Where do you get onto the ice in Winnipeg Beach?
From the winter lake access road at the north end of town, past the lighthouse. It changes with the season and with conditions, so check current access and ice thickness before you drive out. IceIntel tracks Lake Winnipeg conditions at iceintel.ca.
Is Spruce Cottage open in the winter?
Yes. It is a four-season house with heat, a wood-burning stove and fibre internet, and it is rented year-round. Winter weekends are the first dates to go, so book early.
How close is the cottage to the lake?
The cottage is a block and a half from the boardwalk and the Lake Winnipeg shoreline. The winter access road at the north end of town is a short drive from the door.
How many people can stay on an ice fishing trip?
Eight people across four bedrooms and five beds, with one full bathroom, a full kitchen and a dining table that seats six plus three counter stools. It suits one big group or two families.
Is there somewhere to store fishing gear at the cottage?
Yes. There is plenty of storage in the house, so rods, buckets, suits and coolers can come inside overnight rather than staying out in the truck.
Do you need a licence to ice fish in Manitoba?
Yes. Manitoba requires an angling licence, and you can buy one online from the province before you arrive. Check the current season dates and limits at the same time.
What is there to fish for through the ice on Lake Winnipeg?
Walleye and sauger, mostly. Lake Winnipeg's walleye are the reason anglers drive up from Winnipeg and across the border, and the hard-water season is when the biggest ones come through the hole.
Winter weekends go first
Check the calendar for the dates you want, or write to Al Smaczylo and ask. You book and pay here, directly with the owner, with no platform fee on top.