Portavilla Report

[swamp stomper]

H&F. We went to red last thursday and got skunked, but thanks to this site and reports I was able to gather info and knew that I shouldn't expect much and to stay mobile. We brought a sleeper house, along with flip overs and snowmobiles. After friday was slow too, we went to LOW and did pretty good sat and sun. Had a guy stop at my fish house on sunday that was looking for a new spot. The day before he caught 60 plus sauger and six walleye in his rental house and the next day he wasn't catching rip. That's fishing. I feel for the guides/sleeper rentals because the fish don't cooperate a lot more often than one thinks.

[hunt&fish89]

Swamp stomper i realize that fish dont always cooperate and that is not what i had a problem with. However what i didnt like is the report of fish being caught at the camp where i was when that was not the case.

[Portavilla]

Hunt&fish89,

You keeping talking about the area you were in. We have several camps, we have 22 houses and they are in several areas located on the center bar to shore on the Mud Flats to up on structure? The biggest group we have is on the deep hole and that would be eleven houses and that we call the deep hole. Main camp is buy our welcome to Portavilla sign, then there is Mikes rock, Mud flats north, mud flats south and the Center Bar camp. Then you have my fish house which this year is a work bench and beds and then you have rent & goes.

You sound like you got it all figured out but you didn't even know the half of it. What gets me the most here about your post is I tell everyone that my number is on the door don't sit on a bumer call me. If you had a complaint and if it could have been rectified it was then. If you needed clarification it was then, but you said nothing and now you want to complain. Obviously from your short sided view it was all about you and here is where you would make it known. That's what I call disappointment.

[skinman]

I emialed these guys last night from reading this blog. He emailed ASAP and explained how they work. Its fishing, sometimes there on and sometimes there off. But he was very helpful. Gave us some useful information.

[tsande00]

Yeah I gotta vouch for Chris too. I went up early January and rented a tow and go house. He was very honest saying that fishing had been slow and to stay as portable as possible. We brought snowmobiles and flip overs with and killed the walleyes out on center bar per Portavilla's suggestion. Even ended up staying another night.

He gave me his cell number when we got up there and said to call if I needed anything. I called when I was worried about running low on propane and was promptly taken care of.

You start spewing negative comments about a group of guys busting their balls and it will spread fast, not cool when not warranted. You should have called them up if you were not satisfied with your spot...not sit there for three days fuming about it.

Thanks for the great trip Portavilla!

[blue_healer_guy]

Your rental and/or trip doesnt guarantee anything. Looks like that is a hard concept for u to swallow.

[hunter76]

No one is a mind reader on how people think, so if you have a problem open up your mouth and tell the person. Typing on here bashing an outfitter is a crock of ? These guys work their tails off just about 24 hrs a day. Its their lively hood, do you really think they don't want to put you on fish so you never come back? Do you think that just because you sit in anyones fish house that you rent that you automatically are going to catch fish?

[hunt&fish89]

To all of you ripping on me for my comments you need to read what i have written. I never said i was unhappy about the number of fish caught. NOT ONCE. All i said was that it wasnt really right for them to report improving bite when there wasnt. For the last time i realize fishing is fishing and sometimes you catch some sometime you dont so there no reason for you guys to keep putting words in my mouth by saying i was mad that i didnt catch fish, that is not the case.

[hunt&fish89]

On a lighter note this website is for fishing reports and info. I will end it on a positive note and hope the rest of the posts stay that way. I will say they kept the roads plowed nicely and there houses were clean, warm and cozy even at 20 below.

[chaffmj]

Here is the way I see it and I could be wrong.

Hunt&fish89 didn't like the report Chris wrote about the bite picking up. For his crew and others around him it didn’t pick up. He like he said above wasn't upset about the lack of catching but what Chris wrote in his report.

Chris has others out fishing in different locations and wrote that the bite was picking up in one of these areas.

The rest of us make our own interpretation of what was written by both or don't bother to read all of it and make comments of our own about it.

PortAvilla has a reputation to uphold so they don't lose customers and Hunt&fish89 doesn't like it when people put words in his mouth that weren't his.

In the end I don't really gives a rat's [PoorWordUsage]. Let's all chill and move on.

The best bite will be on the 19th thru 22nd when I’m up anyways so be there then or miss it.

[waterwarrior]

I was kind of hoping the bite would be on for the 15th through the 17th. Are you saying I'm going to miss it?

[chaffmj]

Actually the way the weather is looking for next week you should be good too.

[Xplorer]

Sorry chaff, the bite starts tomorrow on the north side when I get up there

It might make it around to the south shore by the time you get up there

[Portavilla]

I went to down south to Bemidji today and got my glasses fixed so I see there has been some chatter on me thread. Well that's one opinion and thank god theres more. Moving on to the bite picking up or slowing down is kind of by the numbers for me and by averages. For others it can be there last trip or that of their buds. Let's look at what I see regarding the bite. 2010 was a good year for Red and most other lakes and this year it has kind of sucked most everywhere. So let's take a look at it.

Fishing pressure.

December 107,382 angler hours.

January 399,527 angler hours.

February 238,590 angler hours.

Walleye harvest number

December 10,770

January 40,454

February 10,552

Walleye released number

December 13,450

January 46,607

February 9,498

If you look at the February numbers by averages and use 24 hours to break it down by days you can see that in a good year the average fisherman catches 2 a day. If two guys got 20 then there are quite a few that got none. During January it's a little more than 5. Bottom line, outfitters out perform this model most of the time but some days the cards are stacked against you. We do a little over 6% of the total winter hours through are houses and see similar ratios just better averages. A good bite however is based by the time of year and how a group of houses are doing.

Know let's define some attitude

Disappointment -

1. depressed or discouraged by the failure of one's hopes or expectations

2. ill-equipped.

This is why we tell folks that's it's slow and to bring portables or sleds & wheelers at times and sometimes it's just the bench mark is unrealistic. There are guys that do pound them but it doesn't happen all the time. We try to help guys reach there hopes when we can and most of the time the control of getting there is up to them.

Whining

a whining utterance, sound, or tone.

a feeble, peevish complaint.

That one I can't help you with.

[chaffmj]

Xplorer you and the kid leave some in the lake for me.

Chris you shouldn't have posted those numbers. What are your other clients going to do when I get my 20 walleyes per day!

[Portavilla]

Like the other outfitters it's about beating the odds that's what we try to do. Are we always successful at it, no. Last year I was ticked if we were not getting 5 min. Per guy in February about 2.5 times the average. This year I have been just ticked period as most. The data later for this year should be a good read. I might feel better or I might fell worse.

For a fishing report it doesn't get any more real than that!

[SHANTY]

Miss u guys! Hope to see ya again soon!

[Guest]

Wow, I never knew ice fishing was so stressful.

[Walleyehooker]

Cabin Fever? Its been a tough year all over but its bound to get better. Just hope a guy wont need waders to get out there. If the fish bit all the time there wouldnt be any left. Just think how many will be there this spring/summer or next winter.Ive seen Mille Lacs go from the dead sea to the bite of the century overnight. Also seen it go the other way.Thats how mother nature protects itself and Im glad she does.

[Portavilla]

Walleye hooker your right the bite has got to turn sooner or later and in the mean time we will just keep on doing what we do. Like I tell guys all the time if you heard about it you missed it. I am hoping the warm weather turns them on.

I remember watching one of those cartoons were Hank & Boomhaugher bought some crack cocaine from a drug dealer that asked him if he wanted some bait and after they got the fish hooked on it the fishing was fantastic. There has to be something they can't say no to, it isn't like they are not there.

[Iambjm]

Just got back home, Walleye total 8 between 13-20 inches. Dropped a thirteen incher after I measured it and it fell down the hole. Last night and this morning I caught 2 perch that went 10 1/2 inches each. The perch were really slow on Friday, but picked up yesterday. Had fair luck on waxies, probably had around 20 yesterday though most were only 6 or 7 inchers. The guy in the shack next to me told me he had caught a 34 1/2" northern and a couple of walleyes. I think they left Friday morning so I didn't get another update. I think fishing is going to pick up with this nicer weather coming this week.

[Portavilla]

Whats this I see a glimmer of hope. I know I have posted some down right depression and like my kid said I guess I am kind of spoiled, ice fishing for 10 weeks a year on Red Lake can do that to you. Maybe it was the thin ice, lots of snow every weekend or just flasher frustration and being part of it with hundreds but the last couple of days has proved to be upbeat. Some big pike, some Walleyes, some nice Perch and even a few Crappies. Maybe it's the kids flying kites, the ice skating to the outhouse or just walking around in jeans and shirts.

Yeh it is all nice but I know what it is for me it's the sound of rattle reels at night and that was missing a lot this year and with the return of the rattle wheels spinning adding fish to the pale it's been smiles for me so I texted the boys and said it's time to come up. Speaking about being spoiled like he can talk.

[BigWhopper]

Chris - you said it! I don't mind gettin out and around in portables to hunt them - but what I learned to love about Red was the sound of the wheels at night! Hopefully sometime soon again!

[chaffmj]

Chris that's the news I have been waiting for. I can come up sleep all day, BBQ before sunset then go to work at night. I'll be doing pork loin on the grill if you want to stop by.

Anyone else going to be up this weekend? I'm coming up on Saturday and going home Tuesday. Let me know and we can swap fishing reports while we are up here.

[fisherman-andy]

Everyone seem so down and I guess it cant be helped.

I coming up there and staying at one of the 4 man sleepers with Portavilla with 2 other buddies this weekend. 1 Saturday night is all I get and im gonna start saying it now to make the best of it.

Men, we are gonna catch fish and we are gonna do it this weekend. I will go and get stuck in the snow and plow myself out if I have to find fish fish. Or maybe Portavilla be nice enough to plow me out instead.

Either way im just gonna go in this weekend with hopes up high and if I shall fail i'll just drink a beer to that and do better next time.

[Iambjm]

Chaff, I am heading up Thur. morning for my last stint as shack dog AKA mama dog. I am hoping to have as good a weekend if not better than last week. See ya there sometime this weekend.

[Portavilla]

Chaffmj,

Barb (aka) Momma dog told me your reputation as chef and master of the BBQ and already warned us of this possible infringement to her status as the top dog. We however have already informed her she has a free house when ever she wants one and is from her last vist grandfathered in.

We will however out of pure temptation indulge in your generous offer.

[MNfan]

Sorry lambjm but dont you alwys bring the cold fronts with you? Say its not true!!!!

[Iambjm]

Who, moi?

[chaffmj]

Chris I know better than to mess with Barb's status. i am also smart enough not to place any wagers on fishing with her.

Barb I'll stop in and get a fishing report from ya. Too bad that they picked this weekend for the B-side Bash huh. That is always a lot of fun.

fisherman-andy I'm staying in one of the 6 man with 5 other guys. It will be a good weekend with lots of fish. Stop by and we can swap fishing reports if you care to. We are bringing portables so if they aren't biting in the house we might be out searching for them. Chris can let you know which house we are in.