lake vermilion West End Fishing Reports

[Wakemup52]

For current Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports - Click Here.

I have been thinking it would be nice to have a thread for fishing reports specifically on the West End lake. Everyone knows that the east has more walleyes so it seems most of the reports are geared toward the east end. 

Not always, but it often seems The fishing report from the east vs west can be very different and I think a separate thread might help people (myself included) out who fish the west end. 

[SkunkedAgain]

I never was able to get out walleye fishing over Memorial Day weekend, but saw a lot more boats than usual.

[mulefarm]

Excellent idea!

[Wakemup52]

Also, please excuse the obvious spelling errors and formatting issues- I posted this thread on my phone, which wasn't wanting to cooperate.

[StillFishin']

Yes, good idea.  

Latest  from  Wolf bay is that my  buddy  manages to catch a 22" or so eye every night but only one.  Tonight he lost it!  It was not a good night for fishing as it was cold . 

[TrueNorth]

I used to catch a few early season eyes way back in Norwegian and Spring Bay.  Anyone have insight on larger pan fish on the west end?  We don't have the motor to go east but try to do a fish fry one evening during vacation.  

Thank you!

Edited June 1, 2016 by TrueNorth

[Wakemup52]

Usually I've found some decent panfish in black bay this time of year but I haven't gone after crappies or large sunnies yet.

[bassbouncer]

Got 4 after work last night. (2) 16", and 18-1/4, and a 20". All west end. Leech and a rig. Missed a few also.

[OhioVike]

The fishing has been great.  Primarily 14'-18' feet, sometimes 20'. Using a rig and minnows,  we have found them all over the place. Mud, rocks, weeds.  It seems to me the critical factor has been light. Transition periods, dawn, dusk, cloudy to sunny and sunny to cloudy seem to the trigger for more active fish.  Each of my guests left the weekend with there limit of nice keepers.

[Deet]

Can anyone post the water temps they're seeing lately?

[Wakemup52]

I saw anywhere from 59 to as high as 64 in some of the shallow bays on Monday with the sun.

Smallies were going decent for me this past weekend. Nothing huge but quite a few good numbers of fish. They seemed to be fairly scattered. My biggest was 17" and lots in the 14-16 range.

No walleyes to report for me yet, I'll try again this coming weekend.

[SkunkedAgain]

Black Bay was 64.5 degrees on Monday morning when I drove home. Using her "Frozen" kiddie pole, my 4 1/2 year old daughter hauled in a crappie and six nice panfish in the span of 15 minutes from our dock. There are lots of great panfish spots litered all over this lake. We are truly spoiled.

I didn't have luck with the smallmouth as I usually do this time of year from my dock, but I'll try again this weekend. I hooked into some nice northerns on the windward side of bays, just around turns and points. They were gobbling up my topwaters while looking for lunch.

Edited June 1, 2016 by SkunkedAgain

[CigarGuy]

Picked up 1/2 dozen crappies and sunfish each night over the long wknd in Black Bay.  No walleyes, usually this time of year I catch a few in the bay and also the channel-only caught 1 slot fish all wknd. 

[OhioVike]

Are there any projected dates for the Mayfly hatch?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

7 hours ago, OhioVike said:

Are there any projected dates for the Mayfly hatch?

The hatch of the big Hex mayflies is usually between the last week of June and the first week of July.

Cliff

[Wakemup52]

Headed up to Vermilion tonight, will post a report hopefully tomorrow. Good luck this weekend to all... Please wave if you see a guy in a green ranger on the West End hopelessly looking for walleyes this weekend 

[delcecchi]

Weather is sort of ugly.   Hope it moves on since camping is next, tents in quetico.

[bassbouncer]

Thursday evening caught 9 kept 3 decent eyes. Weather tonight is awful maybe tomorrow will be better??

[OhioVike]

I have heard several comments about Niles Bay point being hot. I made a short trip and marked only a couple of fish and found some aggressive perch that were a nuisance.  Has anybody worked this area?

[Wakemup52]

I fished a few points in Niles but no walleyes for me on a Jig and minnow or a lindy rig.

I am seeing a few more reports where leeches have been successful and may give that a shot. I am planning on timing on a lighted bobber and fish off the dock at the cabin this evening.

[Wakemup52]

Got out this afternoon for a few hours and the fishing was decent despite the cool weather. Brought in a dozen largies and half a dozen pike with one pike over 30". Biggest bass was just over 17". No smallies to speak of.

Water temps between 57-59, all fish caught on a spinner bait. Will do some walleye fishing on a slip bobber this evening.

 

 

 

[bassbouncer]

On June 3, 2016 at 10:45 PM, bassbouncer said:

Thursday evening caught 9 kept 3 decent eyes. Weather tonight is awful maybe tomorrow will be better??

Saturday evening caught 26", 22" 17.5", 12" west end with a buddy. Continual cold fronts and unsettled weather are making it a challenge. 

[Wakemup52]

Found a dozen smallies this morning on rocks adjacent to deep water. The largies were in pencil reeds. Looking forward to heading up again next weekend. 

 

Water temps today ticked up a bit with the sun to 59-61.

[Xplorer]

Coming up Friday with my 13 year old for the annual "out of school" trip.  He loves casting for bass so that is what we will be doing.  Smallies or Largies, does not matter at all to him, tho we do get into some very good smallie fishing up on Rainy and Namakan on camping trips in July and August so largies are pretty fun for him.  He got 4 last year and that made his day!

Last year we fished the bays from Oak Narrows up to Wolf Bay lodge, had lunch, and fished our way back.  

This year I am thinking of doing the same, but starting at Norwegian Point and working up to the end of the bay, stopping and doing a shore lunch of some type somewhere (any suggestions, since Life of Riley has no restuarant?) and then fishing our way back the other side of the bay til his casting arm is tired

Or would Black Bay be a better choice?  

Plan on putting in at either Wakemup campground landing for Norwegian bay, or next to the Landing for Black bay.

Any suggesttions/advice on these options is appreciated!!

 

 

 

[BartmanMN]

Here is a link to the shore lunch locations on the lake if you want to pack a lunch or grill out.
 I've been to one of them and it was a beautiful location.

http://www.sportsmensclublakevermilion.org/shore-lunch-sites/

 

 

[vermilionfox]

Xplorer Life Of Riley has breakfast served from 7:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M.

[Xplorer]

Thanks for the map, will pack a lunch and stop at one of those for a break.  Looks like I'll have to throw a tarp in the boat, may be a little wet at times.

LOR resort.....I saw that on their site but we'll be heading up from Cloquet at the break of 8am, so wont get to the lake til 9:30, so 10 is a bit early for lunch

Any help on Black Bay versus Norwegian Bay for bass tomorrow anyone?

Edited June 9, 2016 by Xplorer

[TrueNorth]

I like Norwegian better for LM Bass.  All the way back on the north side of both bays hold a ton of LM.  There are some down trees as well.   You can also find plenty of bass in Black Bay but I don't seem to find the ones larger than 17".   If you do try Black Bay, cast around the lily pads in the narrows just before entering Black Bay.  The bay around Windsock Island (~half way up Norwegian) also is some good water for bass and Northern.  Spring Bay holds a bunch of bass too and is a good area if the wind kicks up.  

[Sportland_Bait]

Anyone know if the sunfish are on beds yet?  Thinking about heading up next week.

 

Jason

[Xplorer]

Thanks TN!

Will post a report on how it goes!  We'll be in a 1850 black Tyee/175 Verado, if anyone is out stop and say hey, and we will let ya know how we're doing.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Xplorer