Ballards?

[Fishin4aLivin]

Hey just wondering if anyone can give me any info on Ballards resort. A friend of mine wants to head up there the last week of March for a couple of days. Has anyone ever used their services? What can be told about the facilities? I guess I should also ask how is the fishing that late in March?

Thanks

[only ice]

Stayed with them a last month. They were over by Garden Island with there houses then. Weather will tell if they stay over that long or move back to Pine Island. Fishing was great, but if they move back over, the fishing will be good there to that time of year. All in all they run a class resort!! You should have a good time.

[uwleagle]

Jason, my dad and grandpa used to go to Ballards every single year. Only problem is they haven't gone in probably ten years. Probably changed a bit since then.

[TechWalleye]

I was up at Ballard's this past weekend. Fishing was a bit slow, but still enough to keep you interested. We didn't get anything over 18 though. For the most part I liked Ballard's but I was a bit disappointed in thier fishing hours. We loaded into the bomber at 7:30 and they were already picking us up at 3:30. Seemed kinda short. Other resorts that I have stayed at started at 7:00 or earlier and let us fish until 4:30. The guides even stated that the afternoon bite was much better than the morning, yet they only let us fish till 3:30. Sure enough each day around 3:00 the bite started to pick up. One of the days they even picked us up five minutes before 3:30. It was disappointing, and I think it might be the last time that I use them.

TechWalleye

[mnhunter 3815]

thats why i only go to places that i can drive out.3:30 is prime time afternoon fishing.we took a trip like this many yrs ago and that was our last like that 1.

[TechWalleye]

I think that we may go out on our own next year as well. I just need to finish buying all the equipment. It really sucked being dragged off the ice that early.

TechWalleye

[MG - Fishin']

If they have all of their house's by Garden Island still (which I think they do), they will always pick you up earlier than the other resorts that fish the south end of the lake over Pine due to the 1+ hour drive back. I'm not sure what the weather conditions were like that day they picked you up early, so maybe that accounted for it too??? Yes, it does suck getting picked up when the bite is getting hot, but you have to play by their rules when fishing through a resort that has all of their huts way off shore. Typically at this time of year the fishing by the islands outproduces fishing the south shore, so it's worth it to me. I just spoke with a buddy of mine that fished 3-5 miles off Pine this past weekend and they caught 5 walleyes the entire weekend. You could've fished that area for an extra 1 1/2 hours or fished less and caught more up there. I do get what you are saying, but they do a pile of work to get all of their houses that far up there for one reason only..... to put you on the fish and they want you to come back to get put on the fish again, and again.... Ballard's is my #1 resort to go to and we almost always have fantastic luck with them. I know they like to get the bombers off the lake around dark and they have tons of fish to clean, so they can get them to the restaurant in time so we can eat our fish dinner around dinner time. What if they picked you up at 5:00, then arrived on shore at 6:00, then cleaned fish for 2-3 hours, then you finally got to eat dinner at 8:00 or 9:00pm? Would there be a complaint about eating so late because the guides were slowing cleaning 800+ fish? You have to think about the big picture and put yourself in their shoes as to why they do that. They have a big operation going and a lot of people to shuttle around 26 miles back and forth and it does take time to do that. Plus try and get your pick-up and portable up there to fish, not happenin'!

[WingDing2]

Tech- You will try every resort on the point and no one works as hard to put you on fish, as Ballards. The reason you get picked up at 3:30 is because of the long bomber ride from Garden Island. The fishing hours are really driven by where you are fishing on the lake. If you were out in front of pine you would be picked up at 4:30 all the resorts have similiar hours. So if you want to stay till dark... you will have to do your own thing no matter where you go out of.

[WingDing2]

MG- You beat me to it... you must type faster. I really want Tech to go somewhere else and try it... so I dont have to make reservation a year in advance!

[eurolarva]

Riverbend picked us up at 4 for the drive back. Managed a 17.5 walleye at about 3 to 3:15 pm then only a couple small walleyes. Our bomber trips averaged an hour and a half each way.

[MG - Fishin']

I do type faster....j/k. I always refer people to Ballard's as Gary and the crew always takes care of you. I should almost get a part-time job selling weekend packages for them as much as I talk about them to people. Anyone that asks me, that's where I steer them. Then sometimes they go elsewhere and then get back and say fishing was slow and I don't know when I'm gonna go back. Well, if you would've took my recommendation.... I know it's day to day and even house to house, but they are top notch in my book. If you aren't happy with them, don't go there and maybe that will open up more slots for those of us that love that place! I'm up there about 2-3 times a winter staying with them. Do you know how much longer the houses will be way Nort'? I'd like to see if they can squeeze me in once more still this month.

[TechWalleye]

I do agree that it is a bunch of work to get all 40+ houses that they had up to Garden, and I have fished many of the other resorts. This same time last year I fished another resort which had houses around Knight island. Obviously this is not as long of a ride but we did fish 7:00 to 4:30 with a one hour bomber ride. I do agree that Ballards works hard to put you on the fish and they have a nice resort, but other resorts do to. As for the amount of fish that the resort had to clean, I wish we would have had a day that resulted in 800+ fish. I only asked about Sunday 3/2, but I was told they cleaned about 250.

TechWalleye