Vermilion Ice

[ANYFISH2]

That is either sad or absolutely hilarious!

[SkunkedAgain]

I hope to join them this weekend. I'm hoping to make it through Head O Lakes bay and into Black Bay if the ice is clear. Any ice reports will be helpful. I don't mind busting through black ice but not if everything is still locked up tight!

[JerkinLips]

Ice really weakened today as shown on the lake cams.  My friend took the picture below at McKinley Park tonight {clouds reflecting in a lot of open water).  On March 10th I predicted May 1st ice-out and I think it will be a day or two earlier.  I plan on putting my boat in the water on May 4th.  Think you will be fine by this weekend.

[CigarGuy]

7 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

I hope to join them this weekend. I'm hoping to make it through Head O Lakes bay and into Black Bay if the ice is clear. Any ice reports will be helpful. I don't mind busting through black ice but not if everything is still locked up tight!

Take a look under Tommy's post, I posted some info/pics for you. The webcam from Head O Lakes this morning shows some good progress. When I left last Sunday, it was wide open from The Landing about 1/2 way across the bay.

[jparrucci]

Based on the webcams on the lake, it looks like it should be clear everywhere except Big Bay in the next day or so.

[Big V Bobcat]

White Eagle Resort has another camera near the mouth of Richie Bay looking out towards Head O Lakes.

 

https://www.whiteeagleresort.com/lake-vermilion-webcam.html

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks everyone. This definitely gives me confidence that I won't get turned away by the ice.

 

CG - I just checked out your post in the other topic. Thank you!

[CigarGuy]

3 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

Thanks everyone. This definitely gives me confidence that I won't get turned away by the ice.

 

CG - I just checked out your post in the other topic. Thank you!

I don't know if John mentioned it, but he launched at my neighbor's, not at the landing. Shouldn't matter by this wknd, looks to be opened up! Good luck. 

[SkunkedAgain]

I knew that he had to have launched from there. Lucky guy! I need to find a sweet access spot someday to drop a canoe into before the whole lake is thawed.

[Shulsebus]

Was 4/30 the official ice out date?  Just curious looks like the lake is pretty much open according the the webcams. 

[VermilionGold]

Daisy Bay had a few ice sheets still floating around this morning, wind today has taken care of those.

[JerkinLips]

On 3/10/2020 at 12:25 PM, JerkinLips said:

I had 26" of solid dark ice on January 17.  We got a lot of snow after that, but there have been very cold temperatures also.  My guess would be May 1.

 

The official ice-out date for Vermilion was May 1 this year.  Wish I could say I was confident with my early prediction, but as I stated it was a guess.

 

Where do I pick up my free beer?

[Wanderer]

14 hours ago, JerkinLips said:

Where do I pick up my free beer?

Ely.  Whenever I get back up there! 

 

Congrats on picking the date!  Not a life changing event but probably feels pretty cool.  After spending as much time as you do on the ice up there, I’d put my money on whatever date you picked. 

[Sorgy]

Ice is all gone- Walleyes are spawning on the West end.

My cousin saw walleyes from the rock pier at the head of the entrance to Black Bay(Partrige River-I hate that name- don't know why) on Thursday and Friday he was trying for crappies in Black Bay and Walleyes were spawning along the shorelines all around the bay way up shallow.

 

My dock is in and the boat is out of hibernation, cleaned up and ready to catch some fish come next week.

 

Good luck to all - Keep your distance

 

Be Safe and give a wave next Saturday morning. I will be in the blue and silver old 690 C ranger with the Mercury 150 on the back

 

Steve

[CigarGuy]

Sorgy, do you put your dock in or have Manick do it? Just wondering if Manick made it down my way. Neighbor has caught a few walleyes off his dock fishing for crappies. Do you know the water temperature in Black Bay?  Thanks and good luck to you! I'll be up Wednesday after work, can't wait!

[Sorgy]

I have tried to get ahead of Manick Docks to no avail. I need the legs on the boat lift adjusted as they pick it up to drop it in the lake about 2 minutes of adjusting.

I put my own dock in. I have a V-Dock and the barrel kit. I leave the ramp and a 14 ft section in by shore in the bay before Taylors Island and put in 2 12ft sections and a 16ft section using the barrel kit. I bought the dock used last year.

My cousin has a lift out and someone came by on Sunday and dropped the dock in. The barge has not been around yet for the lifts. I have tried to call them since January or February with no return calls- someone is installing there docks.

I did not even launch my boat - backed it in and turned the key then pulled her out.

Good luck up there- it will be interesting to see how many people stay home.

 

Steve

[CigarGuy]

They are absolutely terrible at returning calls. Nice people, do good work, just need to improve big time on the customer service end. 

[SkunkedAgain]

I was up this weekend. No ice but a few patches of snow on the north slopes.

 

Cigar - your dock was up on Friday afternoon but I didn't pay attention on the way out Sunday. Sorry!

 

The surface temperature in Black Bay on Sunday was 55 degrees. The surface temp in the Partridge River from the Black Bay pinch out to the islands was 50 degrees. Head O Lakes was 45 degrees. This was all on a windy day, so the water wasn't just sitting around collecting heat.

 

I never saw a walleye all weekend, but then again I was working the entire time! Lots of boats were heading over to north creek for crappies. Some boats were circling walleye spots, hopefully just surveying and not fishing. Two guys were netting pike in Sunset Creek on Sunday afternoon. Classy.

[CigarGuy]

Thanks for the update

[Raven77]

I agree with Bill on Manick.  They do great work but are difficult to communicate with, especially this time of year.  They are swamped putting docks in so repairing docks, particularly with people that don't use their services, is  low on the priority list.  I'm very thankful for the work they do for me every year.  

 

Heading up this week.  Hope the fish are biting but even if they are not it will be cool to be back on LV!

[NorthernLights7]

12 hours ago, Raven77 said:

I agree with Bill on Manick.  They do great work but are difficult to communicate with, especially this time of year.  They are swamped putting docks in so repairing docks, particularly with people that don't use their services, is  low on the priority list.  I'm very thankful for the work they do for me every year.  

 

Heading up this week.  Hope the fish are biting but even if they are not it will be cool to be back on LV!

Manick Docks sold last fall but it hasn't been turned over completely yet. The original crew quit.  The new owners and crew are very green and have A LOT to learn. They are putting in docks from shore with assistance/training from Joe and Michelle. Lifts have to wait until someone learns how to operate the barge.. 

[GopherFishing]

Cigar-

 

If your dock is on the Partridge River it is still up. Since they are going by land, it might be until they get the barge figured out. 
 

Interesting to see these nets. There were about 4 nets in the Partridge and 2 in the basin on Black Bay. Anyone know anything about this? Buoys did not have lights or anything on the way out. 
 

 

[SkunkedAgain]

2 hours ago, NorthernLights7 said:

Manick Docks sold last fall but it hasn't been turned over completely yet. The original crew quit.  The new owners and crew are very green and have A LOT to learn. They are putting in docks from shore with assistance/training from Joe and Michelle. Lifts have to wait until someone learns how to operate the barge.. 

Interesting about Manick's being sold. I guess that I had my head in the sand. 

[SkunkedAgain]

1 hour ago, GopherFishing said:

Cigar-

 

If your dock is on the Partridge River it is still up. Since they are going by land, it might be until they get the barge figured out. 
 

Interesting to see these nets. There were about 4 nets in the Partridge and 2 in the basin on Black Bay. Anyone know anything about this? Buoys did not have lights or anything on the way out. 
 

 

They were not in there this weekend. They definitely are not navigation bouys. In my fifteen years on Vermilion, I've never seen or heard of nets in that area.

[CigarGuy]

I got up here a little while ago. Dock and lift not in. Hopefully, the learning curve won't take too long, Joe drives the barge if I remember correctly, should be pretty simple showing the new folks how to chain the lifts to put them in the drink.  Regarding the nets, is that a float at the bottom of the photo and a marker buoy across the channel? Where exactly were they in the Partridge River?  Last time the tribe netted, I saw their vehicles at the hotel in town, weren't there when I drove by tonight. At least 5 boats drove by on the way out of Black Bay the last 1/2 of daylight-only Wednesday, might be busy up here this wknd.

[SkunkedAgain]

Those are the crappie chasers leaving Black Bay

[Bob Schultz]

Roger on sleeping about Manick Docks being sold … I was just telling a friend on another lake how happy I have been with there work putting my dock & boat lift in & pulling it out each year.  

 

For the cabin owner I always mark my summer by opening cabin & getting dock & lift in… updates on when they start in head o lakes appreciated - I’m guessing trying to call them would be futile.  Please tell me this will be done soon though. 

[CigarGuy]

I talked to Michelle at Manicks today, they did not sell. She didn't know how the rumor got stated!

[delcecchi]

On 5/7/2020 at 3:21 PM, CigarGuy said:

I talked to Michelle at Manicks today, they did not sell. She didn't know how the rumor got stated!

Weird story to have gotten started...