Fishing Reports

[vermilionwally]

Well im finally gonna make it back up next weekend for the first time since the weekend after opener. so how has the fishing been? Any tips on areas to try or baits would be appreciated . Thanks

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The walleye bite has been very steady.

Every type of presentation is getting fish this week!

Walleyes are being caught in water from 1 foot deep to 42 feet deep!

You just have to use the right presentation for the type of water you will be fishing.

Minnows, leeches, crawlers and cranks are all catching fish.

Cliff

[vermilionwally]

So is the shallow bite pretty much an early morning late evening thing? Or would i still be ok fishing in pike bay? Lindys and jigs or rapalas right. Have they been hitting hard or do you have to let them take the bait on the lindys for awhile before you set the hook.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The shallow bite was with 1/8oz. jig/minnows, but not in Pike Bay. There are probably fish there too if you find some weeds. The bite lasted almost all day because it was cloudy.

The jig bite in the deep water is a hard bite!

I have had to feed the walleyes just a few feet of line before setting the hook with lindy rigs.

Cliff

[mbeyer]

We had a nice week of fishing May 26-June 4th. That first Saturday/Sunday was a bit of a challenge with temp/wind/rain combination. However, if the wind was blowing into the island, the walleye were agressive takers from the dock.

The weather improved as the week continued, so did the fishing. We did NOT find the walleyes deep. We started there and the lack of the bite but us in shallower water---7 to 11 feet. This held true middle of the day as well as early and late. Most of the fish came on the north side of Pine Island. Really, no weeds to be seen. Some fish VERY close to Moccasin Point area.

We stayed with chubs (boy...did we get a hearty 5 dozen from the Y-Store) on Lindy rigs. I tried the jig/minnow combo, but just didn't have the same confidence. I am in support of the slot and the limits. It seemed like we caugh bigger fish this year. We released a few over the slot, plenty in the slot. Nice sized eaters to keep for the frying pan. I felt like the bite was quite agressive....very little time or need to give them line. This is nice.....hooks in the jaw as opposed to the deep throat.

Smallmouth bass were also very cooporative with flukes, wacky rigged Senko, tubes. Any rock pile or rocky island does the trick. More ya cast, the more ya catch. Just find out if they want it slow that day or a faster presentation. One the sunny afternoons, you'd see MANY beds....empty and with fish on them. I did entice one fish into defending the bed. After the first fish, I did not see the challenge and went back to regular fishing. Interesting to see the beds and territorial response. Fish were in pre, spawn, and post spawn phases. Don't keep the bass, but they sure are fun.

Really don't target crappie,muskie,perch, gill. We did find our fair amount of perch in the same walleye spots. I usually see a muskie follow while bass fishing, but no sight of any muskie.

All this fishing was on the east end.

[vermilionwally]

So there still hitting the minnows? Would it be worth trying leeches next weekend or some crawlers? I was using leeches the second weekend of fishing season but i didnt catch any on them . All 3 that i got that weekend were on rapalas.

[mbeyer]

I always thought leeches after the water hit 60 degrees, night crawlers in the summmer.

[BigVLover]

This past weekend, we caught walleyes on crawlers and minnows, but most were caught on leeches. All of our fish were caught in deep water, 30-50 or near deep water. We didn't find them to be very aggressive.

[PSU]

Water temp anyone?

[mbeyer]

58 at times, reaching 62 at the high side last Saturday.

[PIKKEE]

I was just on the pike river for the week. Only fished for walleye a couple hours a day three different days. The bad day first, no walleye trolled all over seven sisters island in the evening. During that day we trolled from stuntz bay to birch island and back toseven sisters, nothing! Using blue deep husky jerk, deep blue tail dancer, and a blue,white, and orange reef runner. All great lures but nothing. I was on the wrong side. I should have went to the left coming out of pike bay. From Cherry island to the first island when you come out of pike river is were we caught the walleye. 10 to 18 inches through a few back but got our limit to take home only kept 8. In the Pike bay we trolled at 2.5 mph with x-raps{blue, white, and hot steel] size 6 and 8. Heard original rapalas work I used black/silver, blue, firetrigger, and perch(sizes 7, 9, and 11) wasted my time for walleye. But caught 16 inch crappie and some nice perch with the 7's. Buy some x-rap the should be illeagal the work everything everywere I have fished. Pike and musky all under thirty in Pike Bay and Pike river.lures used 1. aglaria red /white #5 blade 2. aglaria white/black #5 blade 3.any aglaria spinner 4. x-raps. same for smallmouth and crayfish lures. We caught about 10 to 20 everyday almost all 16 inches. No doubt the best fishing and fun . All in Pike Bay for the most. Almost got a limit of perch between the two of us. we cold have but we only were keeping ten inches plus until the last day. but then the may flies and it slowed down. minnow , mayflies, and slipbobber. caught 10 crappie. and 2 walleye. with minnows and bobber. Only one bluegill 10 inches on a bare gold hook after catching a perch. Just could not find them.

[PIKKEE]

Cliff, was catching walleye pretty easy on friday afternoon trolling 2.5 mph from the fisrt small island out of the river to that next big island. 12 to 16 inches with x-raps both sizes blue, white, and hot steel. also fished the same way for a couple hours one day from hoodoo point throuh the Pike Bay Narrows. 15 to 18, 4 of them. that last little island by the bouy 4 swipes 3 fish. Caught 2 east side of cherry 18 and 16 fished there about 2hrs casting a blue, white, and orange deep reefrunner drifting and casting. Second fish ripped the back eye off the lure and cracked the tail, while it was freaking out in the boat.did not matter we could not make it out tha far after that day. Are boat was way to small. Next year bigger boat. and hopefully bigger fish. I want to catch 30" walleye and 40" pike and musky. perch were nice I am sure they could have been better. I stayed at Bob's camp, Iwas going to call you but we under estimated the lake size. Are boat was to small for the weather. Next year we will know. wish i was fishing now.

[vermilionwally]

So there still doing well in pike bay? I was going to be up on saturday but an ankle injury will keep me off of vermilion for the next couple of weeks. I guess the walleyes will get a break.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Pikkee,

The area that you were trolling has been very good to me also over the years!

Most years at this time you can catch walleyes almost anywhere in Pike Bay trolling Raps!

Early and late day are the best times, but if it is rough water you can sometimes get them all day.

Cliff

[Mr. Pike1]

Pikke, I use the x-rap quite a bit as well. You mention trolling them. Were you trolling the standard or the new deep diving x-raps. I use mostly the perch and clown x rap. I have had great success on the the number 7 perch shad rap as well.

I don't target pike bay much but after reading your report I may have do some casting of xraps and Mepps as I love to fish smallies. A nice aggressive pike is always fun and if I can get on a hot walleye bite for a little shore lunch that is good as well.

[pond_hopper]

I am coming up for the first time on Saturday and staying at Glenwood lodge. ANyone have any last minute pointers on what fish are being caught on? I think we are going to be targetting a little bit of everything between walleye, smallies, northern, and even some panfish. Thanks in advance and cant wait to get up there for a week.

[FL SNIPER]

We found that one of the simplest techniques worked pretty good for us this past weekend....slip bobber set up with plain red hook and large leech. You'd be amazed and what you catch...during the middle of the day none the less.

For lures...we had some success with Rapala DT6 and X raps on the smallies.

[DougSpringBay]

The evening bite on Vermilion is just awesome. Had a guide trip last night with a follow boat, and we boated 21 fish with 6 in the slot.

Fish are setting up on the mud areas in much anticipation of the mayfly hatch.

Fished with both a crawler and a leech, with the leech seeming to be the better bait. Most fish were in the 9-12 foot range, and did not bite really well until after 7:00 PM. Still some good biting fish near deep water, with some good wind blowing in as well.

It is going to get real good for the next week or two.

Doug

[PIKKEE]

mr.pike I was using shallow X-raps in 6 to 9 feet. Out toward the pike bay narrows I was catching them with both shallow X-rap and a deep reef runner, the water was 9-18 feet. When is the best time for big (size and quanity) pike and musky. We really love the big ones.

[SledNeck]

Is there still northerns in Vermilion?? lol

[vermilionwally]

Quote:

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Is there still northerns in Vermilion?? lol

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I dont know i was wondering the same thing. Its been over 2 years since i last caught a northern on vermilion, although im a walleye fisherman so im not targeting them.