2021 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[fins_n'_feathers]

Fished for a few hours this afternoon and had totally different results than the other day. Checked all the usual spots and the fish were there and stacked up but very tight lipped. One thing I noticed that was different today is that the fish seemed to be off the side of structure instead of right on it. In some spots they would be piled up 100 yards away from the hump or rock pile in very tight packs but it was very hard to get them to bite. Tried spinners with half crawler and Lindy rigs with half crawler and both methods were about equal picking up a few fish each after really working them over. After the live bait thing not doing to hot we tried downrigging in the deep mud. That was a little more productive but again for the amount of fish down there it should have been one after another. Not sure if the recent cold front did something to them or maybe I was the one having an off day. I'd be curious to hear how anyone else did today.

[PSU]

Fished this morning in one of the communal spots in Frazer which has produced all Spring and Summer long. Nary a bite using leeches and crawlers on a Lindy. Moved to another spot fairly close by around an island and couldn't keep the bait on the line (16-22 feet, same presentation). Caught walleyes, bluegills, sun fish, crappies and TONS of bass! Really fun, but drained all my bait! 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

15 hours ago, PSU said:

Fished this morning in one of the communal spots in Frazer which has produced all Spring and Summer long. Nary a bite using leeches and crawlers on a Lindy. Moved to another spot fairly close by around an island and couldn't keep the bait on the line (16-22 feet, same presentation). Caught walleyes, bluegills, sun fish, crappies and TONS of bass! Really fun, but drained all my bait! 

We had the same results in Big Bay on the rock reefs this morning for bass and a few walleyes using slip bobbers!

Cliff

[redlabguy]

I credit PSU for getting me back in the boat this morning. I got tired of catching small fish about ten days ago and focused on cabin projects until today. Lindy, half crawler and a red bead produced a limit of 14-19” walleyes. And I got to release a 26”. Every fish, even the little guys were lip hooked. Fraser Bay reef and, as Andy said, around the reef, 22-26 fow was best.

thanks, Andy, see you on the water,

Dick

[Pat McGraw]

Any noteworthy weather aspects that may be contributing to the up-tick in action?

[tarpon6]

On 8/2/2018 at 11:40 PM, PSU said:

Fished this morning in one of the communal spots in Frazer which has produced all Spring and Summer long. Nary a bite using leeches and crawlers on a Lindy. Moved to another spot fairly close by around an island and couldn't keep the bait on the line (16-22 feet, same presentation). Caught walleyes, bluegills, sun fish, crappies and TONS of bass! Really fun, but drained all my bait! 

 

Running out of bait is a good problem to have. Sounds like fun!

[james_walleye]

Well I'm up for this week and snuck out for a short time this morning. My findings are similar to some others. Caught some very nice 17-18" fish on lead this morning. East end flats, 27-30 feet. The bite fizzled after about an hour at noon. I'll be out earlier tomorrow no doubt and will have a better report. Before I went walleye fishing I tried my hand drop shotting some smallies. Caught some fish. Darn fun. Only hit a few spots but caught multiple fish on each. 9-12 feet wacky rigging a senko. I think if a guy really put the time in you could put a load of fish in the boat doing that. 

[Wheres_Walter]

I gotta give credit where its due.  I have not fished Vermilion in 4 weeks, so I was starting from scratch.  I love that I can get an idea of what live bait/presentations are working currently so that I can narrow some options before I even get there.  So thanks to everyone for their contributions.  I fished Th night and fri morning with lindys and half a crawler with limited success in some of my normal frazer bay late summer spots.  But after reading some posts above about fish being off the reef and about lindys with a red bead working, I switched locations and bead color on my rigs.  I started catching lots of eater sized walleye (13-17") along with a lot of dinks.  Probably caught 5X more fish on saturday and sunday than earlier in the weekend.   All at 17-18 FOW.   Was able to get my kids and my nieces and nephews to boat some fish and we fed a family group of 17 people on Sunday.  So thanks again for all the insight!

 

Matt

[Wheres_Walter]

James,

I've been thinking about drop shotting smallies.  I can find them and catch them early in the season when they are up shallow and I can cast senkos wacky style.   I wonder if you'd share what kind of bottom structure you were fishing?  

 

Matt

[james_walleye]

I was fishing big boulder points off mainland or islands. 

[side_laker]

Thinking about heading up vermilion for afternoon tomorrow fishing in tower end. Any advise on minnows/crawlers and depths. 

[Pat McGraw]

Side-laker,

Three hook crawler harness with hammered brass blade. 0.5 to 1mph, 0,68 seemed optimal for me. Some reports of fish on 16-22' structure. Also 24-30' sand or mud flats. Been hearing mostly crawlers or leeches. A couple weeks ago my neighbor was still getting a late night bite off the dock. He's on a pretty steep gravel/rock break in Frazer (no weeds). Wonder if the crawfish were a target of those eyes. Have a great time. Anxious to hear how you do.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Side-laker,

There is a very good lead-core shad rap bite in the mud going this week in Big Bay.

I do not do that myself but the guys that are using it have been having good luck in 24' to 30' depths.

Cliff

[side_laker]

Thanks for the pointers guys. Looks like it should be a decent day if my weather app is right. 

[side_laker]

Fished yesterday from 2-830 pm. Fished 16-35 feet of water. It got 2 small walleyes, 1 small northern and a handful rock bass. Still was a great afternoon out on the lake. 

[james_walleye]

My week at the lake is done. The walleye fishing was decent for me. The lead core bite through Tuesday was much better than later in the week. It wasn't bad,  just inconsistent. Inconsistent size....numbers.... dialing in on the color and size of crank..... bite windows.... you name it. The bite was 23-30 feet all week for me. I had about 6 areas I would run through. 1 day to the next I would never know which area would be hot or cold or if an area did have fish was it all 12" fish or a better mix of nice eater size. What was more consistent for me was the evening trolling bite. About 630-9 in 10-14 feet generally along shoreline breaks. The fish were mostly nice 15-16" fish. 

[VermilionGold]

Pulled my first lead of the year today, middle of the afternoon in the pontoon.  Got 13 walleyes in about 2.5 hours, lots of nice keeper size 15-16”.  Beautiful day on the water, light breeze and smoke filtered sunshine.  Can’t wait to see what a fishing boat can produce tomorrow.

Edited August 11, 2018 by VermilionGold

[james_walleye]

Hey VG how deep did you find your fish? 

[VermilionGold]

17-18’, bite was tougher today.  To hot to fish anyways.

[Wheres_Walter]

Looking for a recommendation for the best product to seal around an after market intake for a live well.  Aluminum boat that has been sitting on a trailer for a 4-5 years.  Old epoxy fell right off.

 

If you have a product you like the best, I'd love to hear it?  Lots to choose from....

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Use a good brand of MARINE silicone sealant.

Most marinas will give you the right stuff!

Cliff

[delcecchi]

Isn't 3m 5200 the traditional choice?

[mbeyer]

3M 5200 is the right answer. You can buy a cheaper product but you can't buy a better product.

[BWpineisland]

I’m looking at a Crestliner fishing pontoon with 23’ floats and 60 hp. It will be used for family fishing, cruising on Vermilion. Any thoughts pontoon guys?  

[Wheres_Walter]

Thanks for the tip on 3M 5200.

[Andy Locken]

Anyone have current reports on the west end of the lake? Heading up there tomorrow. Gonna lodge at polleys so I'd prefer the west end. 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Andy,

I have heard that Frazer Bay is still going good!

Cliff

[Dr. Bombay]

What about Black Bay or Norwegian Bay?  Smallies?   

 

Dr. Bombay

[Andy Locken]

Awesome cliff. Thank you

[MNBIGBEAR]

This past week I have spent quite a bit of time on both Frazer and Big Bay. I have been finding good action in both areas with both leadcore and lindy/crawler presentations. Depth has varied depending on the time of day I have been out. Anywhere from 18-38' of water. We even picked up some bonus large bluegills on the crawlers in about 25' of water in Frazer Bay. Plenty of eater eyes so we let them go but was some fun action for the kids. Also buzzed up to the west end a couple days ago for awhile and found a few nice walleyes on the deeper weed edges. Found a couple areas where the graph was loaded with small perch/baitfish and a #9 jigging rap did the trick. Good luck out there!