Vermilion Reports

Headed up to Vermilion tomorrow for a week long family vacation. Will be staying in Daisy Bay. Anyone have recent reports on water temps/ what depths they have been catching fish/ anything that has been working for them. We will primarily be targeting Walleye , but will also try for smallmouth and crappies also.

For bait shops what do you guys recommend. I know there is the Y store that I have gone to in the past. Anyone know if they sell leeches by the lb and not just by the dozen?

Been probably 5 years since I have been on this lake so really looking forward to it. We stayed in big bay last time so not too far from where we will be this year.

Anyone have any suggestions for cool lunch break spots on the lake? It looks like there are a handful of “shore lunch spots” that have docks and picnic tables so I want to try that at least once.

Will try and post a report of how the fishing is for us to help anyone else that might be going up in the near future.

I would check out the Outdoor Minnesota forum. They have a very updated Vermillion thread going.

I found that one the other day Austin! I am not a member on that site, but have been checking that thread the past few days. Thanks for the tip.

My brother lives up there and fishes V often.

He said they are getting a lot of walleyes, 16/17 inchers. Nothing very big right now.
Crappies will be tough to get but bass are pretty easy.
He usually drags leeches.

Good luck!

About half way thru our trip and have had decent success catching walleyes and smallmouth. Lot of really small short walleyes in the 13 to 15 inch range. Biggest is only 16 inches unfortunately. Have caught all fish under 10 feet. Trolling small #5 flicker shads at about 2.3mph in wind blown bays in the evening has been lights out. Targeting 8 to 10 feet of water for trolling has worked.

Anyone have a recent report? Heading up this weekend to brave the weather. That’s what happens when you have to plan this far in advance. May end up trying plastics and jigging raps to avoid the freezing my hands with the water of the minnow bucket

I don’t have a recent report. But I did go up there last year last weekend of October and faced colder than desirable conditions. 1/8oz jig with a fathead deadsticked was about the only thing that could get a fish to go. Was hoping Id find them shallow but they were all in 25’+ around Ely Island and HooDoo Pt.

Also was up there last year late October/early November. Jig and minnow bite largely. Deeper on sunny, calm days 25-28′ and shallower when overcast/breezy 14-16′ has been my experience. Have done well out by Moose and Comet Islands. Outside the entrance to Everetts Bay can be a good numbers spot at times, as well. Those are just some of the common spots. Plenty of lesser known for you to find too.

gander, where did you find 25′ out around Hoodoo? Is there a hole somewhere out there? I haven’t marked anything over 8′ in Pike Bay. Haven’t covered the entire thing though to be fair.

Erik Swenson wrote:

Also was up there last year late October/early November. Jig and minnow bite largely. Deeper on sunny, calm days 25-28′ and shallower when overcast/breezy 14-16′ has been my experience. Have done well out by Moose and Comet Islands. Outside the entrance to Everetts Bay can be a good numbers spot at times, as well. Those are just some of the common spots. Plenty of lesser known for you to find too.

gander, where did you find 25′ out around Hoodoo? Is there a hole somewhere out there? I haven’t marked anything over 8′ in Pike Bay. Haven’t covered the entire thing though to be fair.

I was thinking the same thing about Hoodoo! Even that mouth of Everett’s can be worth a look

Will be heading up there Friday until Monday also. Plan to fish for muskies though. Will be going out of Tower. Can’t wait.

bzzsaw wrote:

Will be heading up there Friday until Monday also. Plan to fish for muskies though. Will be going out of Tower. Can’t wait.

We’ll be spending a lot of time in big bay. If you see a black Lund full of guys having a good time stop by for a shot of fireball!

SoDakangler wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bzzsaw wrote:</div>
Will be heading up there Friday until Monday also. Plan to fish for muskies though. Will be going out of Tower. Can’t wait.

We’ll be spending a lot of time in big bay. If you see a black Lund full of guys having a good time stop by for a shot of fireball!

Looks like you might want to pack a shovel and ice scraper!

SoDakangler wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bzzsaw wrote:</div>
Will be heading up there Friday until Monday also. Plan to fish for muskies though. Will be going out of Tower. Can’t wait.

We’ll be spending a lot of time in big bay. If you see a black Lund full of guys having a good time stop by for a shot of fireball!

Would be great to run into you. We will be fishing around Big Bay also Saturday through Monday. I have a Black/Red Alumacraft Trophy with a Suzuki motor. It will be me and a buddy. We will have another buddy in his boat that is a white Alumacraft Trophy with a Suzuki also. I’m guessing they will be fishing by us also. Best of luck to you.

SoDakangler wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bzzsaw wrote:</div>
Will be heading up there Friday until Monday also. Plan to fish for muskies though. Will be going out of Tower. Can’t wait.

We’ll be spending a lot of time in big bay. If you see a black Lund full of guys having a good time stop by for a shot of fireball!

What island have you been hiding behind? The ride from Indian point to tower for lunch sucked.

Behind pine island hasn’t been too bad. Still cold but at least the wind is cut down. I come from moccasin point so that makes it easier.

Walleye fishing has been really good but the bites haven’t been real aggressive. Hope the muskies have been moving for you guys.

How was fishing. Staying on Pike Bay for the next few days. Focusing on grouse but wouldn’t mind bringing the boat with the forecast.

ganderpike wrote:

How was fishing. Staying on <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Pike Bay for the next few days. Focusing on grouse but wouldn’t mind bringing the boat with the forecast.

Hopefully the wind will die down a bit over the next couple days. We were after muskies and didn’t have any success. We came out of Pike Bay each day. The North wind kind of sucks once you get our of Pike Bay. We caught 1 decent pike. There were guys staying at the hotel that were cleaning walleyes and perch at night. Not sure where they got them though. Sunday night we got another inch of snow. Hwy 169 to Virginia was a skating ring. Good luck.

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The walleye fishing was great and only going to get better. Caught them all the way from casting to shore down to 35 feet. They’re just everywhere right now and they are hungry. Only got to fish my preferred spots one day because of the wind but it didn’t matter.

Be sure to look in the leech box and make sure you are getting what you think. Bought a LG leech box and got mostly panfish size.

Didn’t use many of them. Found trolling Rattle Raps in 6-8 feet of water early mornings and late afternoon evenings over rock was the ticket. Didn’t have much luck during the day.

Large sunfish are pretty much off the beds or have been hit so hard there are not many left.

There are still some bass on the nests.

That was my week June 18-25th

Anyone have a recent report on vermilion? Heading up on Monday for 4 days. Heard it’s been tough since the big rain but hopefully it’s starting to normalize now.

Has anyone been out lately? My annual fall trip starts next week. Weather looks awesome but almost a little too warm still. Wondering if the shallow fall bite has really kicked in yet.

Sodak, there was a recent report from vermilion in a different post that was maybe a week or so old. It was pretty current. I know Bearcat for sure has been up there somewhat recently.

Heading up next Friday. Excited, will post report.

Hope they are nibbling. Will be up there from Saturday through Wednesday.

I’ll be up 9-20th so hope to hear some good reports through the weekend! Weather should be stable, really looking forward to my longest stretch up there in a long time

BrianF wrote:

Will be up there from Saturday through Wednesday.

Wind looks brutal on Saturday and Sunday. I planned on fishing this weekend but change of plans for me, good luck!

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It’s a nice cool morning up here in cook this morning

Reef W wrote:

Wind looks brutal on Saturday and Sunday. I planned on fishing this weekend but change of plans for me, good luck!

Big weather, big fish.

Definitely a PITA to fish in, but creates opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

Bearcat89 wrote:

It’s a nice cool morning up here in cook this morning

Why yes it is. You got a place on the west side?

carver wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
It’s a nice cool morning up here in cook this morning

Why yes it is. You got a place on the west side?

No, I wish !!!
I ran up and cut a new door in a cabin, poured wall foundation. Drug the boat behind the work truck and spending the rest of the day on the lake. Head back home around dark