eVermilion Magazine

Walleye and smallmouth have continued  to be found this week on rock piles in 8-12 feet of water. An 1/8 ounce black jig or slip bobber with half a crawler has been the best method. Good luck! Buck Lescarbeau bestbetbuck@yahoo.com

On Monday, July 15, lake association volunteers scanned the waters of Vermilion for their 37th annual loon count. Seventy-one volunteers found a total 195 loons, including 159 adults and 36 chicks. The total was down 40 from 2018, but year-to-year variations are common. The Tower. . .

Is it too late? Will the depressing news about fishery issues at other major walleye lakes inevitably reach our shore? Absolutely not! Yes, spiny waterfleas were discovered in Vermilion’s east basin in 2015. They have noticeably reduced our small zooplankton, especially in late summer, but. . .

A recent uptick in reports of dead loons and test results indicate an impact from West Nile virus (WNV), according to nongame wildlife staff at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota confirmed WNV as the cause. . .

The walleye bite has slowed somewhat this week due to large amounts of natural food in the water, mayflies, and young of the year perch. If you fish hard and maintain a positive attitude good catches are still possible! Smallmouth have now moved out to. . .

The walleye bite has slowed somewhat due to the mayfly hatch. Simply put, your bait has a lot more natural competition at this time of year. You might have to work a little harder for your fish but remember this, they are always biting somewhere!. . .

Are you planning to fish for muskies on Lake Vermilion this summer? The DNR needs help collecting muskie scales. Especially needed are anglers who can catch multiple muskies on Vermilion – and provide multiple samples. These scales will help estimate the number of adult muskies in. . .

While the 8-12 ft rock piles are still consistent for walleye, main lake sand flats from 19-25 ft have also started to produce. A live bait rig tipped with a leech or half a crawler has worked best in the sand. With surface water temps. . .

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding boaters to watch for loons not only around the Fourth of July holiday, but also as part of their season-long safety procedures. Watercraft are a significant cause of loon mortality. Loons frequently nest and rear their young. . .

The North St Louis Soil & Water Conservation District and Always There Staffing, Inc, a local staffing agency, are seeking part-time seasonal aquatic invasive species (AIS) watercraft inspectors to work at public access sites on Lake Vermilion, Pelican Lake, Burntside Lake, Shagawa Lake, Ely Lake,. . .