REGIONAL- Another successful fishing opener weekend is in the books, with hoards of eager anglers flocking to Lake Vermilion and other area lakes in search of the often elusive walleye.
Reports indicate a strong turnout and catch on Lake Vermilion, with anglers reporting plenty of pan-sized walleye.
Early morning activity in and around Tower was somewhat subdued compared to past openers, with fishing guide Rob Bryers reporting fewer than usual boats in the traditional early season hot spots on the east end of Lake Vermilion. Perhaps anglers were a bit reluctant to brave the chilly morning temperatures, but as temperatures warmed toward midday, the fishing flotillas were out in numbers comparable to typical opening days, Bryers said.
“There were spots where there a lot of boats congregate and I didn’t notice any significant increase or decrease it looked like a kind of a typical opener on Lake Vermilion,” fishing guide Phil Bakken told the Timberjay. “Most people I talked to started in Pike Bay, so I assume it was the typical crowd.”
Boats racing from place to place was a common sight as anglers went in search of walleye that were more dispersed than usual, thanks in large part to an early ice-out and quick end to the spawning run. Water temperatures, which had warmed into the low 50-degree range as of opening morning, likely kept the walleyes moving.
“We did find one place where we caught a bunch of 14, 16, and 17-inchers, and that helped, Bakken said. “We caught a lot of fish.”
Bakken said his crew had their best luck using minnows and jigs and plastics in depths of 26 to 32 feet, a depth consistent with various reports from around the lake.
The lighter than usual early morning activity on the east end may have been due to the results of the latest DNR fish survey for Vermilion, which showed record numbers of walleye on the west end of the lake. Cook’s Northwoods Bait and Tackle co-owner Paula Dundas reported brisk business for the weekend, with demand particularly high for rainbow minnows and leeches.
“The study said the Cook end would be better, so maybe they were down here,” Dundas said. “But I just talked to somebody who said they tried to put their boat in Saturday morning at Everett Bay and they said they couldn’t find a place to park.”
But the reports Dundas received also reflected a successful opener.
“People said they had to work a little bit for the walleyes, but people were finding fish and putting them in the boat,” she said. “A lot of people were catching nice eating-size fish. And the crappies have been really good – people said they’re really biting.”
Paula and Dave Dundas took over Northwoods Bait and Tackle just in time for last year’s opener, and a successful angle for them this weekend was seeing all of the returning anglers.
“It was great for us,” Paula said. “We saw a lot of familiar faces coming back and it was nice to see everybody excited to head out. I think when we did our count we were the same as last year for people heading out.”
Reports from the Ely area suggested anglers were struggling to find walleye in their usual early season locations. According to Steve Renneberg, of Arrowhead Outdoors, the best walleye action was in the shallowest water, just two to seven feet deep, worked with small jigs and big rainbows.
While the walleye action was slow for most anglers, he said the pike action in shallow bays was hot, with anglers finding plenty of success with large sucker minnows under bobbers.