Vermillion River Trout

[PanfishJoe]

Looking for tips on fishing the Vermillion river in Lakeville or Farmington (not using a fly rod). I understand it's catch and release in Lakeville, but OK to keep them in Farmington (according to the DNR map). I've never tried before, so would appreciate any tips.

[ironman]

Make sure you get an updated map..most of the V is catch and release, except for one small stretch where they are stocking rainbows and even there its catch and release for brown trout. I'm pretty sure this is the case anyways..always good to double check before you have to write a check.

With that said...I like using rapalas..been having success with a gold husky jerk..good luck.

[JohnS]

Yes, this is mostly catch and release. Here's the DNR regs map.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/trout_streams/2006_southeast_mn/map16.pdf

[PanfishJoe]

Thanks for the input and the map. I tried it yesterday using a rooster tail (1/8 oz) and didn't have any luck. I saw one swirl, so I know there's fish! I'll just keep on trying...

[Lucky Dogg]

hey panfishjoe, i also fish the vermillion, and its got trout in it(1500rainbows-1000browns stocked early this april) just not as many as Hay creek(59 total C&R in two trips) or the Root river(44 C&R in a day). i was out yesterday on the vermillion too and did rather well!! i only caught 11 fish(all browns) but 10 were over 14" and 5 were all over 20"!!(2-24" 1 -26") its the first time i've ever caught more than one over 20" all C&R. there are two more big ones swimming around with my lure in their mouth. oh yea, i did get three northerns, two hammer handles and one 28". if you'd like to share any info you can drop me a line. later Dogg

[PanfishJoe]

Hey Dogg,

Yesterday was my first attempt with Trout fishing. I fished in Farmington by Rambling River Park. I'd love to learn anything I can about trout fishing - where to go, technique, etc. Thanks for any help you can provide!

[ameyers41]

I'm thinking of trying out the Vermillion this weekend. I've never fished it. Any suggestions stream access outside of Farmington, or is my best bet right in the city? My biggest concern is avoiding trespassing and respecting landowners' property. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Tony

[Lucky Dogg]

i know that a friend has been gettin rainbows at the rambling park with power bait, small split shot and a float. or try the other park by the bowling lanes in the middle of town. from there up stream is full of rainbows. use bait if you want to keep a few, the hook may be in deep! spinners if your lookin to release. later Dogg

[ameyers41]

Thanks for the tips. I just finished a new 4wt fly rod, so I'm going to try that one out... Might have to bring an UL spinning rod though too, just in case.

[onthefly]

I'm starting to think there are no trout in Vermillion. The Farmington Bureau of Tourism (I know that doesn't exist) must be publishing these trophy trout tales!

Seriously though - I'll admit I'm a super-novice with a fly rod. Anyone want to throw me a line of advice here? What flies are good starting points on this river and how should the be fished? I've tried woolly buggers, hare's ear nymphs, a royal coachman...

The only fish I caught in the river was an 8 lb northern when I gave up on fly fishing and hit it with a Rapala.

[DEADhead]

you might have better luck looking for those trout with rapalas, and other spinning tackle. It's difficult to get a fly in the spots where those browns are hiding. Not saying it can't be done on the fly, but it will be very difficult, especially for a novice. I know of some guys that fish the river with bass rigs and plastics and they do a number on those trout. The heavier line and rod of those bass setups allow an angler to pull those trout out of those rootwads and undercut banks.

However, as a fly angler myself, I'd ditch the spinning rod, stick with the flyrod, and fish wooly buggers, muddler minnows, clousers,... any of those big streamers should get those big brutes in there moving. If all else fails and you don't catch any trout, you'd probably at least catch a few pike...

[-Marc V-]

I'd stick to streamers in this river like DeadHead suggests. I've fly-fished this river quite a bit this year and have had good luck with size 2 black wooly buggers. Never seem to go wrong with a black wooly bugger. The fly is about 4" long. I've also caught fish on patterns I've tied that resemble creek chubs that go about 5". Actually I didn't set to have them look like creek chubs, but wanted a larger, meatier looking streamer for the biggin's to take interest in. Large trout mostly are looking for meat, and usually not smaller insects. Strip them in fast and irratic, or swing them. Fast, irratic retrieves can usually entice a strike from a non-feeding fish. Try to get the casts as close to the opposite shore as possible. If you google "jerk-strip retrieve" that will lead you to an awesome approach I've learned this year that has really paid off. Don't worry about the sinking line talk.

I use a 5wt with the larger flies also. Sometimes almost wish I had a 6wt or 7wt in 9' rods. I have a flimsy 4wt that would make a long day if I was to throw larger flies. Might have to make yourself a 5wt now.

The larger fish aren't podded up in numbers in the runs, or pools like in other trout streams with larger numbers of smaller trout. Moving to find the active fish is important. Nymphing I believe, would just be to slow to efficently and effectively find the fish. Larger trout tend to be more of a solitary animal than the smaller trouts, so moving to find an isolated large trout is important.

It's a tough river to fly fish. Lots of overhanging trees that make backcasting pretty tough. I've haven't had good luck in the portions of the river where it's undercut banks in open grasslands with no wood in the water. Haven't spent a whole lot of time fishing it though either I guess. I usually spend most of the time trying to thread my backcasts between small openings in the trees to an opposite shore of root-wads. Never seem to run out of patience in this sport.

Don't be afraid to go too big for larger trout. It took me a couple years to get used to it. I just never had the confidence in throwing anything larger than a size 8 streamer. Finally after a couple years of not catching anything bigger than a 16" fish I sized up to size 2 and larger. When I did, I didn't catch many fish, but the fish caught were monsters. Just thinking about it now gets my blood going.

Big ones on the fly are usually quite a bit tougher than catching them on spin with Rapala's. It might be more efficent to spin fish with rapalas for larger trout, but something about catching a monster on the fly rod, despite sometimes long droughts of no trout, keep me coming back with the fly.

Keep working at it. Don't give up!! It will pay off in the end.

[DEADhead]

great info Marc. I'm curious to see what the "creek chub" streamer pattern you tied looks like. I've got a couple of size 2 (4x streamer hook) clouser minnows tied with 1/4 oz i-balz, and black superhair on the top, chartreuse krystal flash in the middle and tan superhair on the bottom. They're about 3" to 4" long. They look like a good chub imitation. Caught a nice 23" walleye on one last weekend.

[onthefly]

Thanks for the info. guys. My 9'6" 5wt rod is nearly uncastable in some good-looking stretches of that stream. I'll stick it out though. I'm starting to feel like the spinning rods are cheating!

[-Marc V-]

Hey Dead . . . That must be a pretty cool looking clouser with the contrast in black over-wing and green crystal flash. Sounds pretty interesting.

Nice work on catching a walleye of that size on the fly.

[DEADhead]

thanks, Marc. actually catching that walleye was boring. it was like pulling a branch out from the botttom. There's a reason I'm a trout fisherman ! At least smallies give trout some competition...

[Rugbyguy]

I am considering a trip up to the Vermillion this weekend after reading all of these reports of big trout. Anyone willing to identify any spots to fish?? I'm not looking for honeyholes, unless you're offering! I would also like to know of public fishing areas outside of town, I know there is a new WMA, anywhere else a guy can fish? If you don't want to post information on here you can email it to me at anvalek @ hotmail . com. THANKS in advance!!

[DEADhead]

rugbyguy, access to the Vermillion is very limited. the DNR has been working on acquiring new easments to help alleviate this problem. As a result the public access places are hit hard by anglers. If no one can offer you up any places to access, talk to Brian Nerbonne. He is the Metro Trout Specialist for the DNR, 651/772-7965. He should be able to point you in the right direction...

[Tyler Holm]

Deadhead,

Thanks for helping RugbyGuy out. I just talked to him and he did call Brain. We're all set for a trip tomorrow morning. I can't wait. I've never caught a brown over 11.5" so this might be a big day for me. Thanks for your help!

[DEADhead]

hey, no problem Tyler! Glad to help. I just finished up a project with Brian on Old Mill Stream in William O'Brien S.P. this week. We created a new streeam channel and connected a few springs to the channel, among other things. It was the last phase of a project where my crew built a new stream channel on the site in 2003. It was cool to site the site completely revegetated and holding young-of-the-year brookies. If anybody is at the park sometime it is worth checking out, the access is off of county 4 on the south side of the park. There is a gate at the entrance.

[tjmeyer1]

Fished the river twice over the long weekend,all I caught were northerns.Talked to a few people along the way ,sounded like nobody were catching any trout.Biggest northern was about 4#,saw one that looked like it would gone 8#-10#.

[DEADhead]

hot temps will warm water, and fish will tend to be inactive and congegate in areas of cold water, i.e. springs. Those fish are in there; better luck catching them some time other than July or August.

[Troublehook]

Quote:

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Yes, this is mostly catch and release. Here's the DNR regs map.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/trout_streams/2006_southeast_mn/map16.pdf

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Is the blue area the only place where you can keep rainbows? Is it the only public are to fish? Or is it not the place at all? I have never been trout fishing in the natural environment but have caught them in stocked ponds, and I like their fight, beauty and taste so I am really interested in trying this river out.

[Troublehook]

"Is it the only public are to fish?"

Nevermind I just saw two other access points