Favorite Aspect of Lake Vermilion

[SkunkedAgain]

Spring is here and everything is coming to life again, so I decided to post a fluff thread. Tell me what you like the most about the Lake Vermilion (besides the fishing of course):

Me...I like the geography. It feels like I'm connected to 100 lakes, each one unique.

[SledNeck]

The nightlife is good in winter and its a good starting point for sledding trips.

[stick]

I love the Canadian shield style granite ringed lake. The majestic-ness of the lake and expanse is awesome. The scenery is always great...not to mention the logging and mining history. I love fishing it for the variety and quantity/quality it offers. If someone zooms in on you, there are plenty of other places to go and get out of the crowds. I have a real good friend with a cabin on it and get a chance to get there a few times a year normally. We've been going up since we were kids. Lots of great memories.

In my opinion it doesn't get much better than the Big V!

[LundExplorer]

Ya Stick & I go way back.

My favorite aspect of the lake is night slip bobber fishing off our dock with a cold beer at my side.

It ranks right up there with sitting out on the lake at midnight, -20F, listening to ice being made.

[Bassboy1645]

I love the Islands and the peacful nights out there..Many a night weve camped on muskrat channel and listened to the loons while laying on the rock and gazing at stars and northenern lights.

[slick814]

to be honest... my favorite aspect is that it's "home" for me... being originally from that area, family having a cabin forever on Pike Bay, I grew up there and some of my favorite memories are wrapped around Lake Vermilion. I know that when I was in the military, I never really felt like I had made it home until I was in the boat running through the narrows towards the big part or the lake. Didn't even need to fish that day, just be on the water.....

[BrianLucky13]

How about big muskies and fishing out of a boat when its snowing in October!!! Doesn't get any better than that!!!

[mnwild]

I fell in love with this lake about 5 years ago and have been going up ever since. I love the wildlife you see while you are fishing. There was one time we were going after Walleyes along this shoreline and I looked up and there must of been about 6 deer just staring at us, thought that was cool. You also see alot of Bald Eagles flying around picking up dead fish on the lake, just an awesome atmosphere. The one thing I want to see thou is a bear along the shoeline, that would make my day.

[shamrock7]

This is a nice thread. Make those of us that live here step back a maybe appreciate what's in our backyard a little more. We take for granted the sitting on the dock watching the northern lights or listening to those &%#*& noisy loons. (Just kidding) If we miss it one night, we can catch the show the next time around where others may only be able to enjoy our backward once or twice a year.

[caribou01]

Coming to Vermillion and experiencing the fishing ,views, smells and sounds of the North woods is a family tradition that my Grandfather and father started and now I have been coming for over 20 years. Gramps has since passed, but the memories made on Vermillion will last forever. Soon I will be taking my 2 boys up for the annual trip and can't wait.

[fwp]

Funny how if we grow up here we take things for granted. After an 8plus stint in the Navy and a lot of my time spent in California I so appreciated what we have here. I was so fortunate to have been able to work and retire here. Whether I have clients in my boat or I am taking a "day off" and going fishing I feel so lucky to have the big "V" in my back yard to share her majestic stature.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have lived on Vermilion since 1957 and spent around 5 years away after high school. I absolutely could not stand being away from the Tower area and Lake Vermilion so I moved back and have been here ever since!

I have been very lucky in that I found a good job and have been able to stay here.

Every morning when I get out onto the lake at sunrise I just cannot get enough of the smell and feel of being back on the water!

Cliff

[lkvrmln-NilesBay]

Lake Vermilion and family memories go hand in hand. We have come to the lake for over 35 years...stayed with the folks at the Dam for many summers and walleye openers. Now my brother and I both have cabins on the west end. We are truly blessed to have buckets of memories of being at the lake. To fish with my sons, grandkids...and our 82 year old dad...Heaven is going to have to be amazing to be better than this.

[WCT]

I first fished Lake Vermillion in the late fifties, my uncle had a place on Birch Point, I think his sons still have it. I have many great memories of the lake, the best one I think is of catching several really nice smallies out of the pool below the old log flume next to the Trout Lake portage. I don't get to the lake anymore but I still think of it often, especially when I come across a thread like this one. Old Sneller

[PHONEJACK]

I've been fortunate enough to have fished Vermillion off and on since the 60's. The scenery is magnificent and if you want a different look just move to another bay. Sitting around the campfires at night with the smell of birch burning, telling stories, and don't forget waddling out of the VC Club after attempting to down a Bamboozler pizza!

PJ

[Cliff Wagenbach]

PJ,

Welcome to FM and the Vermilion Forum!

Cliff

[esoxguy]

The time I get to spend with my family and friends away from the pressure of the city on a great lake. While I love to fish I truly enjoy exploring the many bays and islands on the lake and spending time on the water (hard or soft).

[KOTTKE]

My favorite used to be deer hunting and watching the crew from mocc. point try to make one more trip back in befor the ice was too thick, or watching the neighbor with his home made air boat trying to make it across the thin ice. Or just trying to get our own butts out befor we got froze in.

[Steve Foss]

I haven't spent 40 years on V. I don't live there, nor do I have a cabin there or a favorite campground. I live in Ely, which is on the edge of God's country. I've lived up here for only four years.

But, you know, I find myself heading over to V more and more. It's only about 20 miles from my door to the East Bay. And, while I can find more peace and the same views and sense of nature in the BWCAW, the reason I keep coming back to V is the wide variety of fish I can catch, and trophy fish at that.

It's not too many lakes where you can have a stab at a 50-lb musky, 12 lb walleye, 6-7 lb smallmouth or largemouth, 16-inch crappie, 11 inch sunny, 25 lb northern . . . you get the idea. Oh, almost forgot. Those rusty crayfish put up quite a tussle on ultralight gear.

Plus, if I'm out musky fishing and the 'skies are dead as a doornail, I can bounce a jig/minnow off the bottom in deeper water and expect walleyes and smallies to smack it.

Now, if only V had LAKE TROUT, then it would be perfect. But perfection is too much to ask of any lake, or any fisherman.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Steve,

I have heard a couple of reports of a lake trout being caught in Vermilion! True too I believe!

Cliff

[Steve Foss]

GPS coordinates, please!

[blue_healer_guy]

Some of you will laugh at this one, but Polley's Resort. Some of the most interesting people there I have ever met!

[garytheguide]

if they laugh...they do not know....tod is a very good friend of mine and a great person as was his mom and dad.....he has helped me thru some very hard times without any kind of strings....he is probably the best friend i have ever made on the lake....there are many good people that live there....and very honest and true folks...DO NOT listen to rumor or speculation....he cares about the lake and tourism as much as anybody....and he could sell his place for mega bucks ....but he WILL not.........very ,very good place and people............we that really know...do not laugh....we rejoice ...if you will........i can say for sure that he is a true friend and not even close to being aback stabbing sun of a buck ...like most others around here....i know that sounds harsh....but believe me....very true..........i was myself going to say that was what i liked about our great area ....and a beer is very cheap!!!!3 for five...or a 150 a piece......get it?..........so yes .if they laugh too bad for them!!!!!!!!!!!

[garytheguide]

and just to add...i will be living there in a couple of days from now.........so is it more reason to laugh????? all of who judge....and do not know??be more proud to say you were at polleys than most others....and there are great other places.....but do not judge my friend....TOD,,,,because he cares more than the rest...so thank you for bringing up polleys....the truth is right there to be seen.....most of the rest is not!!!lets go set the dam hook!!!!!!

[PSU]

Waking up very early on the opener...waiting for JKrash to board his boat..discreetly following JKrash to his secret spots...waiting for JKrash to get frustrated and leave....pulling in JKrash's spot and catching all of his fish....

Looking forward to the opener everyone!

[husker4u9899]

My thoughts on every reason stated why we all love being there. IN ADDITION AND TO ME ALMOST AS IMPROTANT, NO MORE IMPORTANT, AS THE SCENRY, FISHING ETC. MY CELL PHONE DOESN'T WORK, MY WIRELSS LAP TOP(THAT I'M REQUIRED TO TAKE WITH ME WHERE EVER I GO) DOESN'T CONNECT

[SledNeck]

My cell phone works all over Vermilion and even in the North Arm of Trout Lake.

[Wellesy]

Among many other great aspects, the sunsets are awesome.

[bturck]

I made several trips in the late 80's and stayed at Muskego Point Resort. The scenery, the peace and quite were unbelievalbe. this is truly god's country. On my last trip up in 1990 I caught a very nice walleye, 7 1/2#. when I got to the dock Grant Hughes met me and along with congrats and all that type of thing he also gave me an education as to releasing fish of this size. He did not force me into it, just a nice discussion on the value of releasing a fish of this size. He put it in a screen cage off the dock and told ne to think about it. The next morning when I was getting ready to leave I met Grant on the dock with a camera. As he took the fish out of the cage and released it with my ok, I took several pictures. She swam through the covered dock area and then back out into the lake. That was 17 years ago and I can still see that fish swimming under the docks. It was a tremendous feeling for sure, and to this day CPR is on the top of my list. Not only did I get the chance to see some of the finest scenery in Minnesota and fish a most beautiful lake, but become much more aware of conservation through the eyes of Mr Grant Hughes. I will never forget it. Have a great opener everybody. Bill Turck, St Cloud

[AK_MAN]

You guys are making me home sick, I transplanted my self to alaska 23 years ago. I miss the bait, runs selling leaches to Bills Bait in Tower. Then fishing V and the run back to the west central prarie that night. Can't wait to get back.