Portavilla Report

[Portavilla]

Last night the guys did good again and everyone was caching fish. We are back to our regular moves and not having to punch a ton of holes before we move has made it more productive. Yesterday proved to be a little boring for us with the guys content with were they were at. I found a couple of portable guys and showed them some spots to set up they did very good. Today we will move some houses to keep from getting stiff and complacent.

A few guys did very well and worked it all day and everyone wanted the same results. I want fifty to hundred fish a day too is a common request but that takes a little more effort than walking from the truck to the house. Tennis shoes doesn't make it happen. Every once an awhile a guy shoots a ten point buck from the hood of the truck but most big bucks are earned. A buddy of mine wanted a 6-point bull elk and paid a guy $80.00 an hour, 16 hours a day and got his big bull. It cost him over $7,500 but he got what he wanted.

We are outfitters and try to place are houses on fish and have done very well with that over the years. Our first priority is on accommodations and taking care of our groups, with the terrible inside bite we started to get side tracked with getting on fish as a priority. The bad ice made that hard to do and now it's back to normal. We are however still outfitters not guides. To me a guide is someone that does not leave your side and all his resources are totally directed to you. He fishes with you all day and all of his equipment is with him. Your final bill reflects it also.

So the moral of the story is yes we put some guys on some awesome fishing and they worked for it. The rest of the guys came up and had a comfortable trip drank beer, caught some fish, played cards and had fun getting away with their buds and that's what we do. However if you want to go for it just ask me I will point you to good spot to give it a try.

[luv2fish]

Chris - Thanks for plowing us a spot on Thursday morning out by the center bar (I was the ice castle Spirit you plowed a spot for Thursday morning). We had a blast.... Marked fish all day. We found the perch honey hole. Caught about a dozen perch in a little under a day (and were marking fish all day). We also caught 10 Walleyes.

Our friends met us at Rogers Friday morning, and wanted to go to LOW. I wanted to stay, but lost out. We caught a bunch of saugers up there, but only 3 walleye between 7 guys.

Thanks again

[terrible_fisherman]

Chris, I just got home this afternoon after two days of fishing. Thanks for the plowed spot on the bar saturday afternoon. My buddy and I ended up with roughly 30 eyes and about 15 misses. We brought home eight in that 15-17 range.

[gigidy]

chris ,three of us are coming up for our yearly red lake trip with my wheel house fri ,sat ,sun ,is there places to set up on the center bar ,or is there a large city of houses there?could we get off the road with 4 wheel drive with chains ? or could we pay you to plow us a spot if you have time??? thanks for any input, we have three shovels but only use them when out of options,thanks jeff bromley,belle plaine ,mn

[Portavilla]

Jeff,

I can better answer that tomorrow. I guy got stuck out there and I got so piled up in slush/under snow river it took four plow trucks and 80 feet of strap to get out. I even snapped my receiver hitch in half. I spent the day chiseling ice off the truck and plow and getting the tires to turn and spin. There is other ways in, this guy was off the beaten path and when I got out of the truck I was up to my knees in water. Thank got for boot dryers. It messed with today's plans but you can't just leave a guy stranded. He wasn't a guest but he was the resorts customer. I will check it out in the morning and post it.

[gigidy]

thanks we wont put you through that,but that is awsome service be carefull,its only mid january 2 months too go

[ilovehardwater]

Chris,

A friend and myself stayed a night last Wednesday before heading up to LOTW for Thursday,Friday,Saturday. We stayed in one of your 2 person sleepers. For a smaller fish house I was suprised with all the amenities the fish house had. It was clean,warm,very well lit (I counted 7 interior lights). I Myself managed 7 eyes, the biggest @ 19 and a few bonus pearch. Overall the stay was awesome. It was my first time sleeping on the ice and my first ice fishing trip. Your crew are great guys and very fun to chat with. I wish I could have met with you!! I just might make another trip up this year with my girlfriend then I might get the chance to. Thanks for the memories!! Brian Turensky

[Portavilla]

The bite has been slower the last couple of days in the main camp we shut down the other three camps to get ready for the weekend. A couple of guys fished down there and it seamed better but we will just let them sit quite.

We were going to move some today but the berm started sinking and we will have to wait until it freezes back up. With the cold weather coming in we should be in good shape.

[whitetail_freak]

Hey portavilla, me and a couple buddies wanna take a trip to URL, you have any sleepers that would be for rent around the end of feb?

[Portavilla]

Yes we do you can call me or go to my web site www.portavilla.com and go to our reservation tab and book online.

[sjlund]

Chris,

I'll be headed up to fish in a 2-man sleeper with Portavilla tomorrow. Does Rogers have all the bait I'll need or should I be bringing it from town? Thanks!

Steve

[Jeff13]

Was up there last weekend and Rogers had everything you needed for bait. You can just call Rogers and they will let you know.

[tsande00]

Any chance a guy could take a car out to center bar? (Is the plowed road in good shape?)

[Portavilla]

Joni said she has it covered with bait and you could make a couple of good areas with a car but there will most deffinaly be more slush by mid weekend on the bar.

Today was spent mostly getting ready for the cold snap and fishing seemed to slow down. One group of guys that comes 3-4 times a year said they were marking fish but were having a hard time getting them to bite. One of them was fishing in a two man and said he couldn't buy bite so we put are shack dog in it knowing she would be moving around the next couple of days and she started catching fish right out of the gate. She was marking fish and just started changing up her presentations and started connectiing. White with some orange to the jig seamed to work best with switching it up from heads to tails and whole minnows on the hook.

Bill and I found are next move and may have to do a mid weekend move with a full house. We will start moving by Monday at the latest. The six mans will not be able to partake in that area and will have to watch as flooding with the big shacks will happen there for sure. Normally the big shacks lead the way but this year they will have to watch as the four mans head out. We will find a new home for them but not where the others are going.

[side_laker]

heading up tomorrow morning. wondering if it would be better to leave the ice castle home and bring portable with a snowmachine so we can get away from croud or if we could get the ice castle on some good fishing?

[Portavilla]

Fishing was slow today with most guys marking fish but having a hard time connecting. The bite has been light and a little frustrating. The fish have started to drop from 12' on the Center Bar to deeper water and there is plenty of slush to be found. It was another weekend white out for awhile and only minor auto debris on the road to the bar, the bearms don't move as easy anymore.

Shack dog this trip is a gal and the chow has been freaking fantastic and we have named her momma dog. The gal knows her fishing also.

Just minor breakdowns today and it kind of goes with the cold, we are however still smiling and getting closer to seeing the gods from sleep deprivation. All the days run together now and time no longer means anything. We haven't watched TV or have listen to a radio for over a month, the only thing that matters is what's a hand.

[Portavilla]

The day proved to be another cold one and things just keep breaking. We were down to one truck of four and we are now back up to two. The day was mostly starting vehicles, keeping propane moving and re- drilling holes for guys. Some ventured off on the hunt but the numbers were few.

The bite was down right dead to barely alive with the inside group outdoing the guys on the bar but that's not saying much. I talked to our guys, outfitters, guys on spot, rent & goes and guys coming in from other resort roads. It was the same story, marking fish few takers. Folks faces were all in the slot and some giving it all they had. I was fortunate to have a lot of real good fisherman in camp this weekend and between them all they worked it hard. I am still holding out on my Josh Scrapper group they showed up with everything but a camera crew. They have been gone all day fishing an area we were thinking of moving to.

Amanda and her boy friend were all smiles last week at the fish cleaning shack and were wondering the same thing as most today. These young kids have a great attitude and were making the best of it as was all are other guests as long as there is buddies, beer and cocktails you will always have a good time.

[hopeforfish]

Mamma Dog knows what she is doing, I have fished with her.

[Dan189]

The bite was down right dead to barely alive with the inside group outdoing the guys on the bar but that's not saying much. I talked to our guys, outfitters, guys on spot, rent & goes and guys coming in from other resort roads. It was the same story, marking fish few takers. Folks faces were all in the slot and some giving it all they had.

solid report chris. Actually posting from a portavilla two man right now, should be sleeping but still riding the rush of the 20 incher that inhaled the shiner on the rattle reel. This is our second night, and you definitely have to work for them right now. Glow red buck shots, and glow orange chubby darters tipped with g.shiners been working best for us. Jigging is out-pacing dead sticks, however we

have caught 3 on the rattles. Total fish count 8, 15-20" with one final sun-up hail mary,

Thanks for the accommodations chris. These 2 mans arnt huge but they fish two comfortably and the amenities are awesome! brought the father out for his first trip in 15 years, and I quote, "gosh darn these beds were comfortable, better than some hotels I've stayed at."

[fatcat45]

stayed thurs.friday,bite was very slow but caught enough for a fish fry friday night.one 25" northern,6 walleys,2 were 18", 3-4 perch.. and one pole holder,no pole..we had a good time,too bad it was tooo cold and windy to take the portable out..thanks chris and we're thinking of making this an annual trip..shacks are nice and very warm..see ya,Tom from Rochester.

[Iambjm]

Momma Dog here, did my first stint as shack dog and I gotta say Chris and Billy are great guys. I caught three eyes in the first two hours I was there on Thursday, only one Friday, none Saturday. I would have liked to get out and used the portable but it was just too dang cold for me. I plan on two more stints in February, I really enjoyed myself despite the poor fishing. I did mention to the guys that one of my nicknames is "Cold Front" and I have guys that say I can shut down a lake in minutes. (Like Paul from Appeldoorns....teehee)

[Paul Waldowski]

Barb,

Don't tell them how you can can shut down a bite just by being there, they may not let you come back and then you would be back here

[Iambjm]

That's okay, I bribed them with french toast and sausages for breakfast.

[Portavilla]

Barb,

You might of left us for awhile to fend on our own, but we will take you back cold front or not. The food, the company it was all fantastic and thanks for putting up with the we will see ya in half hour and show up three hours later.

[Mclovin]

so im heading up tomorrow morning, should be there around noon, we will be able to bring our own house right? and think with these warmer temps the fish should start biteing again?

[Portavilla]

The bite improved this morning but was still not fantastic. I however did not get a chance to talk to guys this evening as Bill and I were moving shacks for this weekend. With the move and warmer weather things should improve. We are heading to one of our favorite spots for the end of January.

The last Couple of days I lost my smile and it took awhile to get it back. A good God fearing woman told me maybe God was trying to teach me patience and him and I have been having that dispute for years. Then in the process of putting chains back on the truck after ripping them off in the slush an older guy walks up and asks me what am I going to do with all the money I make doing nothing but sitting in the snow next to my truck. Get my attention yep I was focused, then he said fishing for the meat was like getting married for the sex. If a guy really wanted the meat he would go to the grocery store and if he really wanted sex he would get a prostitute. It changed my perspective for the day and I couldn't help but laugh at such wisdom. He had Bill and I laughing for an hour with his views at life. A short break a few laughs and we went back to work smiling. He said he was going back to have a minnow fish fry, ya just keep dipping them until they big like a loaf of bread.

[Otter3]

Chris,

Well even though it was a tough weekend of fishing, Amanda still managed to out fish me! We sure spoiled our self the weekend before but you cant beat a warm fish house when its -35 degrees outside.

We sure do appreciate all you guys do out there even when one of your trucks is getting towed passed us with a funny burning odor coming off of it!

P.S. Amanda cant stop telling everybody about the plow ride! Thanks again!

[Portavilla]

Today started out with a laugh when we had the last plow truck breakdown, but by the end of the day we fixed more things than we broke. The slush has proven to be the hardest on stuff. We have a had a few guys believe that the land of milk & honey is just beyond the slush at this given line on a map. Truth is the DNR get more fish per net in the mud than on structure by average. That's why most outfitters are in the mud and not on the little structure points. They hold fish for a week or so then they are done.

The bite has been tough with everyone marking fish from Center Bar to shore and teasing them with all they got and with no one standing out from the other. We have had a lot of good fisherman up that went out with portables to prove us wrong and the kids in the shacks did just as well. The last couple of weeks the fish have been winning and no one has found the magic lure. Most guys have been through the tackle box and the electronics is showing them that they are there just not interested. Sooner or later they will turn on and it's a guess as to when. Where is the fish has been the most asked question this year and I tell them there on the flasher or there on the camera. Some are changing things up a lot and doing better than those that don't. Like with a pretty girl sometimes it takes more than hey baby.

The only consistency I have seen the last couple of weeks is determination, drunken rebellion and sleeping it off. I have to wonder are the fish posting somewhere that they teased a dozen and snapped a line on a dink.

[Walleyehooker]

Walleyes never seem very active when the temps are way below zero.With all the snow this year it is tough to get off the beaten path and away from the noise and crowds.Not much light penetration either to get the bugs and plankton active either.Even LOW has been on the slow side this year.But I think the best is yet to come with some hopefully better weather in February.Just hope we dont get hit with the big snow falls to really screw things up.

[ETH310]

Was up sun-tues morn. Fishing was tough! 4 guys caught 3 walleyes, 1 northern, and 1 perch. I tried every jig in the box with only a few lookers and no takers. Only a plain red hook, or a red hook with a glow green or a red bead above, produced fish. Used fatheads set 2-8 inches of the bottom. The houses were nicely furnished and we had a good time despite the fishing. Only complaint is that the house was a little small for 4 adults if you're staying for more than just a day. I think next time I would get the 6 man.