Lake Vermillion Mn

[gmach10]

I`m taking the family the first full week in July, anybody got any advice on where to start. We`re staying at the Cook end of the lake. I`ve got a 9 year old and a 4 year old and want them to have something tugging at their lines, does`nt have to be monster fish just enough action to keep their interest.

[Dennis Vail]

There's nice size bluegill all over the lake that will keep you kids pretty busy. Hans can probably give you a number of good spots for them.

If you want to try the 9 year old's hand at catching walleye there's a spot at the end of Norweigian Bay when nice eating size walleye show up regularly from first light until sunup. A guy in the cabin next to me at Life of Riley turned me on to it. He said he'd been coming up there for 20 years during July and the walleye are always there from first light til sunup then the bites over. That's just how it was for the week I was there too. Like they were punching in and out on a time clock. I'd be back in with a limit in time for breakfast. Perfect spot for a lindy-rigging 101 class too. Sandy bottom with no snags to speak of. You might think of setting your kid up with a lindy rig snell with a circle hook. I slowly backtroll and usually put a orange bead or two on my snell and fish with a leech.

If you look on a map you'll see right before the end of the bay just past Riley's a spot where it narrows with a small wide point coming off from each end. It's all weedy after that but both points are sandy/gravelly. Work the point real slowly on the east side(right side as you are coming in) from close to shore (it's weedy right at the shore)and head towards the point on other side until you get deeper than 12'. Then work back in. Eight to twelve feet is the target. I had good luck working a few feet off the edge of the weed line on the east side from the point going towards the back of the bay and then following the weedline out from shore as the weedline soon stretches across the bay. I ran into a monster Smallie doing that right at sunrise. Didn't catch any walleye bigger than 19 there and there's some cigars there but the action is very steady and if you're there at first light you can usually get a limit of nice eaters by sunrise. I didn't catch any walleye there after sunup. Caught some there at dusk but it was a lot spottier than the early morning bite. If you get your kid (kids)up and out that early, I'll bet (s)he'll have a lot of fun.

Hope that helps.

[gmach10]

Dennis, thanks for the reply I`ll dig my maps out and find the spot you described. I`ll be back around the 15th of July and let you know how it went.

[Steve Wical]

Hi gmach10,

Dennis gave some good advice. My Grandfather owned the Life of Riley for 20+ years and I docked a few thousand boats and cleaned a few thousand fish during that time, LOL. Just ask Rock (Current Owner), he will remember me. Anyway, back to places to fish on Vermillion. I you tell me where you are staying, I can get a little more specific. These places are close to Riley.

My favorite way to fish Vermillion for enjoyment is to troll the shorline with Rapala's while admiring the beautiful scenery and wildlife. I have caught ton's of smallies and northerns and a few walleye to boot. If you leave the docks at the resort and head across the bay to the far shore starting at the left point and heading up the bay. Lots of big rocks off the shore line so be carefull in a bigger boat.

Now for what used to be the "secret" spots!

Here are some key places to get walleye. Time of day and wind direction is critical. Bait is leeches or crawlers this time of year on Lindy or spinner rigs. Lighter is better!!! I have the best luck working areas the wind is blowing into. If you can go out alone, go when the weather is "nastiest".

1. Looking out from the docks of the resort you will see a point left off the far shore line. If you come off the point 50 or so yards towards the big rock wall across the bay you will find a very rocky reef. This one is usually marked. If you troll from where Dennis recommended to this reef and back at the time he indicated you WILL catch nice pan size eyes.

2. Around "Blueberry Hill" back in the bay you see from the beach at the resort is "Tredeau's Island". If you troll the east side of the island (the far side looking at the island from the beach)keeping the distance betwwen the island and the shore the same, you can get wallies, crappies. Normal times, morning/evening are best.

The "Rock Wall" to the left of the resort is pretty good at times. You should be able to see the cabin up there. Troll aboolut 50' off the wall heading towards the back of the bay. The island to your right heading to the back of the bay is the old "Hommer and Vera" island (GREAT SAUNA). When your boat lines up with the point of the island facing the main bay, turnaround.



Here are some key places to get smallies/crappies.

1. Leave the docks and go up the bay. As you reach the first point where the bay narrows (Just before the Windsock on your left) there will be a little bay. If you head towards a rock hill back in the bay and line up your boat with the point you passed, you will find a reef. Smallies manily but have caught lots of crappies.

2. Past the above location heading up the bay on your right you will see a marked reef, Just past that you will see "Twin Island". The reef will be across the bay from the marked reef. You need to line up the makred reef, the point of an island up the bay and work slowly up the bay. It will be about 20-25' deep around 40-60' of water. If you hit it right, we have caught 6+lb smallies and walleyes on leeches/worms/minows.

I wish you the best of luck! If I can help in any other way, drop me a line at: kart17@speakeasy.org.

Steve