Vermillion River-Hastings

So anyone been on the Vermillion river outside of Hastings MN? I haven’t made it out there yet, but last year the crappies were turned on for quite a few weeks in the shallows. Then the pike moved in…

Anyone? Thanks.

My wife got mad because I spent almost my whole vacation on this river. The crappies were not biting yet. But that was last week.

Thanks Black, not good news on either front I guess. If I recall correctly, last year the snap was on early season for about 5-6 weeks then shut down. I may just have to go poke around and see this weekend, get the snot out of my nose and all.

I seen a few 12-13″ crappies come out of rebecca in hastings. My lx5 screen would fill up but no luck 4 me. I’ll be going back there this weekend.

Try Artificials And move away from the crowd

I had gulp on one and a minner on the other. One pill one diamond. I don’t know what the others had on. I’ll move out a bit.. Thanks.

Thanks guys. Black maybe I’ll see you ast Rebecca over the weekend, sounds like a buddy and me may be poking around over there. I’ll need to take a left in Hastings and check the river, I’ll update what we find if anything.

Ok thanks. I’m going to goose lake on friday. I’ll be sure to post about that trip.

I spent a good portion of today on the river. I couldn’t buy a fish. I tried gulp and minnows (with and without the bodies). I even used a bobber (it’s been along time) Chubby Darters through Gill Pills I gave it my all. We parked at whats known as Dushanes Landing, and walked to the trestle and back. Then to the right where I had pounded the sunfish earlier in Dec. we didn’t even see them?? I think they are on 32 hour work weeks also and today happened to be a day off for them. O-well now I’m drinking a few and maybe tomorrow I’ll hit Rebecca. I’ll be sitting on a black bucket

Just a late update, we couldn’t buy a fish that day! The Vermillion was done, crappies must have moved out by now. Which leads me to the question, where do they go on a shallow river like that? How far do they migrate? If a guy could find a hole down there…

Rebecca was dead by the time we got there, everyone was coming off and we didn’t bother going on.

Spend the rest of the day at Ravine, I don’t think we even marked a fish.

It was fun regardless!

Not good to hear, Unsure of how safe the ice is down there as I haven’t been down lately. But when they move out of the shallows is there a chance they would be suspended in the deeper water between the train trestle and blackbird?

That’s what I’m wondering. They must hole up somewhere, just wish I could figure out where. The ice wasn’t bad, if you fall thru where we tried you’d only go up to your knees! There were open pools along the shore with tons of dying shad, also open further up river, the eagles were having a ball. I’ve only fished here the last couple years, still learning!

Alot of Eagles. I think I counted like 18 the last time I was down.

you know I was reading throgh this forum and found it very interesting, I did some research and found very little about lake rebecca. can anybody tell me more about it. was it man made or natural, is it safe to ice fish or not. you know little things.

Lake Rebecca is an oxbow lake. I beleive it is still aerated in the winter and has some springs. People do ice fish it though. I haven’t got a chance to head down there yet and ice fish it. On my long list of lakes to try though.

wow, aerated and people still fish it. thats kind of dangerous. well I think I’ll pass, or maybe try when I bring a life jacket along with me. thanks for the info.

Yep, the aerator was running a couple weeks back, it is on the front part of the east pool. The lake is basically a figure eight shape. Behind the aerator there was probably 6-8 shacks, some guys on buckets, it was a Sat afternoon. It hold s a variey of fish, probably due to it being flooded by the river occasionally? Worth checking out, and easy to be safe, just stay away from the open water!

Ok, back on topic. So I’m still convinced those vermillion crappies must be holed up somewhere, just looking at google earth. I did notice that there were open areas where the shad were dying by the 100’s, some along the shoreline, others in the middle of the river. Do you think that the open areas in the middle would attract fish due to the low 02? May go down there again this weekend and check the river bends and such for deeper water, I’ll bring a casting rod for the open areas!

hmm. I looked at vermilion river water map. this river goes everywhere, are you guys fishing where the small river meets the big river. I’d imagine that thats theonly place there would be shads.

There may be a possibility that they are “holed up” somewhere but, as I live there and fish the Vermillion often it could just be an off year. The last three years have been stellar, well for me anyways. Last year being my best. Lots of 13-15″ fish and a limit everytime I fished it. But it is a very small backwater area that the fish have been coming out of. As of this year I’ve gotten quite a few crappies out of the same area but, its been tough. I’ve fished both up and down river and had little luck. I do know that the fall crappie bite was very good down there. So maybe they moved through a little earlier this year or just a down year maybe from heavy pressure the past few.(?) I have however heard plenty of good things from Rebecca and have had good success there myself. My best day being 6 10-13″ers in an hour and a half and a little northern. The ice is plenty thick with the only trouble spots by the springs on the whole south shoreline. But even on them you should be able to walk on by now.

Thanks HT. I’m probably going to go for a nature hike Sat down there, I’m going to check the cut banks in hope that there is some depth (and fish!). It always amazes me how quick they shut down every year, literally in a day and then for the rest of the year. I’m thinking they must pack thier bags and head somewhere, just wonder where. Otherwise I’ll stop at Rebecca if there’s room Sat!