DUFFY'S Sleeper Rental on Upper Red Lake

[Johnny_Magellan]

Well, me and 3 other guys just got back from the worst sleeper rental experience of all time. First off,we're all fisherman and aren't expecting the world. But when Duffy promises over the phone to "have us on the fish or move us" we kind of expect to maybe catch a few from the permanent we're in. Nope-not the case.

We weer told by his crew we'd have a generator set up shortly after arriving Friday night-never saw it and Tim eventually spilled it that they only had one between all of their houses. No biggie-we still have a deep cycle. Wrong, the one they had in the house never got swapped out by the group of losers he's got working for him. So, if we wouldn't have brought our own-we wouldn't have had light.

On that note, the regulator for the furnace froze up Saturday night. Called Duffy just after midnight to tell him we're out of heat. No answer-left a message. No call back and nobody showed. WE HAD TO USE OUR OWN BUDDY HEATERS IN THE HOUSE WITH OUR LP FOR HEAT!

The day house we were promised never materialized until late Sunday morning when the crew's buddies finally left their free stays in the other houses that weren't rented.

Junk chairs, no out house by our sleeper, no heat, no light-all to the tune of 400 bucks. Gee, thanks Duffy.

The clown actually had the nerve to say I was picky when I finally got a hold of him this morning.

If it wouldn't have been for the decent fishing on Center we had in our portables, the weekend would have been a loss. Thank God we brought them so we could get on fish-even though Duffy claimed to have us "right on the spot".

Again, it's not that we didn't catch jack in the sleeper-no biggie. But absolutely no customer service, and a collection of junk that either didn't work or didn't show up as promised. We will never use him again. I wish I'd have heard other people's stories with his service before we wasted our money.

From the way other guides and people talked while we were up there, this is no shocker that we had this experience.

Seriously guys, try another outfit.

Glow green buckshot and pink and white demons/frostees were what worked for us on Center. Biggest was a 22", and had plenty of keepers just under 17".

[PikeBayCommanche]

Sounds like a horrible outfit.

Good thing we know there are quality outfits like Portavilla and JonnyP and Kelly that people can feel safe in knowing that they will have good customer service.

[Stringerless!]

Not good. It is hard to believe the customer service-customer relations that take place today! I know if I owned a business of ANY kind these things would NEVER take place ! These fools must not realize the amount of ppl that can be influenced in a short time via the net. Thanks for your report. I will take your word for it and never use them.

[Johnny_Magellan]

No problem.

Like I said, I wished I'd have heard more about them before we booked through them. I would have rather waited another week for a spot in a better outfit to open up.

We've gone through Hillman's with good success before too, PBC.

Seems like we bottomed out with Duffy's.

[shaky legs2]

You should go back in the archives and check out the outfitters that were on the lake during the crappie days and received good reports back from their customers. The number of outfitters on the lake has exploded. Back when the crappie boom first started the only place on the north side was Hudec's (now Beacon Harbor) Hillmans, and Waskish Minnow Station. After West Wind Resteraunt was built, a number of outfitters operated out of their road and to the south was Rogers. Places like Benzamatic and Mort's offered access to the lake but to the best of my recollection did not have houses but I could be wrong.

A lot of people are trying to cash in on the Walleye resurgence on Red but some of them are like the people who came up after the crappies were done - Too little, Too late. I would stick to people who live up there and depend on making their living from the lake as they will treat you right. That's not to say that there aren't some new outfitters who are tying to do things the right way but you can't go wrong with the ones who have been there a number of years and are still in business.

[masterpuppet]

Johnny, we were up there as well this last weekend. Where were your houses? We were 3.1 miles out in a green one? We used duffy as well but a little diff exprince. let me know

[Portavilla]

Jonny and Duffy work off of different road systems. I will bring this thread to Jerry's attention. I know Duffy's daughter had her baby this weekend and I do not even know if he was here. He does have guys that help him out but I do not know much about their operation. I will talk to him and see if he responds to the complaint.

[greenhead4u]

I would report his operation to the Better Business Bureau. Then take him to small claims court. A full refund may change your mind but it doesnt help the next guy get screwed. This reminds me of dealing with a used car salesman.

[Johnny_Magellan]

MP and Chris, yep that was us in the green shack all by itself.

I doubt if you'll hear anything positive,as I called him this morning to see what his story was. Before I could even start he ripped into me for being "picky" and said I was the worst client he ever had.

I couldn't believe it. All we expected was some of the things he promised.-Generator, be on the fish or moved, a day house that both him and his crew promised but didn't show til we left, heat, lights, customer service.

I too heard he was out of town this weekend. If that's the case, he should leave someone in charge to take care of his paying guests.

The reports he had of his people stopping by were [PoorWordUsage]. They stopped by 3 times while we were out there and didn't deliver on anything.

Again-we're only fishermen and didn't plan on being "catered" to. We had the portables with, thankfully, and planned on fishing hard. He just shouldn't make claims about rolling out the red carpet just to leave them to fend for themselves after 4 bills. No heat and a dead deep cycle were the kickers.

Chris, your houses looked nice, new and well kept. You probably even had an outhouse or two? More than I can say from Duffy.

It definitely sounds like I should have shopped around a little more.

BJ and Buddy have always gone out of their way to make sure their guests are good. Again, more than I can say about Duffy's crew.

[DTro]

I realize there may be 2 sides to every story, but no power and no heat would upset me quite a bit. What if you wouldn't have been prepared?

Basically it sounds like you rented 4 walls and a roof.

[Stcloudangler]

Yeah, there are times when our group hasn't brought that kind of stuff up, boy I guess we have been lucky. You never know and you are really at the mercy of "outfitters" sometimes.

[Walleyehooker]

When it comes to ice fishing and esspecially rentals it pays to check around and get references.Everyone has different equiptment and not one outfit operates the same.I had a small issue with Portavilla last year but they took care of the small issue and apoligized.They were also on there toes when I came back this year.Stuff happens sometimes but they are good outfitters and I will use them again.Most outfitters try hard to make sure you have a good time and if they dont they wont be around long.Ive never even heard of Duffys,apparently a good thing.

[leech~~]

Hey, look at the bright side! At least they kept their customers "alive" to pay their bill!

[Abndoc]

Thanks for the warning, I'm planning on going up there next year...one outfitter of my list!!

[Northlander]

He would have never got my $ I can tel you that! He could have taken me to small claims and lost!

[traveler]

No doubt they payed when they arrived...sad. But it'll come back to bite 'em in the a$$.

[Johnny_Magellan]

Yep. Had to pay as soon as we got there. Would have been a much cheaper stay if we would waited til we left to pay. Especially seeing how nothing he promised actually happened.

[bluewater2]

Your stay sounded the same as ares, except our house wasnt even ready when we got there. Had to be one of the coldest weekends we've ever fished (40to 50 below windshield) everthing else the same but we didnt have a buddy heater. We left in the morning 4 am no heat. payed for three nights stayed one. Couldnt get a hold of anyone to complain. Chalk it up to a lesson learned. But it looks like PortAvilla is doing much better now, then back on the first or second year they started.