2021 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[jparrucci]

I picked up a few keepers and a couple of drinks on a half crawler and lindy in about 18 feet of water in just an hour or two in the evening.  First fresh fish fry since opener.

[BWpineisland]

We finally got into some decent fish. We caught 12-15 each night, several 15-17”. We were trolling shorelines with Berkeley #4 Shad raps. Color really made a difference especially as the light started to fade just before dark. 

[chaffmj]

23 hours ago, jparrucci said:

I picked up a few keepers and a couple of drinks

 

What were you using to get the drinks and and did you spill any reeling them in? 

[delcecchi]

On 8/10/2021 at 9:18 PM, BWpineisland said:

We finally got into some decent fish. We caught 12-15 each night, several 15-17”. We were trolling shorelines with Berkeley #4 Shad raps. Color really made a difference especially as the light started to fade just before dark. 

Lead core or flat?

[BWpineisland]

No lead core. Trolling shorelines about 1.8mph with my trolling motor. When we would catch one fish we would catch several in the same area. 5/6 feet of water off the weedy shoreline breaks. Fish starting biting about 6 pm each night for the 4 nights we were up. There was even enough action to keep my 4 year old grandson occupied!

[james_walleye]

I can concur on the lead core bite. I really have done well this week in anywhere from 16-30 feet. 2-2.3 mph. Alot of 13-14" fish in the system but plenty of 14-16" as well. 

Yesterday I decided to try something very different. I went up to the west end to try and find panfish. I had no problem finding 6-7" sunnies but that was it. Just find weeds. Anyone have an idea where to search the bigger ones? I suspect maybe on reefs? Maybe deeper weed lines? It was blowing so hard i couldn't check any of the reefs I wanted to. 

[Brianf.]

The fish Gods smiled on me last night.  

[SkunkedAgain]

That is a tremendous musky. Congrats

[StillFishin']

That’s a beauty!  Congrats!  Nice photo to boot!

[mulefarm]

Congratulations, awesome fish!

[Muskyhunter73]

12 hours ago, Brianf. said:

The fish Gods smiled on me last night.  

Nice fish Brian! Congrats!

[Pat McGraw]

James Walleye, I'd guess you may be right that bigger sunnies may be found on deeper water reefs. We have nothing but rock with deep water off our dock, and not a weed for a mile in any direction. However, a few weeks ago we caught some nice bull sunnies off the dock in the evening. 

[SkunkedAgain]

Whether it's true or not, long ago I remember reading in a "big bass" book that you'll never find the big ones with the others. The reason that they are big is because they figured out where not to be, how not to get eaten, and how not to get caught. They tend to be loners in spots that you may not have expected and that's why they grow to the record size. Obviously there are no hard-and-fast rules to fish, but I generally buy into the theory that when you find the schools of fish you won't be catching a whopper. Go off the beaten path, determined to catch less fish but hopefully something bigger, and try some new stuff.

 

Fishing off of deeper reefs is definitely a way to do that.

[delcecchi]

22 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

Whether it's true or not, long ago I remember reading in a "big bass" book that you'll never find the big ones with the others. The reason that they are big is because they figured out where not to be, how not to get eaten, and how not to get caught. They tend to be loners in spots that you may not have expected and that's why they grow to the record size. Obviously there are no hard-and-fast rules to fish, but I generally buy into the theory that when you find the schools of fish you won't be catching a whopper. Go off the beaten path, determined to catch less fish but hopefully something bigger, and try some new stuff.

 

Fishing off of deeper reefs is definitely a way to do that.

I don't know if it is still true with the resurgence of the walleyes on west end, but as of a couple or so years ago they vacated the reefs and were replaced by bass and gills.       

[Hookmaster]

Brianf. Congrats on the great fish. The photo is a wall hanger also!!

[Rivergroup]

5 hours ago, delcecchi said:

I don't know if it is still true with the resurgence of the walleyes on west end, but as of a couple or so years ago they vacated the reefs and were replaced by bass and gills.       

We have predominantly fished the west end for the last 6+ years and have caught bass from 28 FOW to the surface.  We pulled 8-10 smallmouth out of a hole this year where the minimum size was 16 inches, all in about 45 minutes.  It seems like we catch bass at will, wherever we go on the west end, while only 2 eater sized walleyes this year.  That being said, we don't pursue the walleye like we should, but there seems to be a hell of a lot of bass wherever we go.

[JerkinLips]

Walleye fishing for me was similar to 2 weeks ago.  Would catch 4 perch for every walleye.  Also had a hard time keeping the crayfish off the crawlers again.  At least I did catch one decent size fish, albeit unintended.  This 20.5", 5#-1oz bass is my PB.  Was a fun fight bringing her in.

[Wanderer]

Nice one!

[tarpon6]

15 hours ago, JerkinLips said:

 

 

Nice smallie, I'm still looking for a 5#+ fish.  I do fish for bass a good bit during my 2 weeks on Vermillion (all released), my biggest is just a hair over 4.  Any advice on targeting larger fish in early September?

[Wanderer]

@tarpon6

 

If you’re going to target large smallies, upsize your bait choices.  My biggest smallies (5-7.5 lbs) have come on pike/small muskie sized baits.

 

My 7.5 came on a F-18 Rapala and 6+’s on buck tails and a Bucher Top Raider.

 

Big fish fishin’ is different than regular fish fishin’ 

 

Good luck!

[james_walleye]

Wonderer are those big smallies from vermilion? Those are some tanks! 

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, james_walleye said:

Wonderer are those big smallies from vermilion? Those are some tanks! 

Not from Vermilion but the 7.5 was from the area.  The 6’s were from central MN.  The 7.5 was weighed on a digital scale that was confirmed with a certified scale when we left the lake.  
 

I watched that one come up and grab the bait.  Somehow I managed to wait for the turn before setting the hooks.  It rolled and I told my brother “Get the net - this is the biggest smallie I’ve ever seen!  Took about a half hour break after to collect myself.  Bro said he hadn’t seen me come that unglued on a fish in years.

 

Bro can’t take a good fish pic so this is him holding my fish.

 

[Wanderer]

This wasn’t great photography by me either but I think it shows decent perspective.

 

A week later on the same bait

 

One of the good ones on a double 8.  Don’t know if I’d go 6 on this one but it went 21”.

[smurfy]

them are some pig fishy's!!!!!!!!!!!!

[james_walleye]

Man those are tanks! Funny enough.... about 7 years ago I was trying to find the elusive east end crappie in May and caught a 21.5" prespawn smallie in a small hand tied flu flu type hair jig under a bobber. 

[gimruis]

Nice muskie @Wanderer!

[Hookmaster]

Wanderer,

Maybe you could take the pic of the 7.5 pig and photo shop your head on it. 

That is a tank of a smallie!!

Edited August 17, 2021 by Hookmaster

[Jan Scuba]

Looking for some tips on finding perch. Will be staying around the daisy Bay Area and North. Any help would be appreciated thank you.

[SkunkedAgain]

Put worm on jig, drop jig in water near structure, drop down to just above bottom, wait for perch to nibble nibble nibble. They are as thick as the mosquitos on Vermilion!

[muskie-mike]

Haven't seen any spiny water fleas this year on my fishing line...