2021 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[tinker]

As always thanks for the pics. Can you tell me the water temp.

Thanks Mike

[BWpineisland]

62-63 most places I fished yesterday. 

[Tominator692]

Personal best this year. A very healthy 29 1/4” walleye. Safely released to thrill another fisherman.

[StillFishin']

They don’t get much better than that!!  Details?

[mbeyer]

i'm not sure I've seen anything bigger out of Vermilion....HUGE!

[Tominator692]

3 hours ago, StillFishin' said:

They don’t get much better than that!!  Details?

Caught in 38’ of water using a jig/minnow. Caught on east end of Vermilion. Sorry, can’t reveal spot. 

[TrueNorth]

On 10/10/2021 at 1:21 PM, Tominator692 said:

Personal best this year. A very healthy 29 1/4” walleye. Safely released to thrill another fisherman.

Maybe Big Bay off Birch Point by that reef that tops out at 18'?  JK.  That's my best guess. 

 

[SkunkedAgain]

That should be your new avatar picture

[NicMatNat]

shadows to the right of me, shadows to the left. here i am stuck in the middle with you

[StateofHockey]

Well I don't know why I came here tonight.
I've got the feeling that something ain't right.

[JerkinLips]

Fished Monday-Thursday this week.  Would go out 1-2 hours in the morning and evening and the bite was tough.  Each time out Monday to Wednesday morning I would catch a small walleye and a slot eye.  Biggest was 26" caught at dusk  Tuesday.  One 24" I caught had a jig stuck in her lip without any line on it.  Guess somebody didn't tie their fishing knot properly.

 

Wednesday evening I got out late due to looking for my lost cell phone in the woods while clearing deer stands.  I hooked a nice eater at dark that I got to the surface when it spit the hook before I could net it.  I almost cried after getting skunked.

 

Thursday morning the wind calmed down and the temperature rose to 45.  It almost felt warm.  I searched for the fish for about an hour before I found some.  I missed the first half dozen bites, then finally started hooking them when I let them bite longer.  Caught a meal to take home to the wife in half an hour, then had to pull the boat/motor out of the water and change the lower unit lube, then winterize our place in Soudan.

 

Was a good open water season overall, and now looking forward to the hard water season after a little fun deer hunting.  Good luck fishing if you still venture out.  I only saw a couple other people out fishing while I was up.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the reports as usual. I hope to be one of those folks out fishing this weekend, which will be my last trip in open water.

[Fish Head]

I don't post here much anymore. Last weekend was my last time up to Vermilion for the year. Cabin is all closed until spring. It was a great weekend for fishing, caught 6 between 25" and 26 1/2", plus a fair amount of 15-17" eaters. I love fishing late fall and the weather this year cooperated!

 

I already can't wait till the opener next May! Have a great winter everyone. 

[BrianF]

Fished Mon eve, Tues, and Wed of this week…my final open water trip of the year.  Split our time targeting walleyes, smallies, and Muskies before this first big winter storm.  Water temp was 43 on Monday and dropped to 41/42 by Wed eve.  
 

First spot Wed eve was a smallie spot and we caught a handful of nice ones on blade baits.  Switched it up and fished Muskies till dark and saw one but no bites.  
 

Tues was high skies, high pressure, and windy. It was a grinder for all species with just a handful of smallies and walleyes to show for our efforts.  No Muskies.  

 

Wednesday, with the front now nearly on top of us, the fish were much more active.  We wound-up with 25 walleyes (biggest 7.56lbs) casting a variety of lures, six smallies (biggest 4.37lbs), and one decent musky casting a Beaver.  Wouldn’t call that a ‘bang’, but not a bad way to end the season.
 

Oh, one cool thing happened I want to share. My buddy caught a slot walleye which we netted and laid in the boat to unhook. While writhing around, the walleye spit-up a lively 7-8 inch long perch that began flopping around like crazy.  We promptly released both fish.  
 

It’s been a good open water season.  Time to start thinking about ice and what lurks below…

[SkunkedAgain]

Great pics. I went out briefly last Friday night at sunset, just pulling deep cranks in the big waves. I was skunked again but did catch a beautiful sunset. Life isn't that bad!

[JerkinLips]

Pike Bay looks frozen and the weather looks great for forming great ice this year.  If the entire lake hasn't frozen yet I think it will on Monday night when the wind dies down.  No significant snow in the 2 week forecast.  Plan on going up in 2 weeks to start my hard water season.

[SkunkedAgain]

Black Bay has been frozen for the past week. If we do hold off on the snow then things would set up nicely this winter. I am darn excited to have some good, early ice!

[chaffmj]

I saw people out ice fishing on Robinson Lake off of 169 just west of Ely two days ago!  Too early for me.

[Mike89]

way toooo   early!!!  

[Wanderer]

I dunno… I’m starting to see ice reports coming through for the normal early freeze up lakes.  I’d like to see more than the 3 inches reported as close as Alexandria but if you’re an addict it’s probably about time to start testing.

 

People seem to like to say they were out by Thanksgiving.

 

I’m not ready yet but might be in a week and a half.

[SkunkedAgain]

I don't mind fishing early ice but the planning needs to be more strategic. I'll only do it in spots that I know, I'll absolutely have all of my safety gear ready to go (ice picks, long broom handle, etc), change of clothes in the truck, not going far from shore...

 

On Vermilion I wait until long after I *think* that it's safe.

[papadarv]

Yesterday a guy fishing the channel on Coon lake Anoka Co. Flock of Swans swimming open water 75 yards away. Less than 2" ice at best. Most of the lake still open. I didn't see any safety gear. He's fishing 10 FOW. Foolish kids.

[BrianF]

Skunked, long broom handle? 

[Influenza]

1 hour ago, BrianF said:

Skunked, long broom handle? 

Carry sideways when you walk to catch the surface of the ice if you go in. 
Younger years we’d hand pick our way out while laying face down on inner tubes. Get right up to the open water to cast. Not any more. Im too old to be wet and cold. 

[Wanderer]

For what it’s worth, and not that it’s an excuse to be dumb, but I do wear my float suit ice fishing clothes and picks around my neck on early ice.  Honestly, until I start driving I’m usually in that gear.  Too many times I’ve found big variances that I didn’t expect.

[SkunkedAgain]

Influenza is right, carry it sideways. I used to carry a spud bar to check the ice but to me it's just extra weight. I keep the ice picks in an upper pocket. I used to wear them around my neck but saw a guy go through once, and the ice picks came off of his neck and down into the lake. They weren't the floating type.

 

I also don't go out on water deeper than my neck until I am sure it is a consistent 4 inches.

 

 

[Influenza]

I wear my picks with a cord through my sleeves like I’m in 2nd grade. I don’t mind thin ice (3 inches), but as Wanderer says there are variances that you’d better be aware of. I also love my Striker Ice Climate float gear. Never put it to the test, and I’d be pissed off if I went through, but I’d make it out alive. And thirsty for a Jim Beam. 

[gimruis]

22 hours ago, papadarv said:

Foolish kids

Happens every year and will continue to happen as long as there are humans on this planet.  I can assure you he did not catch anything other than maybe a cold.

 

And if you go through, there's no room at the hospital for you at this time.  They are literally over capacity.

Edited November 24, 2021 by gimruis

[Wanderer]

I checked a half dozen central MN lakes today, all small.  I found anything from 75% open to 100% capped with 3” of ice.  One of the lakes did have 3.5 at the access but had 3 visible “generations” of ice made with some standing water near one of the seams.

 

Swans and geese still using a few of the partially open ones.

[BigVTim]

As Vermilion looks close to the hard water season, has anyone heard of plans for more ice roads or access points? I am a west ender and it feels like the best bet is with a four wheeler or snowmobile when the snow gets deep and possibly a skid shack that can go anywhere. I believe every year there is the ice road out of McKinley park I hear about and I know Fortune Bay has some rentals. Any other guides putting out sleeper shacks or trying an operation? Just can't believe V gets hit so hard in the summer but seems to never be mentioned with winter even close to the likes of Winnie, Leach, Red, LOTW, etc.