2021 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[outdoor1]

Musky mike,  I am right there with you!  I ventured from the east end all the way to black bay the other day without even a bite from a crappie. Sooner or later I will stumble on to them.

[Bbobber]

Muskie-mike, outdoor1

Try fishing in 6-10 feet of water. I have good luck using

fixed bbobber a jig and minnow set 2-4 feet down, casting

and slowly retrieving it. A beetlespin/minnow also works.

Fish on!

[muskie-mike]

I used to get crappies before the rusty crawfish destroyed the weedbeds.....

[Capt. Quicksteel]

Now you’re going back a ways, Mike!

[muskie-mike]

Well I go back a ways,fishing Vermilion for 44 years or so...only found 1 crappie in the area this year...

[CLOTAGAMES]

Been fishing far west end since 1969. Crappie numbers have been up and down. They are extremely vulnerable to overharvest a few times a year especially right at that June 1 spawn time. We do target them but do 95% catch and release. Had a group of 15 guys at resort we stay at in 2018 all keep their limits of those big prespawn fish. Fishing for them this year was way off.

[delcecchi]

Well, if they only kept one limit each, that isn't too bad.   

[StillFishin']

That’s a big one!  Maybe 16”-17”?  

 

The group of 15 all keeping their limit-  I suppose they were all fishing in the same place ?  So they basically wiped out that whole school!  Doesn't seem right but that’s the rules.  Only way to prevent that is to change the rules for spawning time.  

[delcecchi]

4 hours ago, StillFishin' said:

That’s a big one!  Maybe 16”-17”?  

 

The group of 15 all keeping their limit-  I suppose they were all fishing in the same place ?  So they basically wiped out that whole school!  Doesn't seem right but that’s the rules.  Only way to prevent that is to change the rules for spawning time.  

Sure thing.  If it is really a problem, some special regs could be put in place.   Maybe reduce the limit to 5, or put in a slot or maximum length.   I'm all for that if there is a real issue.

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, delcecchi said:

Sure thing.  If it is really a problem, some special regs could be put in place.   Maybe reduce the limit to 5, or put in a slot or maximum length.   I'm all for that if there is a real issue.

Or, put a season on them like gamefish to protect the spawners.  But it would be anarchy!!

 

The DNR knows our overall panfish size structure needs some help and is trying everything BUT a closed season.  Slot limits, reduced limits, special pike regs, etc.  why not just protect them when they’re the most vulnerable?

[delcecchi]

15 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Or, put a season on them like gamefish to protect the spawners.  But it would be anarchy!!

 

The DNR knows our overall panfish size structure needs some help and is trying everything BUT a closed season.  Slot limits, reduced limits, special pike regs, etc.  why not just protect them when they’re the most vulnerable?

Sure, closed season might be a good idea too.   Although, like bass, the spawn is so late as to make closing the season north of highway maybe impractical.     Best thing is to convince folks to throw them back and eat them walleyes instead.  Or, lord save me, a few smallies.  

[FishinCT]

Any updates on walleyes on the east end? Will be up this weekend for the first time this year. Shaping up to be great fall weather and my guess is the fish will be biting like crazy. Can't get overly optimistic though. I'll have 3 other guys in a black Lund somewhere on the east end. Stop by and we'll toss you a beer!

[Pat McGraw]

Have walleyes been queuing up outside sallower weedy bays to feed on spawning baitfish yet?

[JerkinLips]

Fished Thursday-Saturday this week and caught only 12 walleyes in 2½ days, half as many as I caught two weeks ago.  Fishing was quite slow for me, and the walleyes were biting very light.  At least this week there were some decent meal size fish as only 2 were dinks along with 3 slot fish.  Caught another 26" walleye pictured, and this one weighed 5#-11oz, 1oz more than the one I caught two weeks ago.  Maybe it was the same fish and added another ounce.  Weather was nice today and it brought out a lot of boats as shown in the second photo.  Fishing wasn't good enough to deal with this crowd so I quit early.  Good luck fishing, and enjoy the fall.

[Tominator692]

My soft water season ended Saturday. Landed the boat and need to give it some TLC. I fished everyday in October and boated 304 walleye. Primarily fished my 5 favorite fall spots. Strictly used a jig/minnow.  Lots of nice stuff with a fair amount of smaller fish. To be clear I am a catch and release guy. I probably kept 8 fish. This is a picture of a nice one from my last day out..

[FishinCT]

We fished Thursday-Sunday as well. Didn't do fantastic but ate fish all 3 mornings and all 4 of us went home with a limit. Kept 8 on Thursday and Saturday and 7 on Friday. I didn't fish Sunday morning but they picked up a few more then too. Size was very good. Most of our keepers were 15-19 inch fish. Got a 23 and a super fat 26" for slot fish. The 26 had to be an 8 pound fish-never seen one that fat on vermilion. Also ran into a 37" northern and a couple nice bass and perch. Thursday and Friday was exclusively an afternoon bite for us. All keepers came after 2:30pm. Saturday they bit all day. Lots of skinned minnows from short bites, probably 3:1 missed to caught ratio. 

 

We did most of our damage in 26-30 feet off the edges of reefs in big bay and Frazer. Tried to drift or troll around 0.5-0.7mph. Usually like to go slower but wind made it tough at times. A longer leader on the lindy seemed to be the key. About 5 feet long compared to the usual 3. Couple of the guys threw a spinner on and that was the ticket at times as well. Not fast enough to spin but I think the fish were really hugging the bottom and maybe a little flash or stirring the mud up got them to go. Also found light biters but the larger the minnow the harder the hit. Ystore was out of pike suckers Saturday so we got light northern instead and the walleyes were smacking those hard.  

 

All in all another successful trip. Somehow the October weather cooperated! 

[Fish Head]

I had similar experience to everyone else. I found my hook up percentage was a little better with jig and pike suckers then rigs and light northern. Lots of skinned minnows. Even if I give them a long time they wouldn’t have the whole minnow in their mouth. Most fish in 28-30, but did real well in 40' hole also. Lots of husky eaters and a fat 26. not many small fish. It’s been a great fall.

[SkunkedAgain]

Fished zero hours this weekend, but did get the dock raised and took care of a bunch of other projects. Snow shovels are out for my next trip! I'm hoping to find open water in November for a final trip, but know that it's not likely!

[BrianF]

They’re eating good in the neighborhood.  
 

Water temp 46...which matches the wind speed today. 

[JerkinLips]

BrianF - good to hear.  I was up last weekend with the wife and puppy so I didn't have much opportunity to fish.  Snuck out for a couple of hours Sunday morning and only caught a 13" walleye, 13" perch, and 25" northern.  Missed a couple other nice walleyes that stripped the back of the minnow like others have noted.  Going up Tuesday-Thursday this week to close the trailer for winter so I hope to have better luck fishing (and reporting).  Water temp was 43F in Stuntz Bay.

[Fish Head]

Went out for a couple hours mid-day on Saturday. Caught 11 walleyes. I don't think any were under 17 and 3 slot fish. Largest was 25. It's getting cold, but the bite is still good.  

Edited October 28, 2019 by Fish Head

[Fish Head]

I'm headed up friday. This might be my last weekend as the forecast looks absolutely brutal going forward. Anyone still fishing?

[JerkinLips]

I fished a couple hours Tuesday morning and evening and one hour Wednesday morning before a family emergency cut my trip a day-and-a-half short.  It was very cold fishing and I didn't mind the trip being cut short.  I had very tough fishing catching only the 23" walleye pictured, and a 23" northern this morning.  Lost one other nice fish half way up yesterday morning.  I didn't have a bite last night.  Saw a few others out fishing, but didn't see anybody pulling any in.  Water temperature had dropped to 35°F in my Stuntz Bay boathouse this morning.  I pulled my boat out of the water today, but could easily put it back in if I have early luck deer hunting, and the weather turns warmer.  East 2 and West 2 rivers were both freezing along the shorelines.  Good luck fishing.  My next report will likely be for ice fishing.

[JFitz]

Dad and I got out one last time for the season. Water temp was 37° and we had skim ice around the ramp this morning. Fishing was spotty but we had some awesome flurries. Saturday we doubled on these two hawgs on an old weedbed. Even lucked into a nice musky to end the trip! Not ready to hang up the gear but ice season is coming quick.

[JerkinLips]

Everett Bay and Pike Bay appear to be frozen over, so I thought I would start this topic now.  Based on the weather forecast I think Big Bay will freeze over Tuesday night or Wednesday morning this week.  Should be walk-able by middle of next week.  Will report when I am up for deer hunting (and possibly ice fishing).

[delcecchi]

Seems early.... or is it my imagination?

[JerkinLips]

38 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Seems early.... or is it my imagination?

Would be much earlier than normal, and may be the earliest I can ever remember.  Normally Thanksgiving is early to be out.  Last year Big Bay froze on November 18th and I was ice fishing on Vermilion on November 29.  But the weather looks very cold for the next 10 days and the lake has already started to freeze.

[BrianF]

We were ice fishing Niles Bay last year on Nov. 18th, with the ice being 4.5” thick.  Will be up the weekend of Nov. 16/17 and hoping for a repeat.

[Fish Head]

Last weekend (especially Saturday) was brutal.  I brought the boat home and it's done for the year. It's going to be a long winter.  

[Kettle]

Buddy of mine went to hunt pelican yesterday and told me that it was locked up so it's coming fast. 10 day forecast on the range shows highs in the mid 20s and lows into single digits. Guessing I'll be on smaller water in a week and a half or so