I’ve had a ’16 & now a ’19 XLT modles and both were aluminum bodies. In my ’16 I backed into a pole doing maybe 5 mph and put a dent in my tailgate and pushed my bumper in. It was a pricey repair. I think if I had a steel body, I wouldn’t have needed the repair. Other than that, there wasn’t anything really negative. The positive is knowing that your vehicle won’t ever rust.
I’m a local, and how Big Windy decides to play will all depend on how much snow we get and how bad the wind is between now & then. Another big factor this year is the high water levels. We are currently flooding up here. If you have ever been to Selkirk the blue bridge in town is currently closed due to the high water that has flooded the east side.
I split my time on the lake between the quad & truck. You can pretty much guarantee that at least 1 trail will be broken from either Balsam or Warner no matter the conditions. Arrive early at any of the access points and you should be able to follow the convoy out. Depending on the freeze, your truck will get put through the ringer. Make sure you have a good recovery strap.
As mentioned in the posts above, do not take Lake Winnipeg lightly, You need to be prepared for the worst. The wind can pick up quickly and you can be in a complete white-out in minutes.
I run the Ice Fishing Manitoba FB Page and there will be countless updates on access conditions and travel.
I use 2 cinch straps and 2 ice anchors. Hook the straps on to the tow bar & the rear tow
We have a few for sale up here in Canada too. I’m thinking its because we’ve had 3 pretty easy winters up here, most guys can just hop in their trucks and head out on Lake Winnipeg. A lot of these guys are changing back to hubs. Once we get a heavy snow winter (like whats expected this year) guys will probably regret their decisions. I love my lodge and wouldn’t even consider selling it unless it was to upgrade into the X-Over
I use a battery maintainer… set it and forget it
I have the cabin hub… you can squeeze 2 guys in but most of your gear will need to stay outside. It’s a perfect 1 man
Baffins fit 1 size small.. I’m an 11 and my Baffins are a 12… Warmest boots I’ve ever owned. Make sure you pull out the liners and the insoles to dry them out
Big Windy is my home lake, I use Navionics Gold in my HB 385ci. The navionics app is also good to use. LW is structureless so those subtle little contours in the lake bed are key factors to finding the fish. Last year 6″ spoons were the hot ticket. Lipless rattle baits as always are a must have. Oh and don’t forget your extension for your auger.
Got the green light from the boss to pull the trigger on the XT 1200 Lodge this year
