It’s hard to believe we are already in September! It was another good week of fishing on Vermilion. We had to make a lot of adjustments, but we still put a lot of fish in the boat!
EAST END WALLEYES: The best bite seems to vary by the hour and by the day. In general, the best bite in the morning is Leadcore, and the best bite in the afternoon is with a jig and a leech or a jig and a crawler. For the Leadcore fish, we have had the best luck trolling in 25-31 feet at 2.5 mph. We are still using number 5 flicker shads and shad raps as our baits of choice.
The jig bite is picking up and I would say about 50/50 with the Leadcore bite. I expect the jig bite to continue to gain steam and the Leadcore to putter out. Our best depths for jigging have been deeper rocks in 17 to 22 feet. There are fish up shallower in the 10-to-15 foot rocks as well, but they haven’t been biting as good for us YET. A 1/16th or 1/8th ounce Tungsten Jig with a crawler or leech is your best bet for not getting snagged up in the rocks.
WEST END WALLEYES: The best bite on the west side continues to be Leadcore in 20 to 30 feet. Number 6 and number 7 flicker shads and shad raps are the way to go on the west side. Using perch colors along with the normal Vermilion purples and pinks can help out a lot as you are matching the main forage base.
There are fish to be had on the deeper rocks as well in 15-to-30 feet. Bounce around with a jig and a leech or a jig and a crawler to put some fish in the boat.
A great fall bite is starting to show itself on Lake Vermilion! Justin has only afternoon trips left in the month of September. His availability is for the following afternoons: 9/4, 9/5, 9/9, 9/16, 9/17, 9/28, and 9/30.
Give Justin a shout at 218-820-0335 or book direct at to experience a great fall bite on Lake Vermilion!
09/08/26 Lake Vermilion Fishing Report
