West End Is Suddenly Hot!

[SkunkedAgain]

This was posted in the Timberjay this week, and should be in the upcoming LVA publication. Great news for those of us on the west end. 

 

 

https://www.timberjay.com/stories/west-end-is-suddenly-hot,21403

 

LAKE VERMILION— How things have changed on Lake Vermilion’s west end. Not that many years ago, resort owners on the lake’s western half were bemoaning low numbers of walleye, particularly fish smaller than the protective slot limit.

Those complaints aren’t likely to be heard this year, at least based on the results of the DNR’s fall fish survey, the results of which were released last week, averaged 22.1 walleye per net, the highest number of walleye ever recorded in the western basin. Those strong numbers helped keep the lakewide average walleye catch rate at 16.7 fish per net, according to the report issued by Matt Hennen, large lake specialist with the DNR’s Tower area fisheries office. It was the fourth year in a row of above-average walleye numbers and was virtually unchanged from last year.

The eastern basin, which has long been the go-to for walleye anglers, walleye numbers averaged somewhat below the long-term mean, at 13.1 fish per net. That’s in the bottom 25th percentile historically for that basin.

As usual, the populations continue to be driven by recent moderate to strong year-classes in 2018 and 2021. But a weak year class in 2022 appears to be responsible for the decline in total walleye numbers, particularly in the eastern basin. But that decline is unlikely to be noticeable to anglers this summer, as the prospects for angler success remain high.

“Overall, decent numbers of fish can be found from 13 to 20 inches, which is generally the size range anglers prefer to harvest,” notes Hennen in his report. “Additionally, above average numbers of small fish from 10 to 13 inches were present in the population last fall. These fish will grow throughout the 2024 fishing season and provide ample catch and harvest opportunities in 2024 and beyond. High numbers of fish 20 inches and larger will continue to provide memorable catch opportunities throughout the lake.”

While the average walleye count on the eastern basin was relatively low for Vermilion, it was still exceptionally high for most lakes in Minnesota, reflecting the remarkably productive fishery that Lake Vermilion represents.

According to Hennen, Vermilion’s walleye population is heavily dependent on the strength of individual year-classes, which have tended toward boom and bust in recent years. The lake experienced strong year-classes in 2016 and 2018, while preliminary estimates point to 2021 as another strong year-class. By contrast, the 2017 and 2020 year-classes were weak, and 2022 appears to also be weak.
The outlook for the 2023 year-class, however, looks hopeful. As part of the DNR’s annual survey on Lake Vermilion, fisheries staff conduct electrofishing to detect young fish too small to capture in nets and the results from that effort offer the first glimpse at the strength of that year’s reproduction. According to the report, the electrofishing tallied 118.3 fish per hour, which was on track with the long-term average, suggesting that 2023 will, at least, be a moderate year-class. The fish samples averaged 5.6 inches in length, which was slightly above normal. That can bode well for the percentage of young walleye that survive the winter.

Yellow perch
Anglers on Vermilion should find plenty of perch this year as well, including many large enough to harvest. “The 2023 lakewide gill net catch rate of 30.0 fish per net was slightly above average compared to previous surveys,” noted Hennen’s report. “The average size of those fish was fairly large with notable numbers over 10 inches and even some fish over 12 inches.”

As with walleye, the perch results showed differences between the lake’s two basins. The western basin’s catch rate of 38.5 fish per net was impressive, but more of those perch were small— more a nuisance than a harvest prospect. On the east end, the perch numbers were lower at 24.3 fish per net, but many more larger perch were found there. And even though the numbers were lower on the east end, the results still showed perch numbers above the long-term average for the basin.

Northern pike
The northern pike population in Vermilion continues to show a declining trend and in the 2023 survey, the DNR caught just 12 northerns, or an average of 0.6 fish per net, ranging in size from 25 to 39 inches. The decline in overall pike numbers coincides with a shift in the population toward larger fish due in part to the protective slot limit, which has been in place since 2003.

Panfish
The DNR conducted spring trap netting of both crappies and bluegills in 2023 and found sufficient numbers to justify targeting these species, even though Vermilion tends to hold fewer panfish than many other Minnesota lakes. The trap netting found higher numbers of both species on the lake’s west end. The survey found an average crappie size of 10 inches, with multiple fish over 13 inches sampled from both basins. Anglers looking for bluegills would do best focusing on the lake’s west end. Bluegills captured averaged six inches in length, with fish over nine inches found on both ends of the lake.

Muskie
The DNR did not conduct an assessment of the lake’s muskie population in 2023. The muskie population was established via a stocking program that began in the late 1980s with the goal of providing a low-density, high-quality fishery. During the most recent targeted assessment conducted in 2019, muskies averaged 44.7 inches with over 40 percent of fish measuring 45 inches or larger. Additionally, about 11 percent of the fish sampled were 50 inches or larger. Assessment options for obtaining adult population estimates along with evaluating recent stocking strategies and natural reproduction are being considered for the future.

Fisheries management
As one of the state’s largest lakes and a popular fishery, the DNR conducts fish surveys annually as part of the agency’s management efforts. In addition to fish surveys, the DNR conducts regular creel surveys, water quality monitoring on Vermilion along with fish contaminant and disease inspections, zooplankton surveys, and aquatic invasive species surveillance.

The DNR is reminding anglers that special regulations exists for walleyes where all fish from 20 to 26 inches must be immediately released. There is a possession limit of four walleyes with only one fish over 26 inches allowed. Anglers are also reminded that since 2019, northern pike have been managed under the Northeast Zone regulations requiring immediate release of all angled fish between 30 and 40 inches with only one over 40 inches allowed in a two fish possession limit. Separate regulations exist for dark house spearing which allows spearers to have two pike in possession but only one may be over 26 inches. All other fish species are managed under current statewide fishing regulations.

Edited April 30 by SkunkedAgain

[Big V Bobcat]

Fake News Alert. Head East 

[delcecchi]

Seeing is believing.   

[CigarGuy]

 

16 hours ago, delcecchi said:

Seeing is believing.   

Crappies are biting!

 

Edited May 2 by CigarGuy

[SkunkedAgain]

I hope to see it and believe it next week! Nice looking crappie