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First time on V ice, any tips?


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I fished the lake once last fall and managed to get on some real active fish. Coming up again in a few days and hope to do the same.

Any depths, type of structure to look for that is producing better than others for eyes? Type of jigs or colors? I will be based on the east side of the lake but will be fishing portables and on the move.

Thanks,

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It has slowed down for us the last couple of days. But we have caught more fish this winter then the last 5 combined. Refer back to the post a page back title "how we have been catching fish" or something along that line it we lay it all out in there. Good luck!!!

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Well I was up fishing on Vermilion this weekend and our house was in about 15 feet of water but we didnt catch anything so Id start in deep water.

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Vermillionwally,

Welcome to FM/HSO!

The shallow water walleye bite has not been very good during this long cold spell.

The #1 thing to look for this time of the winter is a mud bottom in deeper water.

I have been fishing in 36' to 42' the past couple of weeks.

The walleye bite has not been fast, but we are getting a few walleyes and some very nice jumbo perch there.

Most of our fish are being caught on set lines such as rattle reels,dead sticks or tip-ups using chubs or rainbows as bait.

I have also been getting a few fish using small jigging Raps or spoons baited with just a minnow head.

Good Fishing!

Cliff

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Quote:

Cliff

Have you been releasing many slot fish this winter ?


I have caught and released more slot size fish this winter then normal! laugh.gif

I think that the slot results may already be showing up!

Cliff

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the deep water bite has been producing the best....pretty much in the normal summer spots....30-45 feet seems to work....i think the slot size fish are just part of a cycle and not because of the slot that has been put on the lake...there has not been a lake in the whole state except maybe mille lacs that has ever changed so fast....but maybe so...but at the meetings with dnr ...they even said that would take time...if ever....but from the sound of things...people have been having fun...and when that happens...who cares why!!!!set that hook!

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I thought we might get some northerns in the shallow water but that didnt happen. THe guy that we stayed with and fished with had his house shallow and said the walleyes were biting on Pike suckers. I thought they were too big for winter walleyes but i have good luck on them in the spring.

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Heart attack 22 caught walleyes yesterday on waxworms in 15-20' so who knows. It will be an interesting weekend with the temps finally moderating. We actually did fine thru the cold spell in about 17' but had to use small minnows. We have since moved off that spot as the little 4" walleye overtook that area. Nice to see all those little fish though. Enjoy the spring weather that is coming and rememeber your sun screen. I'm sure that there will be some lawn chairs out there come Tuesday. ENJOY

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Quote:

Quote:

Cliff

Have you been releasing many slot fish this winter ?


I have caught and released more slot size fish this winter then normal! laugh.gif

I think that the slot results may already be showing up!

Cliff


I didn't get out as much as I normally do but when I did get out, I was releasing more slot fish also.

I think this spring will be very intresting.

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yes spring will be interesting....it will be a great year to fish!!!all species are doing well.... we are seeing benefits of some good spawning years....so oh yes the walleye bite will be good!!!!

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My guests had a tough time getting much for walleyes thru most of June. Was this just my quests or was if more of a lake wide situation? And if it was a lake wide situation, is that situation driving this excellent fishing that we have experienced this fall/winter.

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I had some trouble on the walleyes last year to except for opening week. I only caught one in the slot the whole year and i fish vermilion a few times a month because i have a seasonal campsite up there. Im hoping to have better luck next year.

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Quote:

My guests had a tough time getting much for walleyes thru most of June. Was this just my quests or was if more of a lake wide situation? And if it was a lake wide situation, is that situation driving this excellent fishing that we have experienced this fall/winter.


I think that most of us had a very tough bite last year during the period of mid-June thru early July! I have never experienced that long of a tough bite on Vermilion.

I am sure that that period saved a whole bunch of walleyes from the frying pan! grin.gif

Cliff

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Yep! From what I recall it was really hot last spring and the walleye's were no where to be found. I think the consensus last July was there was just to much food in the lake do to the unseasonable hot temperatures. I know the fish were in the lake, because August bite was unbelievable.

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I had a decent walleye bite on the west end the first week of July last year, all eater size fish. About 15 walleyes a day for our group of four while slip bobber fishing. I was the only one seriously trying for walleyes. We were two couples and the others mostly wanted to catch bluegills, I just picked spots where the two coexisted and I fished accordingly. Only two in the slot and none over the slot for the week.

Second week of September was outstanding cool.gif!!!!! First day out with Cliff we boated 48 walleyes as I recall. Correct me if I'm wrong Cliff. Several slot fish included. The rest of the week we averaged about 25 fish a day for my group of two. Some days less, one day none, last day was a slammer with about 60 fish. Last day was an odd presentation that I worked on after getting blanked the day before. I anchored on sandy points and bottom crawled a 1/48 oz. plain leadhead with half a crawler on it. I fan cast the area in 5 to 20 feet of water, let the jig sink to the bottom and slowly drug it back crawling the bottom the whole way. I was using an eight foot UL crappie rod with an ultra sensitive tip...easy to see strikes and the walleyes did not feel the rod or the tiny jig. There were several slot fish that day, and a 21-1/2 smallie...what a fight! I was anchored up because of the wind. Made it impossible for me to do a controlled drift with my pontoon boat, I'm still learning how to use drift socks blush.gif!

I'll be up first week of June this year on Norwegian Bay, can't wait!

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I have always fished tower end and did not much last year.. fished the same spot nearly every time on the east end and produced a limit almost for sure everytime.. gotta love walleyes that keep coming back to a place where there friends go and never come back. I am ready to summer fish... this windy freezing cold crap grand forks offers you looses its excitement fast... its 7 degrees and i am ready for short sleeves...

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Vermilionfox,

It sounds like you had a great week after we were out!

Last fall sure was great fishing right up until I pulled my boat for the winter! laugh.gif

Cliff

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Cliff, you guided me in August and we ended the evening working the saddle on Ely Island. There was a muskie stirring it up by the downed tree and Dave Schaefer came by aend we sent him over to cast for it. He didn't get it but the next day I had one of my superintendents with me and you were on the saddle with clients so we moved down further by the tree and were picking up some walleyes. I started pulling one up and told Troy not to bother with the net as it felt like a swinger. All of a sudden it started to peel line and I worked it back up to where I could see it was a 40"+ Muskie with a 14" Walleye sideways. It ran again but I got it back up to where Troy got to see it before it let go of the Walleye. Dave was just throwing the wrong bait. Hope to see you guys again this summer...Keith from Pulte Homes.

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I caught an unusually high number of perch last year too. I mustve caught 10 perch for every walleye I got. Might have to change up my strategy this year.

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Keith,

I remember that day well!!

I had very few muskies grab my walleyes last summer for some reason.

That area produced a lot of walleyes last summer!

Cliff

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Feb 15 - 18. Report.

Breathe taking. If you have never been to Vermillion you must make time for one. This was my second and first in the winter and let me tell you this is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen.

The snow covered islands, tall pines, beautiful cliffs dropping straight into the lake, smell of fireplaces in the air and most import not more than a handful of people as far as one could see.

On to the report.

Arrived Thursday night around 10Pm and headed out to fish after unpacking about 11PM.

Set up in 28FOW to the North of Birch Island and landed a mixed bag of 10" crappies and rotten stinky tubilee.

Friday Morning. Went deep off of an Island point about 36 FOW and managed 4 nice eater eyes. Returned for the evening bite but got skunked.

Saturday Morning.

Set up on a 27' hole right off of Dog Island and got into some very aggressive eyes. They came off the bottom hard and fast and smacked the jig. Managed a few more eaters and released one at 22"

Saturday night was bonfire, beer and jagermeister. :lol:

Sunday morning went back to same spot off of Dog and managed 3 more eyes and missed a horse. Never saw it but it was big and loved to run. Guessing a pike.

Best jig on the trip was a gold jigging rap. Also managed fish on Red & Green forage minnows. Best bite was jigging with minnow head.

Thanks for the email and the phone call Cliff. It was real good talking to you and I look forward to meeting you some time.

I'll be back on opener weekend for another go.

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