Vermillion River

[Geppy]

I went out in Farmington on monday and caught one little rainbow on a spinner. I just followed the bike path and tried a few spots. Anyone else fishing near there?

[icefishing21]

looks like no one cares! haha jk geppy

[tom_w]

Ha, I went out and caught two little ones as well. First rainbows for me. I took many, many casts. I think the high water is making it tough.

Do you fish the Verm much? I am trying to figure out if it is ok to fish the river in non-public places as long as you enter in a public place. DO you know?

[hanso612]

Part of what makes Vermillion a great river is it's difficulty to access. It is legal for you to access the river at any public road or other public land and you can wade the river the whole length, but the minnute you go above the highwater mark on private property you are trespassing. It's been a while so correct me if I'm wrong.

Here is were it gets interesting on the Vermillion. It's a jungle on the bank, making it better suited for roll casts, spinning gear or stillfishing with bait(if legal) There are many deadfalls across the river that block your progress and are impassable if you are in a float tube or a canoe. The water is too shallow to float most of the way, even if you could get through the jungle. This is no Apple River float trip. The river bottom is for the most part wadeabe, but there are spots that it is over your waders preventing passage, and other spots where the bottom is to soft to wade. You could forget the tube and smim on your belly over the muck but its good to sit every once in a while. To top it off the water stays cold and a day fighting brush and climbing tress without waders get scatchy and cold.

All that being said it can be done. Go in August when the water is warmest and the fish are pooled up. No waders, but a co2 inflatable tube with lots of cartrages. Be ready to climb after deflating your tube. You will be hot from all the work and if you go on a hot day the frequent dips in the water will feel good.

I wish I could tell you -you will be cold and the frequent climbs were a chance to warm up, but you'll spend most of your day being a monkey. This is not the place for the Orvis clad "river runs through it" wannabe with a two hundred dollar Sage rod. This is true river rat stuff.

My info is twenty years old, and I now have an arificial hip, so I won't be making the trip soon. If you pull it off,I'm sure you will be rewarded with more fish than on our adventure twenty years ago. This jungle is what allows the fish to thrive in an urban setting and there is some monsters in there now.

I'd get to know the Land owners personally myself.

How do regulars feel about making this trip more accessable by adding ripprap in muck and moving some deadfalls, and buying easements around impassable areas-or is only becuse this water is so sheltered that it stays cool enough to support the fishery.

Or is this like so many things in the outdoor world becoming just another private thing?

[joeyquicksand*]

I've been fishing down on the vermillion twice this season, from the dushanes launch to that train bridge and in to those lakes that are just east of that... i hear there are big pike there, what other fish do those lakes hold other than trout?

The water is way up, and I got skunked yesterday... i know this is the trout forum, but you guys might know more about the river and the adjacent lakes to help a guy out...

whats the deal with the other fish, are there musky, or largemouth, or smallies???

whats up with the vermillion in that area?

[youngie22]

Not many trout in that area joey, above the falls in hastings the river changes alot. Where you are it is pool 3 mississippi river (during high water) where you were there river holds everything that is in mississippi.

[WxGuy]

hanso612, the DNR would love to purchase easements there, but for now there are no landowners interested in that. In time, I'm sure we'll find a few more public areas along that river, but in the meantime it's best to ask for access to anyone's stretch of stream, even if you never leave the water.

[Geppy]

I just recently fished it this year only a couple times with no other luck i have been caught up on lake marion trying to find the walleyes.

[Ginner26]

Geppy, having any luck on Marion with the walleyes? Always heard they are out there but haven't stumbled upon any. Then again, I haven't tried too hard which might be the bigger problem. Thanks.

[Geppy]

we caught some under the bridge by the backwaters with jigs and minnows but no size really.

[Bass Whacker]

I would deffinetly get permission from a land owner it much easier being able to get out and walk around a tree than climb it with all your stuff but there are some big browns in there if your willing to work for them