Page 18 - Trending Magazine 2018 Winter

Destinations_Asessippi_Layout 1 18-12-04 5:57 PM Page 5

By Melissa Verge

Instead of boarding a Boeing 747 for sun and cheap price, to as much as you want to
sand this winter, Manitobans could try invest in it.”
something a little different – and cheaper. There are ice-fishing derbies
There are a number of activities people can do throughout the winter around the
outside this winter for a staycation in the province, including one on Pelican
province, said Colin Ferguson, president and Lake, one on Rock Lake, and one on
CEO of Travel Manitoba. Killarney Lake.
“If you want to take the family skiing up in “There’s lots of places and lots of
Asessippi for example, or head out to the opportunities to go ice fishing, and
Whiteshell (provincial park) Falcon trails, you’re if someone wants to try ice fishing
virtually in a cabin on a secluded lake,” Ferguson I have never met an ice fisherman
said. “In the north, you don’t even have to go yet who wouldn’t be more than
that far north; some of the best ice fishing exists willing to drill a hole for somebody
on Lake Winnipeg. to try it,” he said.
Ice fishing is a great activity to do close to Besides ice fishing, the north is also
home during long Manitoba winters, local great for snowmobiling and cross-
fisherman Clarence Sawatzky said. country skiing, Ferguson said.
“Years ago, I kind of decided that I’m going to “These are phenomenal opportunities,
live in Manitoba and enjoy, and I might as well and people are starting to take note of them
enjoy the outside in general,” Sawatzky said. and starting to experience them.”
“It’s just another dimension to summertime For people in the Brandon area interested in
fishing. Our winters are long, and if we don’t fill a quiet weekend away, there’s also the
it with different things, multiple things, then it Wasagaming town site up by Clear Lake that’s
can feel even longer.” open on a year-round basis.
One of the nice things about it is it can be as For a higher-end trip, staycationers could also
expensive or as inexpensive as you want, he make the journey up to Churchill, he said. VIA
said. Although many activities will become Rail service for passengers has also resumed
commercialized with, “You have to have this, this month. First Air makes two trips to
you have to have that,” for ice fishing, it’s not Churchill from Winnipeg daily. One leaves at
necessary. 7:30 a.m. and arrives at 9:30 a.m., and one
“I know a guy who has fished on Rock Lake all leaves at 4 p.m. and arrives at 8:30 p.m..
his life, and he fishes with a simple stick and “(There’s) polar bear viewing, Beluga
string and a jig. He’ll go down to the lake and whale viewing or northern lights
find where somebody else has drilled a hole or viewing.”
watches for somebody to leave an area, then Staycations are growing in
he’ll just go in and fish out of the same holes,” he popularity, as those living in the
said. “So, you can go fishing for a relatively province realize the great many

18