2021 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[Walleyed_Trout]

Got back from a week on Big V from the 3rd to the 9th. I've never worn shorts on the lake during this time, even last year when it was warmer than normal but I did this year when we hit 84 for a high one day! So the weather was pretty warm until the end of the trip. Our fishing well we didn't have as much success as years past. The bites seem pretty light. Occationally they'd thump it, but the first walleye for the wife was caught because she decided to reel in and check her bait! Basically it was 2 maybe 3 quality fish in the 14-16" range per day, with a couple of missed fish sprinkled in. Caught a couple slot fish shallow 7' 8' and most of the 14-16" in 13' of water using Rainbows and 6' lindys with floating jighead. Our usual evening spot from last year was pretty slow this year but we did start to see some mayflys on the water when it was warm. I will say the quality of fish was better this year, not nearly as many 11" cigars but we didn't have any days were we just hammered'em. So we had a rough go of it but our "neighbors" renting the place next to us went out with Cliff one day and he said they boated 27 walleyes! So there are walleyes to be caught we just didn't find'em as easily. We'll back next year if not sooner.

[delcecchi]

The hatch can be frustrating, but I've also had some tremendous hauls right during the peak of the mayfly hatch. Two years ago I outfished my buddy 15-4 using jigs and leaches fishing shoulder-to-shoulder. IMO - the hatch is an excuse (albeit a good one) used for not catching fish during those times. Obviously the fish are hungry so finding the right presentation and enticement is the answer!

I think the problem is that the fish are not in the usual spots doing the usual things so you can't catch them in the usual manner.

Don't mayflies hatch out of the mud? And then swim to the surface? I bet there are walleye swimming around over the mud eating all those slow moving juicy mayfly larvae heading for the surface.

So, a jig and leech or a twister tail or maybe even a husky jerk out in the middle of nowhere might get interesting. Just a guess.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

There have been a couple of big hatches on Pike Bay this week.

Saw a few Mayflys popping to the surface in Big Bay today!

Hopefully the main lake hatch is a couple of weeks off!

Cliff

[MarkB]

Great report Mark--

A quick question---about the only way I can talk the wife into fishing is if we troll----Hence my question....

What type of crankbaits do you recommend and how deep are you running them and what speed?

Also---Did you decide to get a reproduction of your trophy Walleye yet?

Bob:

I'm the wrong guy to ask about crank baits for walleyes The only time I use crankbaits is early spring in shallow bays. I use a 7 floating Rapala in silver/black, gold/black, or blue depending on the overcast. The bays I fish have a maximum depth of 8' and I usually vary the speed between 1.5mph and 2mph. The problem I have is northerns inhaling the small Rapala. It has been deadly on walleyes in the past.

I will not be getting a reproduction of the big walleye. I used to get everything mounted from stone sheep to grizzly bears. These days a nice picture is all I'll ever need .

Since I'm here, I'll comment on the todays fishing. We are entertaining relatives this week and, so, we fished on a day that my wife and I would have, most likely, passed on.(pretty windy for our small boat)We tried a new reef today and caught them early in 32' and ended the day in 20'-25' right on top of the rocks! We caught several walleyes including ~ half of them slot fish with the biggest 23.5"(9 between 20"-23.5"). I'm embarassed to admit that I had to "borrow" rainbows from my cousin. It's all they would hit! So, the transition from rainbows to leeches has been temporarily put on hold .

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[Uncle Boney]

Been on the West End since Saturday without much success. Nice smallmouth action.

Similar to last year........often it is hard to even find perch or bluegill to bit, let alone walleye. Got a couple of walleye in 10' water on crawlers in the evening.

We are not the best anglers, so any help would be appreciated.

Saw Doug Knoer come in with a batch of walleye, so they are out there somewhere.

[SkunkedAgain]

That's why Doug is a good guy to hire during the "non-opener" times.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

That's why Doug is a good guy to hire during the "non-opener" times.

Doug has been fishing the East end mostly for walleyes lately!

Cliff

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Lake Vermilion, 6/16/11

The walleye bite has been steadily improving on the East end this week despite much nasty weather and winds!

The pre-Mayfly hatch bite is in full swing!

There are active walleyes on almost every spot that I have fished this week!

There has been a big migration of walleyes to the reefs and rocky points the last few days.

The walleyes are hitting crawlers and minnows well when used on bait rigs. A 3' to 6' leader with a size #4 hook of any color has been my go to, as usual.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

26 feet to 42 feet depths are where many of my fish are being caught this week.

[Northlander]

Cliff do you ever pull slow death hooks during the may fly hatch up there?

[james_walleye]

Funny.....the same question was running through my head.....

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Steve,

I have tried the slow death hooks a few times but have not noticed any advantages over a crawler that is hooked normally, (other then a lot more twisted leaders)!

I have found that wacky worm hooked crawlers will catch many more walleyes at times!

Cliff

[muskie-mike]

Can't seem to find any walleye biters in the Frazer bay Fectos area. See fish on the graph at 26 to 36 feet but no takers. Any ideas..........

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Try a bait rig. Use crawlers, minnows and leeches until you find out which one that they want.

Move very slowly as they do not want to chase their food very hard yet.

Cliff

[Uncle Boney]

Got slot fish on a bobber today, not much wind, used a super jumbo leech and let them take it for quite a while.

[Klinger]

Had a great time fishing with Cliff on Thursday. Caught 15 Walleye with my wife and sister in law and what a great guide with a great sense of humor to boot!! I learned more about using and reading my electronics in 4 hrs than a lifetime.

Thanks again Cliff.

Tight lines everyone !!

[ImaTeacher]

Just returned from 3 days of power fishing the west end up in Norwegian Bay past Twin Islands and north.

Walleye: 2-4 MPH on the trolling motor while back trolling a standard Lindy rig, with 1/2 ounce walker, silver spinner and a crawler harness. Most fish were caught from 8:30-9:30 pm, while trolling 9-15 feet of water. 15 total fish were boated in 2 nights of which two were in the slot, the rest were 15-16 inches.

Pike: Managed several pike. The two largest (32, 30) were caught with a sucker set-up in 9 feet of water. The other five (under 22) were caught while crappie fishing.

Crappies: We caught 15 crappies while pitching small white Johnson Beetle Spins in the typical weedy bays throughout the day. very SLOW retrieve, 7-9 feet of water. Also lost several Beetle spins via the Pike.

Bass: Not much of a bass guy, but the 2 we caught were on a slip bobber and a leech.

Bluegill: Pretty much a locate and catch operation. Bobber and wax worms.

Enjoyed the trip, see you next year!!

[Finnish Flash]

In the past two days have we caught 21 walleyes trolling rapalas in Pike Bay, the largest walleye was 19.5 inches. A few small ones that were mixed in with a bass or two, but we did manage to keep 9 that were between 13 and 15.5 inches. Every fish we cleaned was full of mayflies, but they still must have liked the old sivler and black or the the blue and silver over a mayfly. If I were a fish I would eat a piece of wood (with hooks) vs. a bug! It's all good....

[trolloni]

Wow Flash that sounds good !still smsckin raps in pike bay huh?what a fun and easy way to fish, but there are tricks to it .

[supermono]

Just returned from a week on the West End.

Water temps: Surface : 64-67.5 degrees.

10 feet: 61-62

20 feet: 59-60

Weather: Partly Sunny. Upper 60’s low 70’s.

Weeds seem very behind from last year, this time.

Bass: Smallmouth were very active on sunny days. 2 feet to 8 feet along rocky boulder laced shorelines.

Spoke with some guys who did very well up in Black with top water Largemouth. When the smallmouth were really turned on, I switched to a Rebel Pop-R and a Hula popper. I caught some of my largest smallmouth on top water. What a blast !

Walleye: I caught a number in 9-15 FOW. Sand bottom. Overcast days. Not much into Walleye fishing though. The ones I caught were drifting Rainbows a foot or two off the bottom. Most in the slot. Largest 27 inches.

Pike: Seemed after the water temp was warmed by the sun for a few hours, they became active. Mornings in the weedy bays produced very little action. The same bay at 3 pm and a degree higher in temp, the action was steady. Caught most of them on Black Bucktails and 5 inch rubber swim baits at a fast speed.

Muskie: I caught two smaller < 40 inchers. Both on top water lures trying to get a bass. The viciousness of the attacks was worth the price of admission. Made 9,999 casts with different Bucktails and swim baits with no luck. Had a couple follows in 10 foot bays with growing weeds.

Had a great time. Lake was beautiful as usual. If you like top water action, don’t let the cooler temps stop you. The fish sure did not mind.

Cheers

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Klinger,

Thank you! It was a fun day. Very glad that you learned a little!

Cliff

[james_walleye]

Anyone know anything about lost lake just southwest of V? Just exploring options for Wednesday with forecasted big east winds.

[Silver Scale]

Walleyes,perch, crappies and some bluegills. No northerns or bass. Good boat ramp with dock. One nasty rock pile about halfway from the island to the north shore.

[james_walleye]

Thanks Steve, u think the walleyes or crappie fishing is worth going after? I don't suppose it has a lake map?

[Silver Scale]

Whose Steve??? Not many crappies, walleyes nice sized but can be a tough lake to fish for some. There is a so so map I think maybe on lakefinder. Lake is all 10 feet deep with one 20 foot hole except for a couple of rock piles.

[james_walleye]

Haha stupid predictive text on this phone. Maybe I'll be better off putting in pike bay and tolling some raps.

[PSU]

Any updates on the Mayfly hatch? We were up last weekend and saw a ton of "greenish" looking stuff coming up from the bottom of the lake and subsequently a few large Mayflys flying around. We are in the Frazer/Smart's Bay area.

Any insight would be welcomed!

[cb north]

Was up over the weekend and no hatch seen at all north half big bay to dells area or daisy bay

[Cliff Wagenbach]

There was a very large hatch on the water in Everett Bay on Monday morning!

Cliff

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Any updates on the Mayfly hatch? We were up last weekend and saw a ton of "greenish" looking stuff coming up from the bottom of the lake and subsequently a few large Mayflys flying around. We are in the Frazer/Smart's Bay area.

Any insight would be welcomed!

The green stuff coming to the surface has to be either algae or perhaps pollen from the pine trees that is very thick this week.

Cliff

[airnuts]

Heading up to Frazier for the first fishing trip of the season. Be there on June 29th through July 3 or 4th. Does it look like we will be competeing with the mayflys?