MINDEMOYA—Timberlane Rustic Lodges located on Lake Manitou in Mindemoya has been featured in the most recent edition of ‘Ontario Out of Doors’ magazine.
In the January-February 2019 edition, under the story ‘3 Awesome Trips: Start planning your next Get Away,’ Timberlane was listed first among three places profiled in the article, written by James Smedley.
“I know, isn’t it wonderful?” stated Laura Wall-Varey, who along with her husband Mark have owned the lodge since 2006, on Monday. “They had asked if they could do an article on the business and I was all over that.”
“Mr. Smedley had written to us and indicated he had had a really good experience at our business,” said Ms. Wall-Varey. The author “and his significant other are really nice people and they took a ton of pictures when they were here.”
In his story, Mr. Smedley told visitors to the Island how to get to Timberlane Lodge in Mindemoya and provided information on the cost of a fishing package there. He wrote that he and his wife also walked Little Current’s waterfront and visited Manitoulin Brewing Co. for supplies.
The couple made their trip in late August and upon arrival at Timberlane they were approached by Mr. Varey who showed them to their cabin and an empty space at one of the wooden docks within a small manmade harbour. Soon after the writer said they made their way to the main lodge where they met Laura and her staff, noting that during their stay they enjoyed “many delicious family-style meals, featuring locally sourced dairy, fruits and vegetables.”
Lake Manitou is about 15 kilometres long and six kilometers wide and Lake Manitou is the world’s largest lake situated on a freshwater island, he wrote. Timberlane is located at a narrows between the lake’s two main basins. “My research tells me there is a healthy population of walleye, lake trout, smallmouth bass, perch and even some stocked brook trout.”
On the fishing trip Mr. Smedley told of his catch of a giant 21-inch smallmouth, and a hike of the Cup and Saucer Trail with the Manitoulin extension of the Niagara escarpment looming in the distance. While their fishing time was greatly affected by weather during their stay, when conditions allowed Lake Manitou delivered serious smallmouth bass action. When they did have to wait out the weather, the writer noted that Timberlane Lodge and Manitoulin Island made their time off the water a real pleasure.
“We have great guests here and while Mr. Smedley and his wife were here, some of our guests showed them where the best fishing spots are,” said Ms. Wall-Varey. “Our guests wanted to make sure they had a great time.”