2010 Vermilion Muskies

[delcecchi]

I should have known I would get a bunch of replies from high IQ donkeys.

:-)

No shame in admitting that you haven't got a clue either.

[stutzeyes]

Just got back from a week on the big V, WOW, I have never seen so many MUSKIES, The rocks are loaded with giants, 5,6,or 7 fish on each pile just suning themselves. You gotta keep pounding them they will bite, Between 3 of us we each got 2 skies, 2 46'', 2 42'', 2 40''. the guys i fished with a true muskie fisherman, I go to catch eyeballs, but it seems like I have to show them how to get them in the boat. after seeing all these giants schooled up on the rocks and just lookig at the gaint lures them 2 use. I got in the boat with #5 mepps, smack 2 fish in about 50 casts. Then 1 of the guys whos never landed a ski, puts on a mepps, bang 2 fish in half hour. I always tell these guys little baits get more bites!!!! if you want to know where we fished i will tell you. rock piles north and south of the bridge in Daisy Bay, Banana Island. We found these fish last wed. and they were on the rocks every time we checked. What an awsome Muskie lake. the bad thing was we could only fish about 5 hours total a day due to kids want to tube, swim, if we could have really fished you never know!!

[caseymcq]

Two of us were out yesterday (Friday, July 17th). The fish were definitely active. We boat two dinky guys (30 - 32") Had a bunch more follow up and a few more hit. One of the follows was decent (40+) and one was a big mutha (50+).

The big un did something that just blew me away. The guy I was fishing with cast up to what he thought was a rock, until his lure hit the water and the "rock" swirled. The fish followed his bucktail back to the boat. About three quarters of the way to the boat the fish stuck its head out of the water, mouth to eyes, and swam towards the boat. I kid you not. What in the world was that big mamma doing? Blowin' the guy a kiss? Checkin' out my sweet ride?

Has anyone else seen any behavior like this?

[Capt.Blaine]

Last year I saw one swimming around on top of a reef doing the same thing. Wish I would have picked up the video camera. I casted buy it and it dove back down. Just the back of gills to the tail was under the water.

[Silver Scale]

I've seen this behavior quite a few times. Swimming around with there head out of the water, both day and night. No one seems to know why they do it. Speculation is gulping air for flotation or help in digestion, ridding gills of parasites, etc. I think they just want to see who they are going to give the fin to...

[Steve Foss]

I've seen this behavior quite a few times. Swimming around with there head out of the water, both day and night. No one seems to know why they do it. Speculation is gulping air for flotation or help in digestion, ridding gills of parasites, etc. I think they just want to see who they are going to give the fin to...

Ya see, I like that explanation. We get so caught up wondering "why." I just think it's cool that they do things we don't understand.

[Stizo]

Quote:

We get so caught up wondering "why." I just think it's cool that they do things we don't understand.

I agree Steve.

There's a cool video of a muskie doing this on u tube. Just search head-up muskie.

Stizo

[caseymcq]

Ya see, I like that explanation. We get so caught up wondering "why." I just think it's cool that they do things we don't understand.

I'm an ecologist... it's ingrained.

[delcecchi]

I'm an ecologist... it's ingrained.

Just remember what Buck Perry said... "A fish has a brain the size of a pea and never had an original thought in its life" or something like that.

I think we give fish way to much credit for intelligence, although it is a good excuse. I do wonder if they forget stuff over winter.

[Capt. Quicksteel]

Stutzeyes, You solved a puzzle for us. All year we've been saying there are fewer musky fishermen out here. Then you mentioned the rocks by the bridge in Daisy Bay. I happened to go by there on Saturday and between the bridge and the reef there were 5 boats casting like crazy! If I had known it was this easy to draw guys away from my part of the lake with one little comment like that, I would have started doing it years ago! I think I'll post a new spot every Thursday so it's the last thing they see before they head up....

[Silver Scale]

Internet = Information or misinformation highway. Funny how many people follow that road.....

[urban cowboy]

This is for anyone.... Took a ride this evening, and saw several boatloads of musky fisherfolk out practically in the middle of wakemup narrows, pretty much straight out from the Dayton place. They were just sitting there, casting away in the blazing, setting sun.

Does anyone have a clue what drew them to that particular location? Besides random hope of catching a fish of course.

I seen the same thing. Fished the bays in that area last week and didnt see a fish. I dont know why they where out in the middle, I didnt understand it either.

[Esox_Magnum]

First fish I saw on V just poked it head out and swam part way around the boat and then left. Seen it many times here at home and still no idea why they do it.

[urban cowboy]

Esox Magnum,

If you dont mind, where do you do the majority of your fishing in Iowa?

Any info would be apprecieated.

[urban cowboy]

Never mind... I found a couple sites with your mug on em.

[Esox_Magnum]

Most my times on West Okoboji, it's easy and close. Not an easy lake but rewarding once in awhile....

[Vermilion_figure_8]

Heading up for some skis....any word on fish activity? I have a buddy up there currently and hes been seeing some fish, but nothing crazy, he boated a few but no giants so far.

[stephendawg]

Just returned from Vermilion on Sunday. Had a fast start with a cpr 46incher. Didn't see another fish follow in my "known" spots until Thursday night. Friday morning I cpr'd a fat 35in pike and a 44.5in musky. All three fish were caught on a double10 over weeds. I know some dandy fish were caught last week including a monster 57incher (released) but in general, the mid-week bite was very slow. Enjoy your time on the water. It's too beautiful up there to not look around when you're fishing for your next trophy.

Good luck!

[Foreverfish1]

Those fish are absolute PIGS!

Congrats stephendawg!

Now I'm even more pumped for my trip in a few weeks if that's even possible. I'd be happy with one half the size of yours!

[Steve Foss]

Sweet fish and excellent pics, Stephen. Thanks for sharing the report and pics with us!

[Esox_Magnum]

Saw pics of a 57,55 and 53 caught this week, I can't wait for the 20th to get here.

[Vermilion_figure_8]

Just got back, had some real good action at times, other times it was slow, here are a few fish that my partner caught, a healthy 46" and one of those Vermilion Giants...a 56" that was released, lost another that was in the 50+ range, but saw lots of big girls.

Just wait for the feeding windows

Timmy

[reinhard1]

those fish are awesome. great pics. good luck.

[Bob Schultz]

Great fish pictures Stephendawg and Niles bay,

Hey Stephendawg tell me about that sweatshirt----I have been looking for a good Vermilion sweatshirt with something Musky related on it---Any chance you could tell me exactly what your shirt says and where I could buy one--and the cost please.

Thanks in advance

[DTro]

By one of those pictures, I'm wondering if that shirt says "Muskego" and not "Muskie".

[MarkB]

Great pictures and great fish! But what I really like about the pictures is the

beat to %#@t 1990's vintage 25hp Johnson motor that must surely go with a matching boat. All summer, I watch BIG expensive mortgages (I mean boats) with monster motors racing from buoy to buoy fishing for musky. On another blog, a guy asked if the boat he had just ordered had everything he needed. He was concerned because he was right at his $60,000 budget!!!! I find the young man with the old equipment getting the job done absolutely hilarious. The only thing that could make it better is if he used an old $1.19 Daredevil as his "lure of choice". Great job young man, you made my day!

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[DTro]

Great pictures and great fish! But what I really like about the pictures is the

beat to %#@t 1990's vintage 25hp Johnson motor that must surely go with a matching boat.

MarkB

+1

[Vermilion_figure_8]

Haha yea the old Johnson/Lund combo has been putting big fish in the boat for a few years now. Do not quite have the funds for those big rigs everyone else has. But im glad I was good for a few laughs, if ya see me out there feel free to stop by and say hi.....if you can catch me

Timmy

[trolloni]

Thats no 90s johnson try 76 i had one keep er tuned, and good gas ,itll probably out live most of us!

[stephendawg]

The sweatshirt is a Muskego Point sweatshirt. It's probably overpriced but we stay there almost every year so it's a keepsake (kinda). Joe and Jenny are excellent hosts and our family has been staying there off and on since the mid-seventies. Grant and Judy built a very nice reputation for the resort when they bought it back in the early days.

Good luck fishing!

It's an amazing lake.