Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports by Casey's Guide Service (Everything else too)

[Sculpin]

Just mention it as a matter of perspective.   

[10,000 Casts]

I don't personally keep fish but I think more people should keep those smaller fish. Those 12-13"ers seem to be dominating the catch the last couple years on the east end, those year classes are strong. And there's nothing wrong with a 2 man limit of 12-14'ers. Man... you guys are spoiled. And how do you know they didn't release a few slot fish that day? Jeez, a day in Casey's boat... on Vermilion... with a limit of fish. That sounds like a day worth a pic to me.

Edited June 14, 2016 by 10,000 Casts

[Casey Sunsdahl]

Boy thanks for the kind words, the fish in the stringer are all 14+ just skinny males. The ones on the board are 15-16.. Cliff is correct.. Pretty rare I keep a 13.5 or less and yes I measure them. Most the other fish I take pictures of are 21-24 or better. 

 

 

[Casey Sunsdahl]

Jay at at pike pay lodge took the stringer picture thought it would be cool. I knew different. Much like a fishing show, walleyes don't show well on camera until they are about 20"+.... A stringer on Lake Erie is much more impressive. Like I said they are 14+.. the guy on my left is like 6.5 ft tall his boy was a QB for WI

Sorry for sharing

Casey

[roony]

Seems like nearly everyone, including me, said it was ok to keep the small fish.  Kind of sensitive?

[delcecchi]

I was just teasing about the small ones.   After the big one pictures they did look pretty small. 

[Esox62]

Nice pics! Vermilion eaters any day of the week. Maybe mid summer when the boxes are full of 10 inchers ,then I am not stoked. But that's why now is the picture time. Unfortunately (but not bad really) those are picture worthy stringer fish for vermilion. I wish more of the guides used a keeper limit. Looks desperate filling a box with 10in and under walleye. Seems to me the ave size would go up if current year 10in were released. Next year they would be 14". 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Esox62,

I do not think that there is guide in the Lake Vermilion Guides League that would fill their live well with 10" and under walleyes!

All of us have set our minimal walleye size at 13 inches for years. Granted there may be a 12" in the live well on occasion  but I would bet it was hooked to deep and was kept as part of our limit rather then feeding it to the gulls of eagles.

Cliff

 

 

[redlabguy]

I agree. 13 is the unofficial minimum unless a 12-ish fish is hooked deep. Even then, gulls and Eagles have got to eat, too. If I kill it, I own it, no matter how small its part of my limit. Same with hunting- shoot a bird but can't find it, it's mine and counts in my limit.

RLG

[Esox62]

Hate to say it... But if this were the case there would be a lot more 15-16s around. That's an upper end keeper around here it seems. I used to work as a fish cleaner just a few years back and from what I understand almost every guides league member would take guys out at these events for the resort I worked at. The amount of 8" wall eyes I cleaned was disturbing... So I disagree

[Casey Sunsdahl]

I can't speak for what other guides do, I run a business independent of them. I quit doing shorelunch this year to try and set an example and have spoken out to the DNR input comitee members in support of a minimum length requirement. No I'm not sensitive either just sick of the digital age. Can't we have respectful conversation or relationships any longer?

[trolloni]

I agree on all points you just brought up ! Thanks for thinking of the free materials[ [fish] you guides make a living off of by foregoing shore lunches for a few extra bucks and respect for the resource .All  businesses  I know have to pay for the materials they use. No offense, but think about it ! Couple years ago at a dnr meeting in Tower  I mentioned the length limit to dnr guy  and was told , minimum length limits do not work, as soon as the fish gets that big its gone !As for respect , I'm sorry to say its gone ,you can see that just driving down the road, let alone trying to talk to people ,on here, or face to face !

[delcecchi]

Holy cow.  I make one little crack about a picture and it turns into a carp storm.   Sheesh.  Count me out. 

[DLD24]

Hey Casey do you do anything special to get the dorsal fin to stand up for pics on them big girls...I noticed quite a few of yours they are up.

[BartmanMN]

2 hours ago, DLD24 said:

Hey Casey do you do anything special to get the dorsal fin to stand up for pics on them big girls...I noticed quite a few of yours they are up.

Sometimes if you rub the back of your nail along the base of the dorsal fin near their spine it when get them to perk up.

[Casey Sunsdahl]

Rub the belly of course!

 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

1 hour ago, Casey Sunsdahl said:

Rub the belly of course!

 

[Klinger]

On 5/30/2016 at 8:04 PM, Casey Sunsdahl said:

Check out this dude! Maybe he will chime in.....

Fishing has been great! The catching too.

 

What a stud this guy is!   Must have been the great guide work that put him on this hog!   As always, good fishing with ya Captain!  My wife and daughter had a blast as well !

[outdoor1]

We are heading to Vermilion tomorrow and will be there for a week staying on the East end at Everett Bay.  Can you offer any advice on catching northerns?  We usually bass and walleye fish all week but may try something different for a day or two.  Thanks for any input you may be able to offer!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Everett Bay has plenty of pike.
 Also Stuntz Bay,Armstrong Bay, and Mud Creek Bay.

Spinner baits in white or yellow usually work great in the weeds.

Bass are everywhere in the rocks and close to docks.

Leeches under a bobber or cast almost any bass lure that you like into the shallows. Crayfish colors are usually best but white works well also.

Cliff

 

[outdoor1]

Thanks Cliff!!!!!!!!!