There's ice-fishing, then there's ice-fishing Voisine-style

24 January 2012

ST. JOHN VALLEY - It's not so much the size of Reno Voisine's ice fishing cabin that has folks in Frenchville and St. Agatha talking, though eight feet by 16 feet is larger than a typical ice camp. It's the craftsmanship and attention to every detail that makes it really special.

MIGHT AS WELL - Voisine hang a sign inscribed with a local French saying. - Pettengill Jerkins image

"I don't know why people are so excited," said Voisine, "It's just a fishing cabin."

Maybe that would be true if every ice fishing cabin were of cedar post and beam construction with cathedral ceilings, solar panels, and a porch with a rocking chair.

Voisine instructed the tractor driver who was pulling his "shack" out onto the ice near the Long Lake Sporting Club in Sinclair Saturday that he could place the cabin pretty much anywhere he wanted, as long as the porch faced the direction of the sunset.

A sign Voisine mounted above the door to the cabin greets visitors with a local French saying, "Tankafér," which, loosely translated, means "might as well." Voisine said that he constructed the cabin with that saying in mind. If he thought of a luxury he'd like to have, he figured he might as well just do it.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE - Voisine sits in his rocking chair as a tractor hauls his cabin onto Long Lake. - Pettengill Jerkins image

One of the comforts Voisine incorporated was a cooking area, complete with a propane cooktop, a utility drawer and a lit counter. In fact, the entire cabin is lit with LED lights, the same efficient type ambulances use. Two solar panels mounted on the cabin's red tin roof charge a battery pack that powers the cabin. There's even a light on the porch, which Voisine said is more convenient than fumbling with keys in the dark while holding a flashlight to open the door.

"I want to come here to have fun. I don't want to come here to work," he said. "We wanted to be comfortable. The little things you can do can make your life so much easier."

SETTLING IN

Voisine owns Voisine Cedar Mills in Frenchville, so it stands to reason that he chose to construct the cabin with cedar. He began the project Christmas weekend, working inside where it was warm. Word spread quickly throughout the town that there was something special going on inside the mill. Voisine, who has been fishing for almost 40 years, did all of the work himself, and took his time to attend to every detail.

"I've always wanted a big fishing cabin, and this year I needed a project around the holidays," he said.

SAFETY FIRST

Some of the little touches Voisine added were fold down tables, benches around a fishing hole, a rocking chair for the porch, moose antlers above the entrance, and a dinner bell to call in the fishermen when the catch is ready for eating. For safety, Voisine built special inserts to place in the fishing hole when small children visit the cabin.

Voisine is eager to start fishing now that his project is complete and he has placed his cabin. He expects at least a dozen people to join him next weekend. He's enjoying the attention and looks forward to the company.

"I just wanted something different and I kind of like making people talk."