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Posted

I finally got out on the ice this afternoon after checking the ice in a couple of areas.

I found around 6 inches of ice out from Mckinley Park and 7 inches to 9 inches in the area that I fished.

I got set up in about 14 feet of water at 2:30pm and fished until 5:00pm.

My first fish was a fat 23-1/2 inch walleye caught at 3:30pm! The bite was steady until 5:00pm. I iced 7 walleyes and 5 perch. Kept 3 walleyes and 4 fat jumbos.

Pike suckers,fatheads, and rainbows all got hits.

The best bite was on the rattle reel.

Cliff

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Posted

Nice Job Cliff!! Did you have any company out there or were you the first of the year to find them?

Posted

No one even close to me! But, there are others out there also.

The walleyes are biting well.

We iced 5 walleyes and 10 jumbos this evening!

Cliff

Posted

grin

Time for DNR freezer checks!!

grin

Have fun but do Be safe Sir Cliff.

Keep on rocken!

T

Posted

Made it out also and had 6-7 in where I was. Fished 2-5 they are biting for sure. Landed 6 missed as many and watched them com in and look quite regularly. Fat 26in was my biggest

Posted

I fished out from McKinley Park Wednesday and Thursday and had 8½" of ice. Caught only 5 eyes (15", 14", 13", 11" and 10"). Took the snowmobile out to Birch Island on Friday (9½" of ice) and did not catch a thing. Had only two bites in 33 feet of water.

Posted

Dec, 4

Drove my truck out to my fish house today! 13 inches of good ice where I am at!

The walleye and perch bite is still going strong.

14 to 16 feet of water using jigs and rattle reels baited with rainbows is still working best. Shiners are a good second bait choice also.

Cliff

Posted

Cliff,

How much snow do you have up there in God's country?

Posted

Not much. A couple inches, tops.

Posted

Only about 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ice.

Very good travel conditions!

Cliff

Posted

Hi Cliff any idea about ice conditions out of Glenwood Lodge?

Posted

I have not been up in that area but think that there is probably at least 12 inches of ice there by now.

Cliff

Posted

About 7" ice on the Partridge River. Fish must be out in the main lake smile

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

The big girls are eating, but I'm still hungry. Caught 17 walleyes over 3½ days on Vermilion; 6 slotters (19-21"), 9 dinks (10-13") and only 2 eaters (14-15"). I got so desperate for a fish meal that I even kept a couple of "poor-man" walleyes (11-12" perch). It was fun catching the big girls (including double 20-inchers pictured), but I would have traded a couple of them for some 16-17 inchers (I had one up to the hole before it spit the hook out). Fished in 26 FOW. Rainbows were best at the beginning, suckers were good in the middle, and today large shiners were the best. 8:30-10:30 was the best bite. no bites from 12:00-2:30. Not much of an evening bite until last night at 4:30 when I missed two good bites, got the double 20-inchers and a 14". full-28432-51840-21inclose.jpg

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Posted

Nice job JL! I'm quickly becoming an expert on the west end eliminating fishy looking spots! If you guy's want to know where the fish aren't...just ask me grin. Tried 3 spots today, only a few small perch and a 30" pike. Ice varied from 7" to 11". Any of you guy's the one's we saw on one of the points going into Head O Lakes Bay? Were going deeper tomorrow. I'm on my seasonal lay-off, so my retired neighbor and I will keep looking for a keeper walleye!

Posted

Hey guys. Just curious if there is a walleye decent night bite on vermilion?. I live in two harbors and would love to do an overnight if it's worth the time cost and effort. If it isn't i can change plans. Thanks

Posted

I have never had much of a night bite on Vermilion. Not to say that it does not happen on a rare occasion!

Cliff

Posted

Thanks cliff.

Posted

Any Update on ice conditions? I will probably be up there sometime after Christmas. Staying in Greenwood Bay as usual and don't travel too far from home in the winter.

Posted

Ice conditions and travel are mostly very good.

I just got home from checking in the Big Bay area and found 15" to 16" of ice out as far as Potato Island. Very little snow on the ice now.

Saw one pressure ridge that was about 8" high out by Potato.

Lots of truck on the ice out from McKinley Park.

Cliff

Posted

Had another good trip on Vermilion. In 2½ days, I caught 13 walleyes (including the 26" and 21" slotters pictured), 3 perch (10-13"), and a 26" northern. I caught the 7" walleye immediately after the 26". It is fun watching the fish come up through the clear ice. Best bite was from 9:30-noon and 3:30-4:30. Had 11" of ice on the north side of big bay. The lake is still covered with a 1" layer of snow, but turns to slush where previously driven over.

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Posted

Nice fish JL. Would you mind sharing what depth and bait worked best for you?

Posted

I was fishing in 27 fow, 12" off the bottom. Best action was on a flat glow white jig head with a shiner. Caught a few fish on pike suckers on a small red jig head (which I lost in the 26" northern). I think I caught only one fish on rainbows.

Posted

Anyone have any current ice/snow updates? I am leaving for the cabin in the morning and it would be great to know if we can drive the truck across Big Bay to the Mud Creek area. If we can't that means less stuff since we have to transport it all by snowmobile.

Thanks

Posted

I have no clue about Big Bay but where I was on a small bay there was over a foot of ice, no slush, and only an inch or so of compressed snow. The travel conditions are excellent for both snowmobiles and ATVs

Posted

53,

There should be plenty of ice up to Mud Creek.

Only about 2" of snow and 16" of ice on the North side of Ely Is. a few days ago.

Cliff

Posted

Fishing slowed down for me this week. Caught only 3 fish Monday (13" & 11" walleyes and the 21" northern pictured), 8 fish Tuesday (15", 12", 11", and 9" walleyes and four 11-13" perch), and got skunked Wednesday. Wish I had kept some of the perch to get a full meal. The northern had one of its gills hanging out as seen in the pictures, but seemed to be very healthy as I released it. On Wednesday I couldn't fish in my normal 27" FOW spot due to the high wind, so I ended up in only 18 FOW and didn't mark a fish all day. I did have a good bite at sunset that I missed, and then missed another bite 30 minutes later as I was picking up. Maybe this is an evening bite spot, but I had enough for the week and had to head home. I had only 12" of ice in my normal spot, but had 18" of ice in Wednesday's spot only 200 yards away. full-28432-52080-dsc00767.jpg

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Posted

grin

Looks from photos an reading these posts you both have had nice relaxing times, a few fun fish an peace an quiet.

Good stuff.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Keep on Rocken!

Tommy

Posted

Travel conditions have changed on Vermilion this week. We got around 8" to 10" of new slow that is blowing and drifting now.

Still able to get around with my truck but it will be hard traveling with ATV's now.

Great for snowmobiles on the lake and trails though!

I moved to a rock reef last week that topped out at 26' and have had a good walleye bite in the mornings and evenings on the Rattle Reels baited with pike suckers. Also caught one 32" pike an eel pout, and a couple of jumbos.

Very cold here this week also! Averaging around -20 most mornings!

Cliff

Posted

What about an ATV running front and rear chains, think it would work okay?

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Ok the ice was 15-16 inches and less than 2 inches of snow. It’s was -15 this morning and the weekend looks to be cold again. The fish were there but not biting with change in weather. 
    • Dash 1
      I guess the vikings are a lot like fishing.  Very entertaining but frustrating at times. I've probably been cheering the vikings for 50 plus years  that i can remember and once again it's all about (there's always next year).  
    • Dash 1
      I remember Jeno's boxed pizza years ago.  Mom made it every Saturday night while dad and I watched All Star Wrestling.  
    • smurfy
      Chef boyardee box pizza. Good stuff 
    • smurfy
    • leech~~
      Smurf, still trying to get his lure jigging down when using the camera!  🤭   https://www.facebook.com/reel/517510734635573
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.      Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.     It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.      Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.     Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.     On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.     Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.   On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.   Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.     Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.    Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.     Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.   The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.   Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.  
    • Brianf.
      From your fingertips to God's ears...  Finally got some snow!   Several inches of new snow fell before and during the weekend.  Sunday eve when we left, the high winds had already begun to create some drifting on the lake.  It was fun riding for sure.  Lots of folks on the lake this past weekend too.  We fueled up the sleds at Shamrock and saw as many people fishing in that area as I've ever seen in the Winter on Lake Vermilion.     Our weekend results were decent.  Jeff and I and a buddy caught probably 50 walleyes between the three of us, mostly fishing a jig/plastics with our three biggest being 24", 25", and 25.5".  We also got one large pike of unknown length.  During the midday on Sunday, we targeted whitefish and Jeff managed one big one.  We released all of our fish, except for three small walleyes that our buddy wanted to bring home for a meal.  Definitely a fun weekend on Lake V!   
    • leech~~
      The Vikings are the Vikings so it's nothing new.  It is kind of sad that Darnold's off season stock is now going to drop like a rock after these last two games. It kind of shows he's not a big game guy.  🤔
    • smurfy
      I'm blaming leech... his food selection has been lacking game days recently  🤣
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