Island View review

[ghost]

Just came back from a week at Island View – what a beautiful place! Stayed at the IV Resort on the west end of the peninsula, giving them an extraordinary view down the channel south of Dryweed.

Fishing was good, not great, but good – it was best going out with Woody’s Fairly Reliable Guide Service – the name fits, and it was just great fun for my son and me to fish with him. We did fairly well, a couple lunker northerns, good eater walleye and bass; and we saw lots of fish (won’t say where, though you guys know). I appreciate the bass ethic up here – we returned a beautiful female; had a couple of her 2-3 yr olds for dinner. I wrote him a fairly reliable check.

Island View Resort gets mixed reviews – the venue is incredible, but the staff has either had too long of a season, or simply been in the business too long, and have “issues” – a week for them in group therapy would help a bit. You’d think that if you’re showing for an extended resort stay, you’d expect a maybe “glad you’re here” instead of “You’re #9, here’s your key” from a surly teen. Spent a bunch of time over at Sha Sha – we were geocaching over there and stumbled into the the Jimmy Buffett style Caribbean bar, what a fun place, nice people. Island View was no better on the way out – the person that gave us the rates was “unauthorized” and “wrong” even though they are published on their web site – found myself in the odd position of re-negotiating the rates they quotes on the phone. It’s a family business with issues – I expect they have a cohort of regulars, and don’t take kindly to new folks. Too bad, really.

Back to fishing – we found our way to Erickson reef and saw lots of fish stacked up on the edge – boat control is an issue though. Also checked out the crappie cribs south of Dove Island and into Black Bay – ran into few crappies and yellow perch there. The NPS folks were really good about pointing out spots to visit.

All in all, an incredible place – hope you all know what you have up there!

[Down Deep]

In the past I've stayed at Island View several times. I haven't been there for a couple of years and I've heard the Bishoffs sold the place. I always found them to be on the job and taking care of their guests. I have a cabin booked later in the fall.

I hope that you also directed your comments to the owners of Island View. They need to know that they did not meet your expectations.

[Mickey]

The unfriendly service isn't restricted to Island View as I have been disappointed at both Rainy Lake Lodge(out of business now?) and at Sha Sha resort. RLL was run(?) by somebody who spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME DRINKING, in fact on my arrival the teenager who finally got around to helping me told me the owner was still drunk and probably sleeping it off !! That night after fishing I went to the bar to "get acquainted" and after sitting at the bar for 15 minutes to get a drink without any luck(the bartender was too busy yukking it up with a group of 3, the only other people in the bar) that my arm got tired of waving to her and calling to her and just left. By Tues. night I'd had enough of this treatment/ignoring and left for Madison arriving home about 3:30 am. Sha Sha seemed to be more concerned about the bar/restaurant than the resort guests. The only time we were recognized was when we had dinner/drinks otherwise nobody knew anything about fishing spots, water hazards, gas refills(ended up refilling at Rainy Lake One Stop) and got more info there about fish patterns/locations plus bait in 15 min. than a week at the resort. Even when we checked out the owner asked who we were, he had no clue who was staying in the cabin right outside the bar's door. It's too bad that guests aren't treated better as the lake/scenery is beautiful however after staying at Coppens Resort on the Canadian side and being treated so well there I see no reason to stay anywhere else when visiting Rainy.

[uffdapete]

There are some other alternatives. Fishmeister rents his cabin which is near Sha Sha, a friend has a cabin for rent near Ranier; Birch Point camp; and the folks at Idlewood Resort do a very nice job.

[shooterc]

Have been staying at camp idlewood for several years. I really look forward to going up every year. Have always been treated well. Owner is out filling up boats with gas every morning early.

[ruddog]

we have been going to the fisheries resort[on the bear pass narrows]which is located between redgut and swell bay.really like the location and the service is great.from there you can fish muskie,crappie,pike,smallies and walleye depending on weather and your personal choice of where you want to go for the day.we're going back next year in july.

[plogsdon]

I just spent two weeks at Thunderbird. Rod and Mary Jane and her sister Jenny were excellent host.Always asking if they could do anything for us.Cabins and grounds where clean. On more than one occasion, they bought a round of drinks for my group. Steve, the dockman always helpful with info about the lake. I would recommend them as a possibility. Also Dave(fishmiester) was helpful in giving us some tips about Sand Bay. Thanks to all

[Mickey]

I'm glad to hear there are other resorts that treat their guests well, the fishing & scenery are great "drawing points" for tourists/vacationers.

[clKiekhafer]

I second the comments about Camp Idlewood. I've been going there since 1988 and have never had a bad experience. It is family owned and on the second generation. They have pot lucks on Monday nights with a fish fry and Thursdays they have a bondfire lakeside. They just put in new wider-spacing docks to handle the wider boats of today. It is first rate and family orienated. They also have a swimming beach for the family to enjoy. Rainy Lake One Stop is less than one mile away so you are close to everything you could possible need or may have forgotten.