what kind of fish are in lake vermilion
As the water warms, add a bit of action to your retrieves. Lake trout notoriously follow lures up off the bottom to strike midway between the surface and the bottom—or even as you lift your lure out of the water next to the boat! Several invasive species are present in Lake Vermilion including Chinese mystery snails, curly-leaf pondweed, Heterosporis sutherlandae, purple loosestrife, rusty crayfish, and spiny waterfleas. For more information on aquatic invasive species and other DNR programs, please visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us. Don’t fish on the bottom at this time, or you’ll be below the fish. Additionally, a new special regulation for walleye came into effect in May 2017. A 24-36 inch protected slot limit regulation with one fish over 36 inches allowed in a three fish possession limit for northern pike was implemented in 2003. Early on, fairly slow retrieves with ½-ounce spinnerbaits, 4-inch spoons, large crankbaits (both suspending and floating-diving), large unweighted softbaits, and flyfishing excel for both numbers and giants in the shallow back ends of bays. But if you know where to look, your chances of connecting with bigmouths are better than you might expect. Largemouths provide a pleasant diversion from deeper fishing tactics for other species, and back bays provide a good escape from wind and waves on days when the wind kicks up on the main lake. Large bucktails, giant crankbaits, topwaters, magnum softbaits, classic jerkbaits—they all have excellent potential. As summer arrives in earnest, expect some walleyes to drop deeper, down to as much as 35 or 40 feet. Unlike pike, muskies do not spawn at ice-out in the back ends of marshy bays. The key is usually being in the right places at the right times of year, and then just getting something tempting in front of their noses to garner strikes. Fall electrofishing provides general information on the abundance and growth of young-of-the-year (YOY) walleyes at or near the end of their first growing season. Smallmouth bass abundance continues to be high with fish over 14 inches available. Lake Vermilion Size: 39,272 acres Max Depth: 76 feet Average Water Clarity: 8 feet Shoreline: 341 miles Species Present: Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, various suckers, shiners and minnows. Set up a cast length away from such cover, and pitch a small 1/32-ounce jig about 16 inches below a thin balsa float up near the edge of the cover. The 2016 yellow perch gill net catch rate of 13.9 fish/net was the lowest catch rate ever observed on Lake Vermilion. Smallmouths are also feisty, willing biters that respond to a wide variety of tactics throughout the fishing season. The last assessments of this type were done in 1997 and 1998 prior to implementation of the special regulation. Example: When using spoons, interrupt the retrieve 2 or 3 times per cast by popping your rod tip upward, and then letting the lure flutter down for a few seconds to trigger strikes from following pike. Smallmouth Bass It’s a great way to cover water and establish areas with numbers of active fish. The curly-leaf pondweed infestations are often intermingled with native aquatic vegetation and there is a concern that increased herbicide treatments could reduce native plant diversity. As postspawn smallies disperse back toward the mainlake, swimming jigs and 4-inch grubs in steady fashion triggers strikes from fish that like to feed upward. Lake Vermilion is part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Large Lake Monitoring Program which includes annual fisheries population assessments, fish disease examinations, water quality monitoring, zooplankton monitoring, aquatic invasive species surveillance, and regularly scheduled creel surveys on the 10 largest lakes in Minnesota. When is the Best Time to Fish the Vermilion River for Steelhead. Lake-Link Members have access to 2,740 high-quality topographical lake maps from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin with Lake-Link's Map Viewer system. Current is king on the river, with gamefish lining up along the edges of current seams, eddies, flooded wood and shoreline vegetation, rocky points and shoals, islands, narrows, pools—you name it! Try a similar rig on a heavy (2- to 3- ounce) bottom bouncer or three-way rig for fishing deeper if needed. Aquatic Invasive Species Since 1984, annual fish population assessments on Lake Vermilion have included a variety of sampling gears to collect various fish species at different life stages. While smallmouth bass tend to draw most of the bassin’ attention, Vermilion is also home to a surprising number of big largemouth bass, with fish of 5 to 6 pounds not uncommon. As postspawn walleyes disperse back into the mainlake, look for them along the first major points, islands or rock reefs adjacent to their spawning sites, initially focusing your efforts at about the 10- to 20-foot level. Lake Vermilion’s largemouths tend to cluster in the back ends of bays with assorted weed, flooded wood, lily pads and reeds. 513 acres Not all, however; some linger along the deep outer edges of mainlake weedbeds, where trolling a bullet sinker/spinner rig tipped with a nightcrawler covers water, using speed and flash as added triggers to catch fish. They put up a good fight on light line, and make for a tasty shore lunch or evening meal accompanied by fried potatoes and onions, pork & beans and canned fruit for dessert. Mooneye (Hiodon tergisus) are similar in appearance to cisco and lake whitefish. The annual gill net survey on Lake Vermilion does not target the shallow, vegetated bays where northern pike tend to be found in greater abundance. Or, try three-way rigging a flutterspoon or large minnowbait on a 5-foot leader, with a 3-foot dropper line off your three-way swivel to a 5- to 8-ounce weight. Bluegills are more abundant in West Vermilion compared to East Vermilion. The tips of underwater structures, and irregularities along the dropoff to deeper water, tend to concentrate fish. Mooneye are characterized by having large eyes. Yet the fact is, with bigger pike likely to chow down on small walleyes or bass, you’re just as likely to tag into a big pike while fishing for walleyes in their traditional hangouts. Thomas Kasseth from Ham Lake, MN Brad and Alex Schmoll from Cedar, MN Mark Murphy from Fargo N.D. Ryan Stadler from Colorado Brian Crook from Bondurant, Iowa Larry Head from Cook, MN. 2017 Angling Prospects Switch to a slip float for fish that are deeper than about 3 ½ feet, which is a more snag-resistant setup than a traditional float. Thus, when you come to Vermilion, spend some time casting and looking at areas with large mainlake weedbeds along shorelines or around islands, and at rock-and-boulder reefs and island complexes with immediate access to deep water. Often, your first morning of fishing will reveal enough follows by curious fish to indicate whether weeds or rocks with be the focus of your fishing the next few days. Casting many of the same lures as used earlier excels for fish of all sizes. This was the day we went out in the morning fishing for a fish fry. In other words, this is the place to come not just to get bit, but for a good shot at a giant. Once the water temperature reaches about 70 F, the largest pike tend to drop down into deep water (35-40 feet) to escape uncomfortably warm temperatures. Walleye Lake Vermilion is comprised of two major basins, East Vermilion (area east of Oak Narrows) and West Vermilion (area west of Oak Narrows). Then retrieve it back slowly and steadily, with minimal action, enticing fish to rise up and smack it. The bay is directly affected by the effluent of the Vermilion River and occasionally that of the Atchafalaya. Copyright © 2021 Lake-Link Inc. All rights reserved. In very early spring, smallmouth bass become surprisingly active, even with water temperatures in the 40Fs. Once found, back off a short distance, and cast similar jig and bobber combos as used earlier into pockets, lanes and edges of the reeds. On 4-pound-test and medium-light tackle, they provide a good tussle and loads of fun for the family and serious anglers alike. If you’re up for an adventure, dress warmly, and cast jigs or crankbaits up shallow to get jolted by these powerful fighters. Instead, when you seed suspended fish on your electronics, cast a 1/16-ounce jig out across the school, and count it down, one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, etc. Bluegill The tips of long point and edges of mainlake reefs are great spots. Livebait rigging with chubs, vertically jigging hair jigs, or jigging Jigging Rapalas does a real number on fall smallies. Add a 1- to 2-ounce Rubbercor sinker to your line about 4 feet ahead of the lure if you think you need to fish a little deeper to trigger strikes. Historically, northern pike gill net catch rates have been relatively low and fairly stable ranging between 0.5 and 1.7 fish/net. Just A Vermilion Dam Minute News and Fishing Report, Just A Vermilion Dam Minute Facebook Feed, © 2021 Vermilion Dam Lodge - Powered by ARI Network Services - ARI Responsive Websites. Heterosporis has been identified in several walleye and yellow perch from Lake Vermilion, mostly from the west end of the lake. Walleyes are likely to hang out in deeper stretches where current funnels around bends, adjacent moderate current that funnels food right past their noses. That, and the peaceful majesty of flow winding it’s way through the remote, pristine landscape make for a memorable day on the water. Vermilion has long been known as one of Minnesota’s top smallmouth bass fisheries, providing loads of action and potential trophies nearly everywhere throughout the lake. There are loads of places for you to fish for your favorite species. Aquatic invasive species are not native to Minnesota and cause varying levels of economic and environmental harm. A small, but dense population of curly-leaf pondweed was first surveyed in Everetts Bay in 2009. As postspawn walleyes disperse. Few places in the state rival our potential to grow pike surpassing the 20-pound mark. In early spring, lake trout roam mainlake shorelines, remaining fairly shallow—often 15 feet or less—until the surface water temperature rises to about 55 F. Simply longline troll large wobbling spoons or magnum crankbaits along shore and around the perimeters of midlake islands that drop off into adjacent deep water. While some groups have caught their fish, others have had to hunt a little harder. 1975 AWARD WINNER! Again. The goal of the regulation is to provide additional harvest opportunity while maintaining safe harvest levels and adequate spawning stock. Given the gill net catch rate, electrofishing catch rate, and large average size of YOY walleyes sampled, the early indication is that the 2016 year class will be moderate to strong. In spring, crappies move into shallow bay areas where flooded wood and reeds are present. The 2016 trap net catch rate of black crappie was 1.1 fish/net, which was slightly below the historical average and down from catches observed in 2014 and 2015. The 2016 spring electrofishing catch rate of smallmouth bass was 58.3 fish/hour which was above the 75th percentile for Lake Vermilion. One of the many reasons I love Vermilion! Chinese mystery snails were first discovered in Spring Bay in 2011 and have since been reported in an adjacent bay. Vermilion Bay is indeed a tough nut to crack, but once you learn its particulars, it can give up some fine action with redfish, among others. Now, they may ignore a minnowbait passing overhead, yet still fall prey to a tube jig or flutterworm dropped downward to rest in or near their nesting sites. Lake Vermilion is a good lake even though some anglers report the fishing can be tough here. Depends on the day. Spots that worked in the 80 degree stretch went dry when the water temp fell over 10 degrees, making the shallow bite more productive again. The mean length of yellow perch captured in 2016 was 7.7 inches, slightly above the historic average. Eventually, many of these fish may penetrate into bays and begin seeking shallow nesting sites with sand/rock bottom, along with additional cover like flooded wood or reeds. Plus, there are loads of pike in the 10- to 20-pound range, and plenty of smaller fish that make a good alternative shore lunch if you fillet out their Y bones prior to cooking. The average length of walleyes captured was 14.4 inches which was above the historic average. Their impact on the lake is unknown but likely negligible. Black crappie abundance has historically been relatively low and stable on Lake Vermilion with generally higher abundance in West Vermilion. The Lake Vermilion fishery is healthy and should provide both catch and harvest opportunities for multiple species. Purple loosestrife has been found at several sites on the lake, usually in wetland areas adjacent to lake. Make long casts with neutrally-buoyant minnowbaits (jerkbaits), pumping the lure a couple of times to attract fish, and then pausing 10 to 15 seconds for them to examine the lure and become interest and agitated enough to bite. Sampling is conducted at the same general time of year and locations for each gear type in order to track population trends. […] The best bet is to experiment with all lure styles in different color patterns, and see if the fish indicate a preference by following or striking. While shoreline cover is usually the main attraction for largemouths, some bays find the fish also using coontail weeds lying a short distance outside shoreline cover. Also try longline trolling very deep-diving large crankbaits that reach down to the 35-foot level. Early on, flooded trees are usually the best fish attractors, since weed cover mashed flat by recent ice offers little protection for spooky crappies. As of now, spiny waterfleas have only been sampled in East Vermilion. LAKE VERMILION GUIDES LEAGUE . If the fish are finicky, however, switch to a 3-ounce bottom bouncer rig, using a curved “Slow Death” hook, to fish slowly, tapping the wire feeler of the bouncer on and off bottom while the baited hook flip flops and spins a half-crawler threaded onto the bent hook, tempting reluctant biters to respond. East Vermillion Lake is located in McCook County, South Dakota. Use stout flippin’ rods spooled with heavy line to jerk fish up and out of the cover before they realize what hit them, and then fight them in the adjacent open water. For the first month or so of the season, they will periodically move in and out of these bays, either feeding on ciscoes suspended outside the bay mouths, or on miscellaneous smaller fish within the backs of bays themselves. Data on fish contamination and recommendations for fish consumption are released each year by the Minnesota Department of Health. I would begin searching the shallow water in these areas. Control and removal techniques have been evaluated and used sporadically with varied success. I can target these other species for a full day or as a change of pace if the walleye bite is slow. As mentioned earlier, pike are already spawning in the back ends of marshy bays even as the ice goes out. Lake Vermilion has an abundance of sought-after Canadian Shield fish species. By fall, smallies begin dropping deeper and schooling heavily off the ends of reefs or points extending down into 30 to 40 feet of water. Lake Vermilion has an excellent walleye population, with fish of all sizes present in good numbers. Spiny waterfleas are an invasive zooplankton first discovered in Lake Vermilion in 2015. Historically, lakewide trap net catches of bluegill have been extremely variable ranging from 14.4 to 64.7 fish/net from 1987 to 2015. However, it is quite common to catch perch, bass, northern pike and muskie while fishing for walleye. It’s a big lake and there are plenty of fish here. To catch them, vertically jig a 1- to 2-ounce white jig tipped with a large white softbait, up and down near bottom, anywhere you see large fish on your depth finder. You’re looking for areas with a combination of bent and broken reeds, darker bottom, and the dark profiles of crappies lurking within the cover. These gears include gill nets, trap nets, shoreline seines, and electrofishing boats. During low water, the rocky center portions of the river usually draw more bronzebacks. Crappies also are delicious, providing a tasty alternative to walleyes when they hit the frying pan. Often, one excels over the other. The lake contains black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, sunfish, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, and yellow perch. ; the small jig sinks about 1 foot per second, and you want it to reach a level at or just above the top of the school. With the drastic change in weather, the fishing has been inconsistent to say the least. At first, they move atop mainlake boulder flats and bars to feed. You’ll probably catch a few casting crankbaits to exposed rock banks and midriver shoals as well. Look for fish in less than 10 feet of water in spring, perhaps 5 to 15 in summer, and as deep as 25 to 30 by fall. Bluegills captured in trap nets had an average length of 5.7 inches, with very few fish captured over 8 inches. Other large lakes with a longer history of spiny waterflea presence including Rainy Lake, Lake Kabetogama, and Lake of the Woods have seen significant declines in native zooplankton biomass and density following the introduction of the invasive zooplankton. Regardless, once you’ve spotted fish in certain areas, punch in the coordinates on your GPS, and return to the spot several times during the day to try to intercept them when they are actively feeding. As an alternative, try casting or longline trolling 4- to 5-inch minnowbaits through the shallows, targeting about 4 to 8 feet. Black Crappie Lake Vermilion's updated management plan now is in place. Cruise the outer edges of reedbeds on calm, sunny days, peering into the water with polarized sunglasses. Since then, annual surveys have been conducted and curly-leaf pondweed has not reached nuisance levels. The average length was 10.1 inches, which was near the historical average. Vermilion is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota. They spawn around mid May and prefer to feed on minnows, insects, worms and other smaller fish. East Vermillion Lake is a reservoir located just 11.7 miles from Hartford, in McCook County, in the state of South Dakota, United States, near Rumpus Ridge, SD. Catch rates during spring electrofishing surveys have increased since sampling began in 1989 indicating increased abundance. In spring, walleyes spawn either in incoming rivers with rocky shoals, or atop mainlake rock flats swept by wind and current, with water temperatures in the 40 Fs. We have lots of ‘em! Lake Vermilion is a very large lake that is composed of many bays and channels. Both the catch rate of YOY walleyes and the size of fish captured are useful in predicting future year class strength. The scenic Vermilion River, the outflow from Lake Vermilion, lies a mere stone’s throw from the lodge, and offers a variety of fishing patterns for walleyes, pike, bass and occasionally, a rogue muskie or two. For places to stay. 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