Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Lake Vermilion Fishing Report by Cliff's Guide Service


Recommended Posts

Lake Vermilion, 9/4/11

The walleye bite on the East end has continued to improve the past week!

Many of our walleyes are being caught along rock to sand transitions on the main lake shorelines and larger island shorelines. 12' to 30' depths are all proving productive depending upon the time of day. The bite has been an all day bite in many areas!

I am still using mostly a 30" Lindy with a float and 1/2 crawler. A couple of days I have also done well by using a pike sucker on these rigs.

The fall bite appears to be rapidly approaching now that the water temperatures are starting to drop. 67 degrees in Big Bay this morning.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 118
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Cliff Wagenbach

    52

  • james_walleye

    5

  • airnuts

    5

  • redlabguy

    4

I struggled to put nice fish in the boat yesterday. Caught about 8 eyes but all about 11". I fished some spots where the graph was loaded up and couldn't get them to go. I also had a bunch of big marks in the open basin in 17-20' anywhere from on bottom to 4' up. We threw out boards and tried cranking them but nothing at all doing that. Didn't fish today. Boat went on the trailer this morning. Lots of projects to do. I suppose today was better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

James,

Today was a good bite but tough fishing in that wind!

Boated 15 eyes, clients kept 8 nice ones and released 3 slot fish, largest being 20-1/2 inches.

All were caught on a floater with 1/2 crawler. 16' to 21' of water.

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Cliff! Thanks again for Sunday morning. Dad and I had a great time fishing with you. That wind was rather brutal. Walleye dinner was very tasty. grin Jason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jason,

Thank you!

Fun day even with the wind!

The next day was not as much fun! We only boated one small walleye!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lake Vermilion, 9?10/11

The walleye bite has been very steady this week as well as the Small Mouth Bass bite.

We are catching walleye limits on most morning using bait rigs in 16' to 26' of water. 1/2 crawler or minnows are both working well on these rigs.

I have also caught a few walleyes using 1/4 oz. jigs with the same baits.

Trolling spinners and crank baits is also working well in the shallow bays such as Pike Bay.

The bass are hitting Pike sucker on a short bait rig on top of the shallower reefs readily!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The walleye bite has been very good this week.

We boated 23 today with 11 of them in the slot! 8 were over 20 inches with the largest being 23-1/2 inches. Kept 10 very nice fish.

Caught them on bait rigs and jigs using 1/2 crawler and pike suckers as bait. 19' to 30' deep.

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree Cliff. Bite was solid all week when I was up there. Hard to fish very long..kept filling my possession limit too quick. 14-20' with bait rigs and/or spinners. Didn't mind not fishing too long anyway, that wind was brutal. Did you fish big bay on Monday? Just curious what it was like with that wind. Can't wait to get back up there Sunday for another week!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I"ve got lots of leeches left from sprinp fishing and would like to use them up and cacth some fish on them. Tt seems like 1/2 crawler is the hot tictet now and I'd suspect minnows wil be the bait of choise as the water cools off.

So what do you thing of using leechs for the nect few weeks for 'eyes? And sunnies? I usually do well with leechs in easly to mid season but please let me know what you think about using leeches now?

StillFishin'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great job, Cliff! What a fantastic day! I know you're a "below 17 man" due to the need for clients to be able to eat the fish that they catch shocked BUT!, you have to admit, hooking up those slot fish puts a whole new dimension to walleye fishing. There is nothing that I enjoy more than catching BIG walleyes! I watched you from about a mile away. If I would have known what you were catching, I would have meandered over wink. Just kidding laugh. I hope your clients appreciated what they did.......

Good Fishing,

MarkB smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

StillFishin,

It may be at least worth a try using the leeches for walleyes. you never know what will work until you try it!

The sunnies will probably still hit them!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Cliff. I figured it might be both. Hoping we have a good fall bite going! The wind and rain will blow us in tomorrow night.

RLG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lake Vermilion, 9/26/11

The fall walleye bite is progressing very well now.

Current water temperatures have been in the mid-50s all week.

Walleyes can be found in many of their traditional fall locations as well as in many of their early spring locations.

We have been catching walleyes and a few jumbo perch at depths ranging from 10 feet to 36 feet deep.

Lots of slot fish and very nice sized keepers being caught.

All of our fish this week have been caught using a bait rig with a pike sucker as bait.

Not to many fish bunching up yet in the deeper holes. That should occur in a couple of weeks if the water temperature keeps dropping.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like its been pretty slow up there the last couple of days. I was hoping you had a different report Cliff. Had any luck?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chaunceye,

The bite has been a real challenge on most days so far this fall! Seems like most spots hold a fish or two that are willing to bite then I have to move to the next spot to get another bite.

I am still doing my best using pike suckers on a 3' to 5' lindy, #2 hook, and a 3/4 oz. sinker.

As soon as I feel any type of a bite I have been feeding the fish line for at least a count of 10, then tighten up the line slowly, if the fish is still there I then set the hook and hope for the best!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Lake Vermilion, 12/03/11

Finally got out on the ice this evening with Chaffi and my friend Scott.

Went out from McKinley park at around 2:00pm and fished until around 5:00pm.

We went out as far as the end of the broken ice, about 500 yards or so,and set up in around 14-1/2 feet of water.

The bite did not start until around 3:30pm for us, or I should say for Scott! He Iced 5 walleyes with 4 of them being very nice keepers! I missed one good hit and caught 1 small cigar. Chaffi iced zero!

Funny how one guy can do so well and he only 50' away and the others get skunked! Still was great to get out again!

We had around 6" of ice in the broken up area and 4" of ice in the clear smooth area that we fished. Saw a couple of brave soles out as far as Ely Island. Also a couple of ATVs on the broken ice area.

We used rattle spoons and a dead stick most of the time.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did well last night in 12 feet of water off McKinley park landing. The bite was late and short but fun while it lasted. Tip ups were our best luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chaff,

Anytime!

I tried the other area that I mentioned the next morning and only iced two very small ones there.

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Cliff for having Greg and I out to the house, we did very well, and I mean very well. right after you left all heck broke loose, Greg had a really good time, I kept saying 15 more minutes and were gone, I must have repeated that 6 times. All in all it was a blast. A couple of beers, and a few venison polish and good fishing, it does not get much better than that.

Thanks again. Darrell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been out fishing several times the past week with moderate to great fishing each time. Ice was 11" where we have been and is nice, dark & solid. Most of our fish came on plain hooks with either a chub or small sucker. I did have pretty good luck with a gold forage minnow on a few occcasions. A few big hogs on out there too, the one in the pic was 24". Seems like 17-23'is the ticket. Now is a great time to hit the lake, walking or with a wheeler. I have some great rates on cabins now too starting at $25 per person/per night. Thanks- Erik

BayView Lodge

218-753-2500

www.bayviewlodge.com

Find us on facebook "Bay View Lodge"

full-34587-14854-049.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lake Vermilion, 12/12/11

The past week has had a fantastic walleye bite for me and many other ice fishermen!

There have been walleyes caught in depths that range from 10 feet to 32 feet all over the East End of the lake.

The prime times have been early morning and late afternoon but the mid-day bite has been very good on many days also.

I have been having my best luck using pike suckers on my rattle reels and small chubs or rainbows on my jigs. The bite has been about 50/50 as to which works better.

Many slot fish being caught along with a lot of the upper end keeper fish.

Ice depth has been ranging around 9 inches to 11 inches in the areas that I have been fishing. That being said, be very careful out there as the ice is very unpredictable this winter and there are a lot of dangerous pressure ridges popping up all over the lake!

Saturday I pulled out one of my wheeled houses through an area that had a couple of ice heaves at around 11:00 am, I returned using the same route at 5:00 pm and drove my ATV right into a 20 foot wide lead that had opened up between the ice heaves!

I was very lucky that I was prepared for just such an occurrence because I was wearing Arctic Armor,(which acts like a life preserver), and I had ice picks in my coat pocket to assist me in getting back onto the very slick ice! NEVER trust any ice fully!

Good fishing and stay safe out there!

Cliff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Casey. Yep thats him, Brian Zac. He's in here all the time.

Cliff sorry to hear about your swim...mabye you, Casey, Dave and Phil should get a team together for the United Way Polar Plunge this year. Its on Feb 25th out here grin Sorry couldn't resist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally had some luck catching eyes on Vermilion this weekend. In 2½ days of fishing I iced 21 walleyes, with 3 in the slot. The largest was 24" (5#, 2oz). Only 4 of the fish were smaller than 14". I don't understand how I can catch only 2 walleyes all summer running all over the lake, then catch 21 in 3 days of ice fishing in a 4 foot area. Dumb luck I guess. Caught most on rainbows, the rest on suckers. White glow jigs. 18 feet of water. full-28432-14873-img_3245.jpg

full-28432-14874-img_3244.jpg

full-28432-14875-img_3242.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      well.........i'll be back up june 10th to the 16th. the 10-11-12th i'll be there by myself!!!!!🤗   i'd even be OK with meeting at a neutral place and go to the lake blindfolded!!!!!!!! 😊🤣   leech...he is over there.........just forgets about us FM  rejects!!!!!!!🤪
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Good fishing this week with nice numbers of walleyes and saugers.   A jig and frozen emerald shiner again this week is the go to presentation for walleyes.  Rainbows and fatheads are also working and it is nice to see what the fish want each day.   Various areas across the south shore are holding fish.  Most walleyes and saugers are being caught in 17 - 24' of water.  Anglers are anchoring up and vertical jigging. A quarter ounce jig in gold, glow white, pink, orange, chartreuse, or a combo of these colors tipped with a minnow worked well again.  Pound the bottom, jig it up in the strike zone, hold.  Trying shaking the jig and lifting it off of the bottom.  Any kind of weight will be a fish hanging.  Set the hook! A mixed bag while fishing walleyes include pike, jumbo perch and a few crappies.  On the Rainy River...  Some nice walleyes caught  this week on the river in 10 - 15' of water.  Typical spots such as holes, current breaks, weed edges and rocky areas all can hold fish.  There are 42 miles of navigable waters from the mouth of the river all the way to Birchdale.    Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is closed until the keep season starts up again July 1st.   The river holds good numbers of smallmouth bass for those interested in bronzebacks.  A lot of bass are caught by unsuspecting walleye anglers. Up at the NW Angle...  A great week of fishing.  As typical with guests staying at the Angle, some fish MN waters, some slide over into Ontario waters.  Both areas are producing.     Points, neck down areas and bays with warming water have been holding walleyes.  With warming waters, fish are in transition and there are lots of fish.   The goto presentation is a jig and minnow.  Gold, glow white, pink and orange are good colors.  
    • Kettle
      I don't fish any secret lakes. I research the lakes on the DNR website with good walleye numbers. I spent a lot of time learning side imaging. I'll scan for an hour or two if need be to find the fish. Nothing crazy for techniques. Either pitching a jig or back trolling with lindy rigs. If either of you two ever want to go let me know 
    • leech~~
      Smurfy, you know where that Kettle guy fishes?  Might have to sneak over there! 🤫
    • smurfy
      nice fish bud!!!!!!!!👍 i was up last week and we had over 2 inches of rain.........but really helped the lakes!!!!!!!!!!
    • Kettle
      So much rain these past few weeks. I only seem to get days off post cold front. Made the most of it recently. Water Temps still in the 50s. Not sure the crappies have even spawned, definitely not the bluegills. Walleye still really shallow   
    • Dash 1
      Took my dad out Sunday afternoon SW of St Cloud. Spot Locked in 8-9 ft on weed edge.  Caught several crappie and sunfish in just the one spot.  Also caught several 3 inch bass.  Pesky little things. Both crappie and sunfish  had eggs. I expected the crappie to be done, as I know sunfish need warmer water yet.  Temp on locator was 65. First fresh fish since last fall. Very tasty. 
    • MikeG3Boat
      Had 58 in big bay on Monday morning
    • PSU
      Where is the best place on the lake to buy rainbow minnows for good size and value? 
    • PSU
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.