The wife and I are looking at cabins, nothing, fancy electricity and indoor plumbing on a lake. We've been looking through zillow and some Wisconsin cabin for sale sites with not much luck. We're not in a huge hurry just wondering if other folks know of places to find cabins and maybe some of the things to look out for. Thanks

Electricity and indoor plumbing IS fancy.

Find the MLS search for your area and you can put in your parameters, and look at what's available. Lakeshore is pretty high right now, but with higher interest rates it should be moderating. It seems like there are always people looking so if a good deal shows up it sells FAST.

What area- some are more affordable than others

My suggestion is if you have an area in mind that you like, place an ad in the local paper or maybe even that Fakebook thingy.

what if you pick an economically depressed town along the Miss and buy a little house in town a few blocks in from the water put a good garage up in the back yard to pull the truck and boat into then just head to the launch

I’m on the water and there’s nothing better but there’s a lot of work and cost associated with keeping up two or more places. My new lake neighbor said he fished more before he bought his place, you could also try a new location with VRBO to see if you like the area and lake. I wouldn’t discourage you because it’s great. Some lakes have seasonal on the water campgrounds where you can drop a trailer and have a boat slip until you find your ideal cabin.

I second this

Dont have any false thought about how far away you would use it consistently. For most folks I know, 2 hrs aboit max

Had a Uncle on the Pike Lake Chain many years ago, simple cabin, no elec, running water. A outhouse, wood stove and a propane stove was it.

His wife told him one time to bring up the lawn mower so he could mow the grass around the cabin.
His reply was "I'm gonna burn the cabin to the ground before I start mowing the grass, I bought the place so I could fish, not work."
I spent many a summer day at that place with my cousin, many fond memories.

Our cabin is 2 hours away and I wouldn't want it any further than that.

So, are looking for bare ground or looking for a structure already there? If it were me I would look for just land and then do your thing.

Our get away place is 3.75 hours away, which is a long way. We chose a very small house not on water as the cost was 1/10th of lake property, even marginal lake propery. We chose it because within 30 miles we have over 200K of public land available. I store my one boat with the outboard up there year round for $600. We have access to several lakes and I like that option. I do considerable canoe fishing too on rivers and thus being on a lake is not part of that option. Don't get up as much as planned but it is more to do with too many activities and commitments around home than the distance. Seeing we don't get up as much as planned I am satisfied we went the lower cost option.

Bryce

It’s all fun and games....until the water freezes and you have Ice Augers firing up on your lake shore,at the crack of ..with Drunk Icefisherman...relieving themselves towards your house.....lol...don’t ask me how I know this.....

Next time I'm up there I will remember to turn around, Nessie! Still might run my diesel ice auger though.

Moosetrot

Around here I don’t hear gas augers much everyone is going electric …. Love to hear the old jiffy augers popping on a cold morning ….

I inherited a cabin my great uncle built in the 1930s. It was about a four hour drive if you didn't strictly adhere to the speed limits. I made a couple of trips each summer to keep the grass mowed and spent most of October living in it during bird season. I never wanted a cabin so close as to not seem like a getaway.

Have you tried the old school manual crank augers?

Checkout Hanson Realty in Pembine next to the pawn/gun shop.

we looked for one for a few years, had a camp [log cabin] in the woods, we finally found a small campground on a lake and bought a big fifth wheel and park it there for the summer, very little upkeep, don't have to cut grass, we get there and relax, and go fish, or side by side riding, just something to think about, way cheaper also, sold camp, in the woods, too much upkeep,