Finally! Finally I got to get out and enjoy some fast and furious crappie action on the Vermillion River. This is considered part of Pool 3, and is also considered “Boundary Waters”, so the crappie limit here is 25! These fish are URL caliber fish.
The water these fish are coming out of is 1.5 feet deep! Yep! You read that right. It is shallow, and as clear as gin! You can see the crappies swim through the hole, and inhale your waxie! Some of these fish top a pound, and most are in the 3/4 pound range. Kids, adults, dogs, everyone is getting in on the action! Some sunfish are being caught as well. Size is not the greatest, although a few are nice.
North Lake is also putting out some huge crappies! Many are hitting the scales at over a pound and a half! Minnows are the bait of choice on North right now. Morning and evening is the best time to get bit there. Follow the crowds, and you will find these nomadic beasts. Much like URL, the fish tend to be very large, and hit in bursts. For the Vermillion, a small jig, 2 or 3 pound test line, and waxies are the best bet. Tonight I got to fish with Gary Wellman, LeRoy Carl, and Corey and Emily Waller, all of Hastings. Corey and Emily are pictured here with a mess of nice fish. I mentioned this last summer that I was very impressed with the shiner hatch on Pool 3. I predicted a hot bite on the Vermillion and North Lake for this winter. It sure appears that I may have been right for once!
The key to catching backwater fish is to be VERY quiet, and mobile! As I mentioned, 1.5 feet of crystal clear water is not condusive to icing a bunch of fish if you are noisy, or those around you are. Punch a bunch of holes in advance, and bounce around them during the day. As the crowds gather, don’t be afraid to set up away from them in holes you drilled earlier. We watched it pay off today!
Have a very Merry Christmas all! I hope to see a bunch of you in the coming months on the water!
Tuck
I should mention, there are a ton of springs on the Vermillion towards shore. It is never safe in optimum conditions. We had 4 inces of solid ice where we were. A couple guys fell through a ways down from us in an area where they were told not to be.
Be very careful!!!!
Nice report EG! Christmas Crappies!
Hey Tuck, I saw a truck with the in depth sticker on Friday night when I pulled in. I saw the picture being taken of Cory and Emily on the ice, guess I just didn’t make it down that far to say “hello”. I’m heading down there in 5 minutes for some more crappie action. Maybe see you there.
Jami
Tuck,
Does the Vermillion receive quite a bit of pressure from propped boats in the summertime?
Ive never fished that area, where is the access located from Hastings? Thanks much.
There is a public access straight east of Hastings on 10th street. It is about 6 miles out of town. You will see a Public Access sign on the left. Cross the tracks, and take a left. Work along the south shore.
The only real traffic the Vermillion sees in the summer is locals. Nice walleye and big crappie, and big pike are resident.
Here is one from today…Solid pound and a half!
Tuck
Good to see the Crappies Chris
dave
How long do you expect the bite to last?
Thanks, redneckjr.
Wow! Now thats what I call a happy fisherman by the smile on his face. Very nice crappie Bud. Thanks for the report and pics.
Where are the springs [stay away from areas] at?
Thanks, Bill
Nice crappies. 1.5fow, thats cool. Should have been able to see the fish flash under the hole
Was out today with everyone else, bite was slow and others agreed. Lots of little bluegills, caught a few keeper crappies. Lost a HUGE pike that hit a waxie. Only say one person fall through, up to his thighs.
He laughed it off and packed up..
Hey Big, Where were you fishinng at? Were you up by the guy that fell in? I was there by the fish shack. In my yellow coat the wife bought me with the 2 kids.
Chappy, you were there? I was the guy wearing the orange jacket to the south of the fish house-2:00 to 4:30 pm. Kinda slow for me.
Actually 2 guys fell through, one at the access. Not sure if I’m going to try that again until it gets colder.
I was there early. 6:30 ish -8:15 or so. I thought I had a touch of something the Capt. gave me but I think it was more than that!
The bite should last for a good portion of the winter. As long as the shiners hold out. Many shad are in the river right now too. Towards spring, these will die off, and that affects the crappie bite somewhat.
The springs are all along the southern shoreline. The ice is going to be very suspect for a bit until we get some colder weather, which looks like it might be some time in coming. I would try North Lake also! Bigger fish, and better ice.
Just what Chappy needed! A YELLOW JACKET! Just in case you couldn’t find him beofre!
Chappy showed up last week, and the fish QUIT biting! When he left, they started again…Cooincidence? I think not!
STAY OFF THE VERMILLION!
GAry Wellman fell through today getting off. He said there were a bunch of folks stranded on the ice.
Go somewhere else for now…I’ll keep everyone posted…
Sorry for scaring you Brian K! Gary is fine! He just called to tell me that the ice melted away from the shore far enough to cause some wet knickers getting off the ice now. I would stay off the Vermillion now until we get some very cold weather. It is unfortunate, we finally get a year where the crappies are back in there, and the weather turns tropical in December after a deep freeze early!
Putz was down to North Lake yesterday, and reported slow going. I will go down and try it today.
Tuck
HEY ALL!!!!!
I’m fine!!!!
The ice is all but about gone right now on the Vermillion. Stay off till it freezes back up.
When I went to the launch Tuesday morning, most of the ice at the access was gone, but there was about a 4′ patch to get out on. Being my 300lb
made it through, but the ice cracked hard when I walked out.
About 15 other people made it out that morning along with me.
Fished from 8am to noon and had 19 very nice crappies. As Tuck put it, you got to bounce from hole to hole, looking for the schools of fish.
All the ice I was fishing was barely 2″, most closer to 1″…..But it “was” solid ice…
All the ice around the shorelines are gone……
As I left and headed to the ramp, another guy was in front of me. As he walked across the skinny section of ice to get to shore, it cracked really, really bad……..
I made 1 step and went to my knees……Made an attempt to step out of it and sank again…….another step and sank again……..another step and sank again!!!!!!
DANG that is cold!!!!!! Especially when it hits the “inseam” of your pants!!!!!!!!! Hoppd in the truck, wringing wet and buzzed home to dry off. No harm done, even chuckled a bit with the other guy about it!!!
I felt bad for all the other guys on the ice, they must of had a heck of a time getting off!!!!
Yeah, inseam
On a normal person it would be their neck! 
Glad all you soaked was your pride!
Whew! I stopped there yesterday and decided not to go out. For once, a good decision about ice.
I went down there yesterday afternoon and everyone was walking down the shoreline to get to the spots. Seems yesterday they were biting on Minnows and were out deeper…..Sorry,farther out than what we’ve been fishing the other day. Like Gary said, There is no Ice near shore except in a couple areas. Be careful if you do go down there.
Just so everyone knows…..Chappy bought that jacket himself but blames his wife….and she is such a sweet lady…shame on you chappy! Here’s a question for all that know chappy…what’s louder….the yellow jacket or Chappy?
All right,all right……. That’s enough out of you!!!!
Can there be a right answer?
This is one of those conumdrum deals, right? Chicken/egg deal?
Black spray paint..and we got one big bee! A loud bee!
What a great first post…and handle…but the handle could be anyone!?
Welcome to the registered side of IDA Tom! YOU are off to a great start!!!!
how is the ice on North, and is it enough for an ATV? i’ve never fished north lake, but i live a few miles from there and may buzz down tomorrow. any reports from today or yesterday?
I wouldn’t take any wheeler or sled on North just yet………Too many thin spots……..
how much ice is out there?
and how was Trap this summer? i didn’t get out there but a couple times, was extremely busy at work this summer traveling and whatnot. i heard it was kind of dead out there though.
When I was out there a few weeks back, the ice was about 4″……..Then it got warm………There were soft spots then.
TRAP???? Who the heck is this?????? I must admit, that I’ve given up on trap shooting for awhile…….I got burnt out on it after being prez…….The club is still going good and strong……..I’ll be back again in a year or two, but right now priorities have changed.
Justin from hastings. you know, Perch
I remember you!!!!!
How the heck have you been???
oh, i’ve been good. hunting is wrapping up this weekend for me. one last day in the bowstand, and then its time to hit the ice hard. i’m heading to mille lacs on sunday and monday though. i just didn’t get to the club because of work and all. plus the weather was terrible this year for like the first half of the season. i ran into Judge at the ice arena a couple weeks ago, and he said that a lot of people weren’t coming out that often this year.
I was on North on Tuesday and there was about 5″ of ice where I was drilling holes. Fishing was slow for me and the folks I talked to. This is a fuzzy pic from the inside of my Otter so you know where I fished.
Was out on North last night and this morning. Wish I could tell you that the fish were biting but I cant. A few people were out and it was the same with them. A few stray crappies here and there but nothing hot and heavy. Gonna try one more time tonight but if they dont bite I think I am gonna concentrate on other areas of the river. Good luck everyone.
Troy
Welcome to IDA halvyt
Thanks, halvyt. Thought it might just be me. Welcome aboard.
Went out again last night and had one bite. Action was really really slow. I saw 2 fish pulled from the water and neither of them were crappies. They have to be out there somewhere its just a matter of not being so lazy I guess. The west side has been fished pretty good and they havent been there the past few days. Maybe I will get ambitious and try something different. Well good luck.
Welcome Halvyt. Great to have you with us. Please feel free to share and post all you want.
Thanks, Bill