A summary of the positive findings shared by the MN DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife – Fisheries Section follows:
-Walleye gillnet catch was well above average at 18.2 fish/net: East Vermilion at 22.1 fish/net, West Vermilion at 12.4 fish/net.
-Mean length of walleye sampled was 14.2 inches well above the historic average.
-“Angling prospects for walleye look favorable in 2014. There are good numbers of 13-17 inch walleye in the population, especially on East Vermilion.”
-The gillnet catch of yellow perch was the highest ever recorded at 55.3 fish/net. This may be due to the cormorant control program initiated last year.
-In the 2011 and 2012 muskie assessments 19% of the muskies sampled were over 50 inches long. Largest sampled was 55.6 inches.
-The mean length of northern pike in the gillnet catch was 27.6″, well above the historic average.
-Previous electrofishing assessments indicate the smallmouth bass population is doing well, with good numbers of fish across a broad range of sizes.
The MN Dept. of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes the full report on Lake Vermilion. Click on the following title to read the full report. Fisheries Management on Lake Vermilion in 2013