Spring Smallmouth - 2 questions

[Guest]

Terry, David, Cliff and all forum “posters”:
Let me pick your collective brains....
It must be “cabin fever” but my mind is running a mile a minute thinking about my May trip. 2 things puzzle me about Vermilion smallies.
1) VanDam writes early spring Smallmouth travel in packs in search of food, find the right temp (52-55 degrees) and you can just sit in one spot and fish the school.

2) Around Memorial Day, we mostly stay shallow & “bang the banks” and I have never seen a bedding smallie.
(we fish rock humps and islands also)

Where does this happen on Lake Vermilion? What area of the lake? We can use Moccasin Point as point of reference.
Tripp in Atl ( see you all May 24th )

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Hi Tripp,
You will have to talk to Terry on this one . I very seldom fish for bass.
Good fishing!
cliff

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Cliff's Guide Service
CliffsGuideService-LakeVermilion.com
Lake Vermilion
Phone: (218) 753-2005

[guideman]

Tripp,
Late may is pre-spawn on Vermilion. the water temps in may (unless we get some
very unseasonal weather) won't be in the mid 50's.

Most of the beds are on gravel or marl,
you find many of them under docks and in shallow grass beds.

If you do locate them in a concentrated area, they will be mostly smaller males at that time of the season.

"Beating the bank" is a good tactic on the big V, most of the forage that they
feed on is there. Crawfish, minnows and
the new bug hatches.

Long rocky points that fall sharply to deeper water, can at times, hold big numbers of smallies. Look for cuts and inside turns along the deep side of the point.

When water temps are below 60 degrees I throw mostly minnow style cranks. The
husky jerk, bomber long "A"s and rouges are some of my favorites.
Plastic jerk baits and spinnerbaits are
also effective in colder water.

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Terry Sjoberg
Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
aceguideservice.com

[mbeyer]

Tripp,

Glad to see you back on the board!! I didn't think mammals hybernated down there in the south. You should pay more attention to the board in the winter months.

I, too, have pondered those same questions. I'll chime in after I read the local opinion...could it pertain to the stained water color of the "Big V?"

[Guest]

Thanks Mbeyer, I see from post that you are also wonder about the location of the Spring smallmouth on Big V. I think we're at the right place to get the answer......I will be looking for smaller rock, gravel and points this year. Looking for "Marl" though is something I'll leave up to you.
Tripp in Atl

[TomWehler]

I know "Marl".
She stops by the island a lot?
LOL
NO fish under my docks.

T.

www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[guideman]

Gentelmen,
Marl is a clay and gravel mix, harder
than mud but softer than rock.
Much of Vermilion's main basin has this
bottom make up.

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Terry Sjoberg
Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
aceguideservice.com

[mbeyer]

Does that mean the marl is in 15+ feet of water? I always relate bass and spawning to shallow water. I thought maybe the fish are spawning but I couldn't see them due to the stained water.

Regardless,(irrregardless )I'm not interested in catching spawning fish...I just want to understand what is going on at that time of year.