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2018-2019 Lake Vermilion Ice Fishing Reports


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2020 Lake Vermilion Ice Fishing Reports - Click Here

 

2018-2019 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports are below ↓↓↓↓

Lake Vermilion/Big Bay is frozen over and somebody was fishing in a portable out of McKinley Park today, so the season has officially begun.  Not sure if I will make it up next weekend after 12 days of deer hunting.  Be very careful if you go out.IMG_1822.JPG.d5283563f89ef6bab84ce6f44c4c069f.JPG

 

 

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Pike bay has 5.75-7 inches. This past Wednesday there was 2 parties off mckinley park but not out over big bay (that froze up late) I think after the next few days of cooler temps it'll be in decent shape to walk at least out here. 2 guys were out in the mouth of everett bay to main lake with 1 atv track. Found about 5 inches off from cable bay. Most of the snow is now gone off the ice. Bring your cleats it's slick!

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I was excited to hear that the snow cover left the lake over Thanksgiving. Hopefully the freezing temps will build up a solid base of ice before snow hits.

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Will be going out Thursday afternoon with max safety (walking, life jacket, ice picks, loose boots, long rope to portable) so I hope to report then.  I assume with the snow getting knocked down and the recent cold temperatures there should be decent ice in Big Bay for walking/portable.

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Buddy was out off McKinley Sunday and a full 6” of clear good ice. There will be people driving soon. I’ll take my snowmobile with the otter sled Sunday 

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If it is safe ice walking out Thursday I may pull my 150# permanent out with my sled on Friday.  At least into McKinley Park bay.

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Caught 10 walleyes yesterday. All were 12-15” except for one 9”. Also caught a 16” eelpout at dark. Missed a bunch of other bites including losing 2 nice eyes at the hole. Rainbows were outcatching pike suckers by about 2:1.  Bite was very good at 10-12 and also at 3. No bites today in 1.5 hours fished. 

Lots of traffic on the lake but very few permanents going up yet. I think that will changed later today. 

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Yes JL.You are a true master fisherman!...Thanks for always providing great pics and info!

  

     Frank

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Thanks for the compliments but I'm not much of a fisherman.  Just spend a lot of time doing it.  And staying in one spot for the day.  Many others come fishing by me during the day and leave within an hour or two; I assume because they didn't catch a bunch of fish.  I fish the entire day and catch a fish or two most hours, and read newspapers and check my cell phone in between bites.

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What depth are you catching  fish at. Thinking of coming up fishing on the weekend  haven't ice fished the big v much any info  much appreciated 

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18 hours ago, trumy said:

What depth are you catching  fish at. Thinking of coming up fishing on the weekend  haven't ice fished the big v much any info  much appreciated 

I was fishing in 28FOW, 8-12" off the bottom.  Although I was marking some fish suspended, and caught a decent walleye after raising my minnow up a couple of feet once.  Another time I dropped it on the bottom and slowly raised it up and caught a walleye immediately.  Guess I have to work a little harder at fishing rather than just letting the bobber do the work.

 

LB - Beautiful fish.  Good to see you got into some larger walleyes.  Hope I start getting them this weekend.

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Thanks for the info. I'm  used to fishing lakes like whiteface and never fish deeper than 17to 18 feet or less. The deeper depths like your talking is out of the normal for me I'll need to get a good map of vermillion that shows depth and structure and do some exploring that's half the fun thanks again JL and I look forward to reading future posts from you

Edited by trumy
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I was out in 26' of water this afternoon, marked fish but no bites.   The ice was cracking like crazy ... making ice.  When I came off the ice and started the truck, the temp read -2.    Already down to -6 at the house now.

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Sunday evening report: Set up in 27 fow on 10 inches of ice off the West end of Ely island. I  fished from 2:40-5:00 tonight. Caught 4 and missed 2 more on the set line. Tossed everything back, about an 8 , 11, 13 and 15 inch fish. One on set line with plain red hook and chub near bottom and 3 jigging (one on a macho minnow and 2 on a flyer). Had a couple other good marks that didn't commit.

Lots of wheeled/skid houses pulled out this weekend all over Mckinley/big bay area. About 3-4 inches of snow so good for travel with sleds or wheelers.

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Had some tough fishing this wknd. Me and two buddies fished the west end hard for 2 days and only caught 8 walleyes, 3 were dinks. Didn't mark much and the fish we did see were really lazy. Good news is that we saw quite a few snowmobiles buzzing around and the ice is shaping up pretty well. 

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
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