2022 Lake Vermilion Fishing Reports

[JerkinLips]

Fished Wednesday PM to Friday AM for my bi-weekly trip.  Neither the Y-Store nor Vermilion Fuel & Food had leeches (Y noted they are out for the rest of the season) so I was stuck using crawlers since I didn't think minnows would survive overnight in the warm water.  Had trouble keeping the perch and rusty crayfish off the hook again.  Had trouble finding walleyes, but when I did they seemed to be concentrated in a very small area (20-30 foot circle).  Friday morning the trolling motor kicked the bucket so I just anchored in one spot.  I caught 21 perch in the next 1½ hours, plus a random 14" walleye mixed in.  I then tried trolling with my 44 year-old 35hp Johnson but couldn't keep my speed slow enough so I hung it up.  Now I need to fix the trolling motor or break down and buy a new one.  Or maybe I will just bobber fish.

 

The lake was very quiet except for Thursday evening when everybody seemed to decide to recreate at the same time.  Good luck fishing and enjoy the big-V.

[Wanderer]

@JerkinLips drag a driftsock to slow your troll with your 35.  It helps.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Wanderer

[leech~~]

8 hours ago, JerkinLips said:

Fished Wednesday PM to Friday AM for my bi-weekly trip.  Neither the Y-Store nor Vermilion Fuel & Food had leeches (Y noted they are out for the rest of the season) so I was stuck using crawlers since I didn't think minnows would survive overnight in the warm water.  Had trouble keeping the perch and rusty crayfish off the hook again.  Had trouble finding walleyes, but when I did they seemed to be concentrated in a very small area (20-30 foot circle).  Friday morning the trolling motor kicked the bucket so I just anchored in one spot.  I caught 21 perch in the next 1½ hours, plus a random 14" walleye mixed in.  I then tried trolling with my 44 year-old 35hp Johnson but couldn't keep my speed slow enough so I hung it up.  Now I need to fix the trolling motor or break down and buy a new one.  Or maybe I will just bobber fish.

 

The lake was very quiet except for Thursday evening when everybody seemed to decide to recreate at the same time.  Good luck fishing and enjoy the big-V.

What's wrong with drift fishing if you have some wind? I do it all the time with good results.

[chaffmj]

Was out on Basswood Lake yesterday.

 

 

[Wanderer]

OMG Mike!  That smallie!  Wow!

 

Got any stats on her?

 

I mean, besides HUGE?

Edited August 18, 2022 by Wanderer

[StillFishin']

Wow!  Both are are pigs!

[chaffmj]

On 8/18/2022 at 2:28 PM, Wanderer said:

OMG Mike!  That smallie!  Wow!

 

Got any stats on her?

 

I mean, besides HUGE?

 

 The bass was 21.5 inches, and the walleye was 28.5. I also got 3 more eyes between 26.5 and 27.5 inches. Special day out on the lake.  I was with a couples of friends and one just happened to be Mike Stark who guides for Rob Nelson owner of Ely Fishing Guide Co.  Wanderer you might have met Mike out on Burntside at one of the Burntside bashes that use to happen out there in the winter. You used to go those, didn't you? Here are a couple of more pics.

 

 

 

 

[Mike Hanson]

Where are the sunfish in mid lake,used to be everywhere, few in Greenwood...

[Wanderer]

9 hours ago, chaffmj said:

Wanderer you might have met Mike out on Burntside at one of the Burntside bashes that use to happen out there in the winter. You used to go those, didn't you?

Yep.  Been to several bashes and helped out with the Deb R benefit bash we had the one year.  I think you did a couple big pork loins that year.

 

I’ve met Mike several times both winter and summer.  Still have his number in my contacts from when we experimented with sharing laker info.  

 

Put a bunch of GOOD fishermen together on a good lake and your pics are the proof of what can happen! 

[leech~~]

Mike's a great guy. Rented his ice house from him on Burntside a few years ago.

[delcecchi]

And on a less happy note, we will be heading back south to the land of corn and beans in a few days.   And my trolling motor took a dump last week,    Terrova and it stopped steering..   Makes things more challenging.   

[MikeG3Boat]

Anyone have any new info?  Heading up for the Labor Day weekend.  Looking for any hints on what the walleye are doing?

[SkunkedAgain]

I saw a couple of them hanging out near the VC, drinking beer and smoking heaters while whistling at skirts walking by.

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by SkunkedAgain

[PSU]

Left yesterday and heading back up Thursday. If anyone passes the Penn State Flag by entrance to Smart's from Frazer, give a wave or have a beer!

 

Fishing picked up for me quite nicely last trip. Caught most of mine in 10-15 feet on a Lindy and a half crawler. 

[BWpineisland]

We have had solid fishing the last 3-4 weekend trips up.  Our best fishing has been trolling with Berkeley flicker raps #4 or 5 in 6-8’ of water most afternoons after the boat parades on the lake slowed down. Some luck with Lindys and half a crawler around the reefs.  One 22”, 19”, and many 15-18” eyes. 

[StateofHockey]

Last weekend was fairly windy, which can be an advantage. Worked a steep drop-off from 15' to 26' facing into the wind, had some success using half crawlers on lindys. Better hit rate going with the wind from deep to shallow.

Also caught walleye where the wind funnels between islands creating some current, 16' to 20' deep.

The beauty/challenge of Vermilion fishing is every week is different and you need to adapt to conditions.

Looking forward to some September frosts which tend to coincide with more aggressive fish activity.

[StateofHockey]

Last weekend was fairly windy, which can be an advantage. Worked a steep drop-off from 15' to 26' facing into the wind, had some success using half crawlers on lindys. Better hit rate going with the wind from deep to shallow.

Also caught walleye where the wind funnels between islands creating some current, 16' to 20' deep.

The beauty/challenge of Vermilion fishing is every week is different and you need to adapt to conditions.

Looking forward to some September frosts which tend to coincide with more aggressive fish activity.

 

Less wind this weekend so less success with willy walleye, but nature came through with a northern lights show.

[SkunkedAgain]

My brother-in-law and I were walking down from the sauna around 11:45pm Saturday night. He asked me if I had ever seen northern lights. As I began my stock answer that I've seen them several times, but never in my 20yrs of owning a north-facing cabin, we both stopped in our tracks as we saw the sky dancing. I ran inside to my own peril, yelling to wives that were already asleep, "The Northern Lights are out!!!" One came out with us, while Mrs. Skunked Again peered out from a window and declared her job "done." 

 

We sat down on the dock for about 2hrs watching the lights dance and flicker. Good times.

 

 

 

[redlabguy]

Good week for the light show. We don’t have a north facing cabin so we took the boat out about 9:30 Sunday night when my daughter was visiting and got a good Aurora event 15 minutes later. I can count my aurora experiences on one hand but glad I have two hands and experiences. 
 

re fishing: trolling a half crawler, lindy-style (but I’ve gone to tungsten and like it) is working best for me- fewer snags, 16-18’ near rock piles or structure. Not hauling them in, but putting food on the table.

 

[JerkinLips]

Was up for a family reunion but made it out fishing a fair amount.  Caught tons of perch, plenty of crayfish, and a few 12-14" walleyes.  Chubs and half crawlers were about equal on the walleyes.  Fished with pike suckers Saturday morning and I kept hooking large fish that broke my lines 6 times.  I finally landed a 31" northern, a 19" smallmouth, and a 23" northern, and my broken lines stopped.

 

Went to the Stuntz Bay boathouses Saturday evening to look for the northern lights, and they finally showed up 15 minutes later.  My phone can't take pictures of them, so these are courtesy of my sister who was there also.  Enjoy the lake.  It was beautiful out there.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by JerkinLips
Space photos out.

[mtheis]

Fishing crazy easy right now.  I came up yesterday and the walleye fishing has been consistent.  I am using lead core, fishing in 20-25 ft of water.  Some are small, but a lot of them are good eaters as well.  I am switching between #7 blue/silver and black/silver jointed rapalas, also same colors using #7 shad raps.  I stay between 1.8 and 2.1 mph.  I go faster and I just don't get the same amount of fish.  I use about 20ft of 14 lb fluoro as a leader.  Water surface temp's fluctuate between 69 to 74 degrees. There is no wind.  Lake like glass.  Good Luck!   

[SkunkedAgain]

Great updates, thanks!

[Mike Hanson]

Leadcore bite is good in the morning, 30ft deep...Mostly under 14 inches,one 26 incher...

[tarpon6]

Walleyes apparently love senko type baits. If you want 15 to 17" eye's fish senko's casting over rocky points. I've never caught as many walleye as this year and I'm not even fishing for them. I did get a nice 3.5# fish on a jigging rap when I was fishing for them. The best news is I released all of them for your future eating pleasure. Now if anyone wants to give me some tips on targeting 5+ pound fish let me know.  I'll release those too.

Edited September 9, 2022 by tarpon6

[CigarGuy]

1 hour ago, tarpon6 said:

Walleyes apparently love senko type baits. If you want 15 to 17" eye's fish senko's casting over rocky points. I've never caught as many walleye as this year and I'm not even fishing for them. I did get a nice 3.5# fish on a jigging rap when I was fishing for them. The best news is I released all of them for your future eating pleasure. Now if anyone wants to give me some tips on targeting 5+ pound fish let me know.  I'll release those too.

How you rigging the senko's?

[tarpon6]

10 hours ago, CigarGuy said:

How you rigging the senko's?

 

Straight with a 1/0 wide gap worm hook, 1/8 ounce weight. I Florida rig but Texas would work as would a wide gap ned head jig.

Update: Be prepared to lose some rigs. Texas rigging might get hung up worse.  Generally if I go to the opposite side of the snag it comes lose.

Edited September 10, 2022 by tarpon6

[delcecchi]

Those rocks will take your stuff...  for sure.  All those folks that talk about dragging sinkers or jigs never fished vermilion.

Edited September 10, 2022 by delcecchi

[mtheis]

Fishing is still very good.  Rain comes and goes, but basically they are biting all day.  Keeper movin' and stay in that 18-24 foot depth range.  You will see them up a foot or two from the bottom and those are the biters.  I am getting a lot of 15-19" fish now.  I notice many fisherman rigging and just sitting there and they ain't catching any fish.  Trolling allows you to cover water and find them.

[delcecchi]

Which end of the lake are you fishing?   I find that advice for the east isn't always applicable on the west, especially the far west

[MikeG3Boat]

I fished last weekend Sept 10 and 11th and had good luck using leadcore in Fraser bay in 30+ ft of water.  Many small ones but did catch a new personal best walleye for me 27".  Anyone been fishing this week?  I am hoping that they start grouping up again for the fall.  If anyone has had success trolling lindy's, or dragging jigs please let me know as I am hoping to put the big leadcore rod away.....