We are headed into the dog days of summer up here on Lake Vermilion. The best advice I can give is be versatile.

Focus on walleyes early in the morning and late in the evening durning those primetime hours.

Slip bobbers with leeches or Lindy rigging with crawlers, minnows or leeches are going to be your best bet. Fish the edges of any mid lake structure like rock piles, sand flats, and reefs.

Another tactic I have been using to catch these walleyes on Lake Vermilion is jig dragging.

Basically what you do is tie on a 3/8th ounce jig and let out about a hundred feet of line. Then you will cruise around at about 0.5 to 1.0 dragging your jig along. You almost fish it like a Lindy rig. Pay attention to your electronics.  This has been a super effective tactic for us on the sand flats recently.

During the day you will be able to catch a few using Rapala Jigging Raps and working them aggressively triggering a reactionary strike.

Focus on depths between twenty and twenty six feet of water. That has been the depth range where we are seeing the most fish schooled up.

The muskies on lake Vermilion have moved towards the weed beds and towards the main lake structure. Bucktails and topwater baits are moving the most fish.

Keep and eye on the water temperatures and try to practice safe and quick handling when dealing with these fish.

The smallmouth bass bite has been decent. You can catch fish number of different ways. Soft plastics, ned rigs, tubes, topwater baits and leeches under a bobber will all produce fish.

If you are looking to get out fishing you can reach me through my website. Good luck out on the water and enjoy all the great things Lake Vermilion has to offer.