Walleye
The walleye fishing continues to be excellent on the big V. Water temperatures are hovering around that 50 degree mark, with skinnier water being a few degrees cooler. The majority of my action has been in that 18-43ft range; narrow your search by keying in on windblown sand/clay bottoms with some rock near by. Side imaging really cuts out a lot of guess work and can put you right on an edge that feeding walleye are relating to. Typically most of your larger fish in that slot range and above are being found in shallower water of 10-20ft following schools of larger perch. Windblown sand and/or green cabbage edges are one’s best bets when targeting larger fish at this time. As for methods of take, some days certain fish prefer snap jigging rattle baits, jigging raps, or heavy lead heads with chubs triggering a natural reaction strike, while other days more fish will take to slower and light finesse presentations. Come and get it while its hot; the fishery is in great shape and there is no better time to come up and walleye fish Vermilion!
Musky
The toothy critters have been very active as of late. Anglers should expect to see action, fall feedbags are on and fish are hungry! All my fish have come off of the shallow stuff in the past week casting blades and twitch baits. Smaller rubber baits over shallow rock will also move fish. The water just is not cool enough to begin casting the big stuff in deep water just yet; one will find more fish up high.
Bass
Smallmouth have fishing has been good; the difficulty here is locating big fish on what seems like an endless amount of good small structure. Most of my fish are being found in the 11-20ft range. Use your side imaging to find and key on on BIG boulder fields. Most fish well be suspending a few feet over the top and are easily found on one’s graph. Drop-shotting a crosstail shad or any baitfish imitation has been best.
Crappie
If green cabbage beds are located fish can be found relating to them still in that 6-10ft range. The water still is not cool enough to brown the vegetation and push a lot of west end crappie deep. Reports on the dark water fishery of the east end show the contrary of fish being found using the middle of water column in that 20-30ft range.
Jarek Wujkowski
Rodsbent Guide Service
