Life of riley resort

[vermilionfox]

Hi everybody! I made a mad dash trip up to Life of Riley Resort this past Friday/Saturday and got back home early Sunday morning. No fishing planned, I was dropping off two of my grandkids to work at the resort for the summer! If you're at the resort say hi to them! Izzie (17 year old granddaughter), is working as a cabin girl. If you're there for breakfast she may be serving at your table. It's her second season there. Jordan (16 year old grandson) is working as a dock boy. He'll meet your boat, get you gas, bait or ice and of course clean your fish if you're staying there. It's his first summer there.

We left home Friday evening at 5:00 P.M. to a typical St. Louis summer evening (95 degrees and humid) and got to the resort shortly before 7:00 A.M. to temps in the mid 40's and lots of wind! Left for home about 3:30 P.M. Saturday and got home about 4:00 A.M. Sunday morning. Just short of 36 hours total and about 29 of those hours driving. It was worth every minute to me to be able to get the two of them there where they can spend the "summer of a lifetime"! I would have loved to have had an opportunity like that as a teenager.

We'll be back up in early August to spend some time fishing and bring them back home for school!

If you do stop in and meet them tell them that you heard they were there from their Poppa, and that Nana and Poppa said hi!

[CLOTAGAMES]

Will say hi to them when we go in late July. My 50th year at Life of Riley!

[vermilionfox]

I wonder if we've met CLOTAGAMES, I've been going 30 years now! Where are you from? I grew up in Lasalle, IL.

[CLOTAGAMES]

From Sterling-Rock Falls area. Started going up in 1969 when the Wicals owned it. Mike Wical was a baker in our town and a friend of my dads. A few years after he bought Life of Riley our family started going up every year. Many years for opener then started going end of July as family got older so kids could tube/jet ski. Now we go up 2-3 times a year. Were up week over memorial day and got into huge crappies. Helped tear down the original store years ago when I was in my late teens so Mike had to build new one.

[Stephen L Johnston Jr.]

Good people, my cousin went to UMD and had his bachelor party their, introduced me to one of the Gilsons whom he is good friends with. Wouldn’t mind another trip up to the west end.

[Gone Out Fishin]

The wife and I will be going up to Riley's resort during the second week of July. I am looking forward to heading up there for 5 days. Heard plenty of good things about the resort.

I've fished the East side of the lake for many years and know good spots. When it comes to the West side of the lake I've got no experience. Could anyone with experience on that side of the lake share some rough areas? I am mostly looking at Crappie. Smallmouth Bass, (maybe some Largemouth Bass) and Pike\Muskie.

Thanks, Gone Out Fishin

[delcecchi]

I would surmise the slop bays across from the resort would be good for largies.  Crappies, next bay down from resort to the right of the point with the giant mansion on it.    

Smallies, any rocky shoreline or rock pile, for example  Windsock Island and vicinity.

Pike, various weedy areas mostly although I have never had much luck deep in the slop.   

 

Maybe some of the folks who go the LOR will chime in.   At least you didn't ask where to catch walleye on the west end. 

[vermilionfox]

Pike should be working well on the deep weedlines leading into the two slop bays that Del mentioned. They are commonly calle "The Nursery". Largies should be anywhere in the weeds. Del also hit the nail on the head about the Windsock island and the bay behind it. The windsock island area can be a good walleye producer in the early mornings and sometimes in the evenings. Don't forget to try the larger "bay" (really more of an indentation) past the Windsock island and its associated bay. Lots of boulders in there so be careful, you'll see some shiny rocks! I've had good success in there  for both species of bass and pike, lots of nice sunnies too. There is a reef that runs from the point directly out across Norwegian from the resort marina and runs from there to the other shore running to the northeast. Good spot for the evening walleye bite. You'll probably also want to try fishing the Merry Go Round and the Stovepipe on Wak-Em-Up Bay for walleyes and smallies. I'll try to post more info when I have a bit more time!

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by vermilionfox

[delcecchi]

33 minutes ago, vermilionfox said:

Stovepipe

Stovetop? 

Walleye on west end is tough because there are fewer and they are mostly larger fish that don't seem to behave the same way as smaller ones.  

[Gone Out Fishin]

Thanks for lots of good info guys. 

Sounds like if I do things right I can have fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'll try fishing that reef for some evening walleye. Bobber fish for some sunnies in the weeds. 

@delcecchi, I catch enough Walleye in the summer that I really don't want to ask. I won't shy away from a bite. I'll check that little bay for crappies. 

@vermilionfox, Wow that is a lot of location data. My PROP thanks you for the rock info!  Merry Go Round?

I have another question regarding the Rusty Crawfish... are they a problem on the west side of the lake too? Bloody mini lobsters. I remember spending lots of time using orange for bass and walleye since they were a major food source. Been years since I've done that. 

Gone Out Fishin

[Mike89]

catch and eat the crawfish too!!!

[delcecchi]

About the Rusties... I thought I posted this but it must have gone away with the server glitch. 

Rusties have made it through oak narrows and are marching west. To the best of my knowledge they haven't gotten as far as Wakemup so Norwegian and HeadOlakes are still free of them. 

When they get to us, I have my crab boil, trap, and old bay ready.  I figured trapping them east and importing them west might get me in trouble.   I can wait. 

 

[cherokee]

I will be on Vermilion the week of the 4th and thought I would try to trap some of those rusties and try a boil.  I have a minnow trap but what should I use for bait inside the trap?  Any suggestions?

[muskie-mike]

Fish guts or dog food...

 

[cherokee]

[Gone Out Fishin]

@cherokee muskie-mike is spot on the dog food...

When I use to camp at hoodoo point campgrounds I tend to use nightcrawlers if I have any to spare (in a minnow trap). Caught too many rusties while fishing.

[delcecchi]

I bet one of those little cans of cat food would work too.

 

[jkrash]

I heard the guides are on to the walleye bite on the west end, finally the fish have returned and it appears there's a few good year classes.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have heard the same reports.

Good to hear that the walleyes on the West end may be starting to recover!

Cliff