Fishing Advice - Help! Staying at McKinley Park

[MN1429]

My Dad and I will be making our first trip to Lake Vermillion this weekend in over 20 years. We are going to be staying at McKinley Park, heading up late Thursday night and Fishing Friday and Sat. Would love some advice on good Walleye spots near the park. Also some advice on what to do. We have a small 14 foot boat, and we had just been plannin on trolling a rapala around. So as you can tell any and all advice, suggestions, comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and I cannot wait for the comments to start rolling in.

Jeremy

[Cliff Wagenbach]

MN1429,

McKinley Park Campground is a great spot!

Try trolling Rapalas or Shad Raps in the Seven Sisters area, the Pike Bay Narrows and around Raspberry Island. All of these spots are good walleye areas and are close enough that you should have no problem in your smaller boat.

Cliff

[MN1429]

Cliff,

I was reading through these posts while I was waiting for the site to allow me to post, and I see that you have posted for many many people. I also see that you are a guide, I find it awesome that you will advice to people even though thats what you do for a living. Thank you so much!

Now if you dont mind, can I ask a few more questions:

Any special colors working better than others?

What about size of the Rapalas, I have several F-7's are those too small, should I get a could of F-9?

As for shad, what ones do I want to pick up, deep divers, jointed, or a combo of each?

What times of day are better?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I want my dad and I to hve a awesome time with the hopes of coming back.

Thanks again, Jeremy

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Jeremy,

F-7 and F-9 floating Raps in Firetiger,bright gold, perch, rainbow minnow, and silver have all been good on certain days.

The same colors & sizes for the Shads except that you may want to get a couple of clown colors in the Shads. You may also want to get a few that dive to around 17 feet for the 20 ft. flats by Seven Sisters.

Early and late day are the best times unless there is a stiff wind and waves, if so, you may be able to catch fish all day.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

[MN1429]

CLiff,

thanks again for the good advice! We really appreciate it, and we are looking forward to some good fishing!

Where would the best spot in town be to get a good map of the lake with depths, etc. Since we dont have a depth finder?

Thanks

[DaveSorensen]

Jeremy,

Stop in at our store Vermilion Fuel and Food, we have several different maps that have the contours and locations. Also if you are looking for a GPS in the near future, the Ifinder H20 with the lake map chip for minnesota has the contours for Vermilion along with the locations of various markers on the lake.

Good luck on your trip, stop in the store and ask for either myself (Dave) or Steve, we can show you the different maps.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Vermilion Fuel and Food is the place to go!

They have everything you will need for your fishing trip!

Cliff

[MN1429]

Cliff,

A few posts ago, you had mentioned the wind and waves. I was reading over your advice and I am sort of stumped. Are you saying that if its windy and there are waves then fishing will be great all day, or the other way around?

If its windy, are there places that are better than others?

Also thanks for the tip about getting the maps, we will make sure and stop in there!

Where is the best place in town to get a burger and a cold beer?

Jeremy

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Jeremy,

The walleyes may bite all day if you fish in the wind.

Both spots that I mentioned earlier apply here.

The Good-Old-Days in Tower for great burgers!!

Cliff

[MN1429]

anyone, :-)

What is the proper way to set up a Lindy Rig, with all the beads, snell, etc. anyone who would be willing to share that info would be greatly appreciated!

Jeremy

[fishmobile]

Jeremy - If you really want to have a great time not only catching fish but learning how and where to fish on Vermilion, I would strongly suggest you book a day with Cliff. You and your dad will have a blast and you can use the info gained from fishing with him to go back out and try it yourself. You will find that it is money well spent and Cliff is a great guy to boot. I did that on my last trip up there and had a great time.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Standard Lindy Rig:

1. Slide a 3/8 oz. to 1/2 oz. egg sinker onto your main line.

2. Tie on a barrell swivel.

3. Tie on a 8# to 10# test mono leader that is around 3 feet long.

4. Tie a #4 to #2 bait hook onto the leader.

Add bait of your choice and commence to whack the walleyes!

Cliff

[fishmarket]

Cliff, I noticed you said an egg sinker...do you think this style of sinker makes a difference compared to a walking style sinker or other kinds??

[Cliff Wagenbach]

No. But it is the easiest one to use for most beginners.

I use bell sinkers on all of my rigs.

Cliff

[MN1429]

Happy Monday to all and back to work!

I will give a brief breakdown of the weekend fishing! We arrived early on Friday morning, and headed out fishing. We trolled out of McKinley Park, down towards Pike Bay and Through the Narrows comtinuing toward Everetts Bay. No fish were biting there, so we headed toward Seven Sisters, trolled through that area with no fish, we then just enjoyed the warm sunshine sitting in the boat and trolling random places. We back to the campground set up camp and took a nap. 4 pm headed back out, and trolled the shoreline from McKinley park toward Everetts bay, finally caught some fish, although of course the fish we caught were in the slot, one really nice 26"er :-) Saturday morning it was ideal conditions were walleyes, we again trolled the same area and hooked into a few smaller fish, decided to throw everything back and just see how many we could catch, we ended up with 5 10-13" and 2 18". Overall a GREAT experience, and we are definitely coming back again. And I think I will take the advice a book one day with Cliff, so we can learn the lake a lot better.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice, and we stopped in at Vermilion Food and Fuel Early on Friday, but Dave was not working, oh well still got our maps! Thanks again

Jeremy

[vermilionwally]

How deep were you trolling and what were you using?

[MN1429]

WalleyeWally,

We were trolling in 10-15 ft and using Rapalas. I had the best luck with a new color called Hot Steel! My Dad on the other hand had his best luck with Black/Silver and Blue/Silver.

Cliff,

What are your ratesd for guided fishing? also you mentioned Clown Colors in Shad Raps, what the heck is a Clown Color, I went to a few bail camps and they had no idea of what a Clown Color was. Thanks again

[vermilionwally]

hmm, i over looked the floating rapalas out in big bay. I used medium diving tail dancers close to shore and a deep diving tail dancer out in 20-25 feet. I will have to try my floaters next sunday when im up again . I always likes the # 9 bright orange. I saw somebody fishing with downriggers out on big bay but i talked to one of them later and they didnt have any luck either.

[MN1429]

Do you like your new knickname that I gave you? "Walleye Wally"

Whats the story with people fishing near the rocks in from on that huge white house on Cherry Island? Anyone know?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

If they were casting they were after muskie. If they were bobber fishing they were after walleyes.

I saw them there also a few times. Must be a good spot because I have seen boats there quite a few times before.

Cliff

[Cliff Wagenbach]

MN1429,

Check out my website for my guiding rates.

The clown color is basicly a white & chartuse body with a red head.

Cliff

[vermilionwally]

I do like that new nickname . First i will have to figure out how to catch myself a walleye though . I also saw a boat fishing by that white house, although i was pretty far away it looked like the were casting to me.

[vermilionwally]

Alright i picked myself up one of those new size 9 rapalas in hot steel so i will try it out next week and see how it works. How many split shots did you put on out there to get it down to the fish?

[mrwalleye_13]

So has anyone ever tried rollin number 5 raps with planer boards? or w/o them and just far enough out where they are effectively at the right depth? I have never tried it on verm but ran into that technique out on devils lake... it just seems as if it might work out on verm... cliff?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I do not use planer boards but do not know why it would not work!

I have caught lots of walleyes on Raps over the years.

Cliff

[vermilionwally]

# 5 raps. I always thought those were a little small for the fish on vermilion. I like size 9 for all my raps. My grandpa used a size 5 last year though and got a couple walleyes and perch and a muskie though

[vermilionwally]

Well im heading up now until thursday so i will post a detailed report on how i do when I get back thursday night

[mrwalleye_13]

I just fell in love with 5's we got 3rd in devils lake tournament with the help of that little guy... so i know they are not too small, all of our fish were between 4 and 8 pounds those can eat most of the typical vermillion fish... 5-7-9 they are all great for different situations..

[Rodbldr4fun]

Mike,

How far out do you run your boards? Have you tried shad raps with boards? I know a guy who does well with bottom bouncers with spinners and worms behind boards. I have boards and have used them for trout. Intend to try walleyes, especially on clear lakes.

[MN1429]

Walleye Wally,

Did you ever have any luck with the Hot Steel Raps?

How is the bite right now? Are they deep? We are thinking about heading up for a few hours this Saturday, any hot spots anyone?

Cliff, We checked out your site and my Dad and I and a couple friends are going to book you for a day, look for a email or a phone call from us in the near future! Thanks again