Black Bay - Lake Vermillion Ice Fishing

[chelsealarson]

We are taking an annual ice fishing trip to the Great Blue Heron Lodge in Cook, MN. The cabin is in Black Bay on Lake Vermillion. I've never been so I'm curious what the ice conditions are currently like? What is popular for fishing? I've heard crappies are popular in Black Bay. Is there anywhere near Black Bay good for tip-up fishing? Thanks for your help!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Black Bay is a mostly shallow bay with some good weed lines so it should be good for tip-up fishing for pike and maybe even a few walleyes  and jumbo perch early in the season.

It is a good crappie bay in the spring but you will probably need to find a deep hole out side of the bay for them in the winter. 30' plus depths! The walleyes should also be in those holes.

Set lines such as tip-ups or bobber rods with a plain hook with minnows work best.

Jigging spoons with a whole crappie minnow or just a minnow head work well also.

Cliff

[SkunkedAgain]

I know this is a bit late, but I've never had any luck fishing through the ice in Black Bay. I've tried several times over the past decade-plus and haven't had a nibble. I've never even seen another person fishing in the bay. Therefore I would follow Cliff's advice and head out further into the Partridge River towards the islands between HeadOLakes and Wakemup.

[CigarGuy]

I fished a couple different days over the past wknd on the Partridge River and only caught a couple of small pike and even smaller perch.  As others have said get out past the islands in deeper water.