Open water coming soon.

[Aceguide]

Hey everybody,
The ice is going fast in Pike bay and I'm sure the rest of the Big V will also be opening before we know it. It should be a great season this year, especially for Walleyes. The new regs will make a huge difference in what you can have in your bag this year. Hope to see ya soon on the water!

"Ace"

[Lee Borgersen]

Glad to see you've come out of hibernation Ace

[delcecchi]

Hey everybody,
The ice is going fast in Pike bay and I'm sure the rest of the Big V will also be opening before we know it. It should be a great season this year, especially for Walleyes. The new regs will make a huge difference in what you can have in your bag this year. Hope to see ya soon on the water!

"Ace"

New reg will help you Eastern Dudes a lot more than us on the west.   

[Aceguide]

Hey Del,
Even though I don't totally agree with your assessment on the reg changes, I think it was by far the best option for Vermilion. 

"Ace"

[dew2]

Vermillion could have been 3-5 different lake names lots a water separated by channels,That may have solved the restrictions,But its all vermilion?? In past times it was no problem.Now with limits an size rules and that BIG water all called Vermillion it will get to some people who live or have cabins on the so many bays that could have their own names.Lots a large canadian shield lakes have that problem now days with so many taking fish and not even thinking how the lakes are being stripped of that blessed walleye!

[delcecchi]

The fisheries guys made the decision, and it may indeed be the best for the lake as a whole.   Just doesn't do the west much good.   

I would have preferred the "one over 18" rule, myself.   

But keeping a slot structure is more compatible with  things in the rest of the state and can more easily revert back to 17 or 18 if necessary.  So perhaps that was part of the motivation. 

And Dew, at the moment over harvest of walleye is not an issue on Vermilion.  I just hope that the slot doesn't mess things up with a stockpile of big fish like sometimes happens. 

[Gunner55]

A 17-26" slot that was new last season here. I don't usually keep 17" anyway but might if the fishery was said to have too many. They were starting to have a problem with that over on Winnie before they finally relaxed the slot.

[Aceguide]

It's funny how when people have trouble catching the fish they want it's always the DNR's fault or some other reason. I have been fishing Vermilion for almost 50 years now and the action has never been better than it is right now for every major species.   If you are struggling to catch a Walleye or to get a limit, it's not the DNR's fault, it's yours. Spots change, baitfish move and most locations are seasonal. If you're struggling try something different. New locations, new presentations, what ever it takes. The fish are there and they all have to eat sometime. Most anglers get stuck in a rut because of some success they had in the past. You have to keep an open mind and if you have to travel a few miles to catch fish, do it. Stop fishing your memories and you will find success eventually. 

"Ace" 

"It's just fishing man"

 

[delcecchi]

It's funny how when people have trouble catching the fish they want it's always the DNR's fault or some other reason. I have been fishing Vermilion for almost 50 years now and the action has never been better than it is right now for every major species.   If you are struggling to catch a Walleye or to get a limit, it's not the DNR's fault, it's yours. Spots change, baitfish move and most locations are seasonal. If you're struggling try something different. New locations, new presentations, what ever it takes. The fish are there and they all have to eat sometime. Most anglers get stuck in a rut because of some success they had in the past. You have to keep an open mind and if you have to travel a few miles to catch fish, do it. Stop fishing your memories and you will find success eventually. 

"Ace" 

Come on Ace.  Even you, like the DNR, have to admit that there is something funny going on on the west end now and for a number of years with recruitment and the available of keeper walleye.   

Is is easy for you to say "travel a few miles, when it is an hour or more round trip by boat from my location to someplace likely to have "east end" fishing conditions.   Even the guides on the west end load up their clients and take a boat ride to the east, although reputedly Niles bay had a little recovery last year.   

I am not blaming the DNR.  They don't yet have an explanation as to what is happening, so it is hard to expect them to fix it.   And they are very careful to not disclose the test netting results by location or bay, but lump the whole lake together (unless you have a link I couldn't find) which sort of papers over the issue.   

All I have to do is look around the west end and notice that there are very few people fishing walleye.   The locals for sure aren't.   Not on the traditional spots and not anywhere.   

I said that the change to the reg was the low risk choice, and doesn't do much for the west end, and I continue to believe that. 

Maybe I'll see you in the east this summer....

[dew2]

It's funny how when people have trouble catching the fish they want it's always the DNR's fault or some other reason. I have been fishing Vermilion for almost 50 years now and the action has never been better than it is right now for every major species.   If you are struggling to catch a Walleye or to get a limit, it's not the DNR's fault, it's yours. Spots change, baitfish move and most locations are seasonal. If you're struggling try something different. New locations, new presentations, what ever it takes. The fish are there and they all have to eat sometime. Most anglers get stuck in a rut because of some success they had in the past. You have to keep an open mind and if you have to travel a few miles to catch fish, do it. Stop fishing your memories and you will find success eventually. 

"Ace" 

Come on Ace.  Even you, like the DNR, have to admit that there is something funny going on on the west end now and for a number of years with recruitment and the available of keeper walleye.   

Is is easy for you to say "travel a few miles, when it is an hour or more round trip by boat from my location to someplace likely to have "east end" fishing conditions.   Even the guides on the west end load up their clients and take a boat ride to the east, although reputedly Niles bay had a little recovery last year.   

I am not blaming the DNR.  They don't yet have an explanation as to what is happening, so it is hard to expect them to fix it.   And they are very careful to not disclose the test netting results by location or bay, but lump the whole lake together (unless you have a link I couldn't find) which sort of papers over the issue.   

All I have to do is look around the west end and notice that there are very few people fishing walleye.   The locals for sure aren't.   Not on the traditional spots and not anywhere.   

I said that the change to the reg was the low risk choice, and doesn't do much for the west end, and I continue to believe that. 

Maybe I'll see you in the east this summer....

Personally I think we all have to wake up!! We've stripped fish populations in accessible sites close to large cities and its movin north.Wake up its commin yer way.Modernized GPS,Sonar,motors that hold on spot,cellphones.Its a different world of fishin just back in the Greenbox era of sonar.

[delcecchi]

That is not the case on Vermilion, dew.  Over all the population of walleye in the lake is very good.   However there is a size distribution problem on the west end of the lake, and a lack of good year classes on that end for some reason.   There is a pretty good hatch and then they young of the year disappear in their first year.   

It seems to be confined to the west end of the lake, and to the best of my knowledge the DNR hasn't got an explanation for why it happens.   It doesn't seem to be the Mille Lacs cannibalism thing, since the mortality occurs when the young are quite small, although I guess it is still possible.

If more detailed test netting data or other survey data was provided to the task force/advisory committee I sure would like to see it.  I thought the lake association was going to post it but I don't think they did.   

I am starting to wonder if the DNR has something they are hiding.  Paranoia, I know.   

[Gunner55]

My point was that with the 17-26"  slot on Winnie it got to the point where it was getting very hard for the guides to take their clients out & get any "keeper" walleye. Because of that there was added traffic here, from the guides,as we are close by & had no slot. I personally don't fish Winnie very often but did read many internet rants from pros that do, about their 17-26" slot. Last season the slot was relaxed there to 18-23"  & a 17-26" was installed here as the DNR said we had very few spawning size fish. There was very little traffic at our PA after opener last season. The lake association was crucial to getting the slot here as there has been a overabundance of 12-14" walleyes & that was about all, the last 2 or 3 seasons.

[delcecchi]

The DNR does seem to be a big fan of protected slots for some reason.   I wonder why they prefer them to other alternatives?   

[Rebel SS]

Silly Del. Don't you know DNR stands for "Doin' nothin' right?" 

[delcecchi]

Silly Del. Don't you know DNR stands for "Doin' nothin' right?" 

Actually, on Vermilion I think they are trying to do the right thing.  From talking to them over the years I believe they are mystified about what happened on the west end maybe 10 years ago that led to the poor recruitment that may be continuing to the present.   

I have a half-serious theory that it is due to the county and state mandated improvements to septic systems for cabins near the lake which reduced the inflow of nutrients.   The west end really has no significant inflow other than ground water and localized run off.   

So, in my theory, the reduction in nutrients led to a decrease in the zooplankton that the walleye fry eat.  So the fry basically starve to death.     

That would make a great topic for some graduate student to research.   Compare the zooplankton population between east and west Vermilion. 

[Gunner55]

I was told that the 17-26" slot on Winnie started in 2000 & went 15 years. That's way too long IMO, a couple seasons of bad weather during the spawn or measurable change in the forage base, even water clarity can quickly effect the fishery. Just my .02

[Aceguide]

Well Rebel, if the DNR is doing such a poor job why is it then that we have such excellent fishing state wide? The Minnesota DNR is the envy of many other states and for good reason. WE have a "World class fishery" People come from all over the world to fish our state and for good reason.
Perhaps you should fish some place else if the Minnesota fishery isn't good enough for you.

"Ace"

[glenn57]

Well Rebel, if the DNR is doing such a poor job why is it then that we have such excellent fishing state wide? The Minnesota DNR is the envy of many other states and for good reason. WE have a "World class fishery" People come from all over the world to fish our state and for good reason.
Perhaps you should fish some place else if the Minnesota fishery isn't good enough for you.

"Ace"

yea Reb.........what he said!!!!!!!!!!!!! tut_tut-3315.gif like in the NL's hot tub!!!!!!!!!!! sleazy-422.gif

[Rebel SS]

Well Rebel, if the DNR is doing such a poor job why is it then that we have such excellent fishing state wide? The Minnesota DNR is the envy of many other states and for good reason. WE have a "World class fishery" People come from all over the world to fish our state and for good reason.
Perhaps you should fish some place else if the Minnesota fishery isn't good enough for you.

"Ace"

Entitled to my own opinion, and sense of humor.... Lighten up, Francis. Since you don't live down where I do....maybe it doesn't apply to you.  Perhaps you shouldn't worry about it either. 

Oh, and for yer info, that quip was taken right out of a Minnesota River magazine. Maybe you can write to them.

[glenn57]

Reb pretty sure he was messing with ya! Hence the hinder shake smiley!!

[Boar]

yeah reb, hinder shake smiley hinder shake smiey. hahahaha. hinder shake smiley..

[Rebel SS]

Well whoop-dee-doo. I wasn't. Tough noogies.

[Boar]

whats a noogie?? some kinda fish glenn claims to have caught years go and put it on the wall or something??

[Rebel SS]

It' a direct descendant of the elusive talking Robert fish...    

[Boar]

no thats wrong, i know all of roberts decendants. his family weedline has nothing to do with noogies.i think its a night time game u play with the NL. rebbby lets play tough noogies tonight....