Storing a Portable in the Garage

[Big A]

I realize there is plenty of fishing left to be done via my portable. But I am beginning to wonder what would be the best way to store it at the end of the season so I dont end up with 90 billion rodent holes ..

We all have portables and we all store them for the summer.

How do you guys/gals store your portables over the summer, and how do you keep the mice out?

[BigWadeS]

moth balls and dryer sheets and elevated off the floor has worked for me so far

[Jaspernuts]

Put in up in garage rafters if you can!

[thorski]

Make sure the inside is cleaned out first (no food left to attract mice, etc.) Then I do the same as BigWadeS. Seems to work.

[blackdog1101]

I stand mine up on end, lift it up onto a cinder block, and then bungee cord it to two eye bolts in the garage wall. Keeps it away from rodents and moisture.

[NWBuck]

moth balls and dryer sheets and elevated off the floor has worked for me so far

Ditto for me...minus the moth balls. I just use a few dryer sheets 'cause I can't stand the moth ball smell. I would also recommend a trip to the car wash to power spray all the crud out before drying and storing away. Has worked well for me so far.

[opsirc]

I always took the canvas off of mind and store it in a sealed container up off the floor. The tub I hang from the rafters just to keep it out of the way. This years I think I will leave the cover on and just hang the hole thing from the rafters.

[ozzie]

I built a shelf that hangs down from the rafters and I put both the portables on it.....I also wash out the tub and let it dry before I put it on the self....I have not had a problem with mice for the 6 years I have owned a portable....(knock on wood) I also have covers for the portables not sure if this helps but I would say it doesn't hurt!!

[redtrucks]

RacorPro Heavy Lift and throw in some Fresh Cab to keep the mice out.

[BartmanMN]

What Redtruck said. Racor Pro HeavyLift Storage Rack is the best. Spendy, but very nice.

[jwhjr]

Racor Lift for me too.

[McGurk]

I have heard that "oil of peppermint" works, too. Not peppermint extract, though, it has to be the oil. Have I bought it and tried it? No, but it sounds more appealing than motthballs. I have also heard dryer sheets have both worked and not worked, though. Is there a specific brand that might work better than others?

[jigging-matt]

I built a shelf with block and tackle. i put my Voyeager on the shelf and lift it to the ceiling of the garage. No critters and is out of the way for the summer.

[Iceboy]

I take my cover off and bring it in the house, and just leave my sled on a big piece of cardboard in the garage. Works for me.

[Gissert]

I have been doing this for over a decade, and I have not had one moth/rodent hole.

Set the house up, and put a heater in it as if you were fishing.

Crank up the heat, and get the canvas good and dry.

Next, put it in a large rubbermaid container that has the top that has an audible 'click' when it is secure.

Dryer sheets inside wont hurt, but I have never used them.

[ChuckN]

I used some large lag/eyelet bolts, screw them into the ceiling joists in the garage.

Take some heavy rope through the tow pins on the sled and bolts, and secure my Otter Lodge into the air in the corner of the garage.

Take the seat out, place a bungee cord across the frame to reduce gravity pressure on the poles, and put the travel cover on it.

Been doing this for years without a problem.

[Nutty Fisherman]

I put mine in my hardside house. No problems of mice in there.

[Big A]

So are we talking used dryer sheets? New Dryer sheets?

Spose it doesnt matter...

I hear mothballs smell pretty strong. Any problems airing out the canvas after the winter storage?

[Sandmannd]

moth balls and dryer sheets and elevated off the floor has worked for me so far

This is what I do and keep mine in the shed. Haven't had any problems yet.

[zamboni]

I put my pop up camper in the garage, and for now it is sitting on top of that, come ice out, it will be in the basement.

[Phred52]

I got tired of 'treating' my house every spring. Now, in about 8 minutes, I take the tent off my Yukon and store it in my home. It takes about 15 minutes to put it back on in the fall, and...I never have to worry about rodent holes!! Now the only thing the mice get to see is the tub in the garage rafters. Phred52

[311Hemi]

I store my Otter resort hanging from the ceiling. 4 j-hooks and two ropes with hooks on one end and a pulley on the other and I can put it up and lower it myself in a matter of a coupe minutes. The ropes came with the pulley lock, found them in the strap isle at Fleet Farm. It was cheap and has worked fine for a number of years now. I only store it up there during open water season.

[Dozer]

I store my Otter resort hanging from the ceiling. 4 j-hooks and two ropes with hooks on one end and a pulley on the other and I can put it up and lower it myself in a matter of a coupe minutes. The ropes came with the pulley lock, found them in the strap isle at Fleet Farm. It was cheap and has worked fine for a number of years now. I only store it up there during open water season.

Who ever sheet rocked your garage put the sheets in the wrong way! They even lined up the seams!

[311Hemi]

Who ever sheet rocked your garage put the sheets in the wrong way! They even lined up the seams!

Tell me about it. The previous home owners did that one.

I don't want to pull it down to redo it because it's sprayed insulation. Not sure I could put up another layer of sheet rock? Either way...whatever the fix is it's not high on my list right now.

[B-man715]

So are we talking used dryer sheets? New Dryer sheets?

Spose it doesnt matter...

I hear mothballs smell pretty strong. Any problems airing out the canvas after the winter storage?

I would suggest new dryer sheets, simply because it is the fragrance that deters the mice. A few bucks a year keeps your house rodent free and leaves it smelling like roses in the spring Very cheap insurance.