Portavilla Report

[MNfan]

Oh maybe its me!!!

[Portavilla]

Chaffjm,

It's the big house just as you drive into town. There's a pond on the ice just out back but your high and dry of course. We wouldn't want to mess with the BBQ. We will show ya the sites the Center Bar ruins, mikes rock, the mud flats and of course there will probally be a block party going on. Even with the cold front Barbs bringing in it should still be a good time.

[CC Rocks]

Chris I am heading back up tomorrow and should be on the lake around 9 am. I was the group that

"borrowed" your red cone when you and Jerry first plowed a road to the mud flat (DMZ) zone. Wanted to know if you could use your crystal ball and point us in the right direction.

Thanks,

[Portavilla]

I don't see why not

[Portavilla]

Well Barbs here and so is the cold front.

Things have changed quick tonight from swimming pools to skating rinks in hours. Rattle reels are still spinning at night as of today and we will see if this cold front shuts it down. The last few days was beautiful. The catch rate was better the last few days than most of the season except a couple of weeks and that's not saying much but put it together with the weather and it was sweet.

[chaffmj]

Should I bring my hockey skates?

Those rattle reels will be spinning come Saturday night.

Chris, how are the roads and with the snow melt and freeze up do you think it will be easier to get around. How about with an ATV?

[Portavilla]

The fishing has slowed a bit with the cold front but guys are still doing better than most days in January. The catch rate picked up with the warm weather that's for sure.

The kids came up to have supper with me yesterday as it was my birthday and kids girl friend got a taste of all mother nature has to offer, from 50 degrees to you guys are nuts all in a day.

A special thanks to one of our customers I was going to cancel supper plans to bank houses before it set up like concrete and he jumped in and said go I'll work with Bill. He sure did get a good taste of outfitting last night. Thanks and it's not always as bad as that!

[cookie129]

Well happy birthday neighbor.

i waited tell yesterday after the snow set up to bank 3 of the houses. I then chisled out idaho as that snow was rock hard. Old minnesota will be a big chore as She is bamked up pretty good. All in a days work I guess. It was nice to see evry house had some action last night and with only 8 days left I'm all ready starting to feel the sadness set in.

[Portavilla]

I here ya. I think next year I will take a seventh inning stretch and play a bit, eat some and tip a few. One can't help but feel a little ran over and then it's over and back to whatever.

[Portavilla]

The fishing has been great the catching has not been the best but they are getting some. It's been nice having my son up fishing and moving around some. I stopped by his shack and all the other outfitters were there I figured I had missed the memo. It was just the kid networking (beer drinking) and catching up on things. He even had over the elusive Danny B the outdoor authority giving him some heads up tips.

The kid is pretty spoiled but he brought it on himself by helping out most of the other outfitters over the years he just about has access to eighty shacks. He gave me a hard time about not hiring him to be up here and having him work in the cities. I told him the guys down there want him working there but thanks to the job offers from the other outfitters I may have to re-think that decision. There is no way indoors Danny is going to join up forces with outdoors Danny B, and by the way between me and John neither one of you would have any keys. You both have to much fun when your together.

[Iambjm]

Finished my last "shack dog" stint and I have to say I have had a wonderful time. Even though I drug another cold front along with me we did catch some fish and did see some nice northerns and walleyes on the old Aqua Vu. Final count for the weekend 8 walleyes caught, 1 released, missed several northerns,and have to admit the perch were very tight lipped. I can't thank Chris and Billy enough for giving me the opportunity to do this. Missed saying hi to Chaff, and I am sure there were other forum guys there too. Have a good time and smack them eyes!

[waterwarrior]

Well, happy belated birthday Chris. I would have told you in person if I would have known when I was there last week.

We just got back last night from LOTW. Your place along with that were just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks for setting us up and taking care of us on Red. We had a great time. The only thing that would have made it better is if the fish's clocks were switched. I think they slept during the day and ate at night. That didn't mesh real well with our clocks. I think we caught 8 fish after we crawled into our sleeping bags and only four when we were at the ready. Maybe that says something about our fishing skills.

It was fun watching your neice's house next door when they hooked into that 35 inch northern. You could here a shriek and the next thing you know all 3 of the kids were rolling out the door dragging the fish. They weren't quite sure how to handle it. It was a giggle.

Sorry for the long post. Take care. See you next winter.

Mike.

[fisherman-andy]

We up in the Portavilla 4 man sleeper over the past weekend and had a great time. We had arrived very early morning and decided to explore the lake. We came upon a somewhat plowed road about 2-3 miles out where our yellow FJ Cruiser almost got stuck in a slush hole which was pretty scary.

We caught 6 eater walleyes, 4 jumbo perch and release slot fish. The larger fish came from fiishing away from the crowds. Buckshots and lindy rattler produced the larger fish. Some of the eater walleyes came from plain red hook deadsticks and rattle wheels using fatheads at the sleeper.

The sleeper was cozy, nice and warm at the end of the night. It was a very short stay but well worth it. I'm pretty sure we would've easily limited out had we another night of stay. Looking forward to next year.

[hopeforfish]

Stayed with Mama Dog(Barb) this weekend. It was great to meet Chris, Billy and family. This was my first trip to Red and I had a blast. Came home with fish and a great fish story. I would love to come back next year maybe do a stint as a shack dog myself.

Hope

[Portavilla]

Not much different today catching a few and some of the guys going north on the Mud Flats doing a little better. One of our groups shared a tug of war with another of our groups. Seems that a overly aggressive 35" pike was in the middle with both crews playing the same fish it did provide a few laughs for the rest of us.

One of our guys went out and found himself a good spot worthy of another look. They have been coming up for years and have always been a lot of fun. I have the ability to be able to throw a few wise cracks and they are real good at it themselves. So tomorrow I am getting the guided trip, I'll eat some humble pie if it leads to more fish.

Bill and I have been bringing some houses to shore and only have 12 left on the lake. We have been having a little fun in the process as soon we will be back to our other life, the wife, the kids, the job and taking baths everyday. I have heard rumors that the world is going to he!! in a hand bag and the only thing I have considered is where are the fish. Here time has no meaning and what is going on in the world only goes as far as the bait man and our customers. The wife is coming up for her first time ever and that provides me my only worldly concern is I guess I will have to prematurely take a bath.

If I would of found this place when I was younger I probably would of Peter Paned.

[Portavilla]

Guys have been catching fish out running around and getting few in the houses and then there has been guys not getting much. The portable guys have been working it and topping off thier limits and a few nice pike have been caught. Other than that things are winding down as planned and Bill and I are brining houses into shore. Thursday night we will block off the reservation system and call it a year. The last few days have been fun and the groups have been a kick.

[chaffmj]

Was up Saturday thru Tuesday morning and had a great time. The fishing was slow for us. Some of that was us and some of that was the fish's fault. We had one guy that caught 17 fish and one that just got two.

The guys in the group that went out and fished away from the 6 man party shack did all right. They seemed to catch a couple wherever they setup. We had people out in the "mud flats" and other places and also tried in shallow at eight feet but we just couldn't seem to find the bite, In shallow it was kind of neat because the water was only 2 inches from the top of the hole and the ice wasn't that thick so it didn't take long to pull them up and out on to the floor.

I managed to catch a real fat 37 inch pike out of the home base. It took several runs, got tangled in 2 other lines, twice gave a tail wag that brought bubbles up the holes and really got my heart a pumping. I'll post some pics later when I get them.

Barb sorry I didn't make it over to see you. I thought you had left on Sunday.

Chris it was good to see you and chat and thanks for the efforts of you and Bill to make the trip a good one.

[Portavilla]

I have been posting that the fishing is slow but we still have guys getting them, mobility is key. When I tell guys that they come more prepared and everyone has more fun.

I will have to say that next year I may post that the fishing is awful, I even went as far this year as telling everyone one you would probably want to put a gun to your head. We still filled our houses and everyone came prepared and those that didn't couldn't say much other than you told me so. I look at it as going hunting with out bullets or going outside without boots instead we had guys that came up to have fun or they came up to get it done.

The year was about as tough as it gets but yet there was quite a few that were very successful, there was those that worked hard and found it tough and there were those that just had a good time. In the end we knew no other way to get the point across that this year you would have to work it a bit. The guys above as many others are proof of that.

We came into the season pretty much booked by repeat customers and didn't have to rattle the can with fish, fish and boiling with fish so we had the opportunity to state it as hard as it was because when your successful we are successful and that's even if it means you just came up to relax. I want to thank you all for another record year and may your future be blessed as we have been blessed with your limit everyday.

In the summer we build buildings in the winter we build memories.

Chris