Smallie and Pike trip - suggestions???

[Bigguyone]

I am planning a trip for sometime in mid may to early june for myself and 5 other people (6 total). There will be all levels of ability, all will be adults, but some have not fished much other than on streams for trout while others have fished 80+days/year.

Just want to catch quantity of fish and a few good ones int he mix (what everyone wants - lots of BIG fish)...

I need some assistance deciding on a lake/lodge.

We are trying to keep it pretty budget so will be doing self guided and housekeeping. No particular state (can even do Canada) we have to go to as we are flying from Utah (not mormon).

Please let me know your thoughts on when/where to go...I was thinking Pike and smallies mainly. I have considered Rainy but having a tough time finding lodges with availability and decent boats. Thank you in advance!!

[ikeslayer]

we are flying from Utah (not mormon).

that is funny

i don't have any awesome ideas - Maybe the St.Croix or the mississippi - both sport good amounts of both - however not sure if you are looking for a lake though?

Be curious to see what other post. Another thought is Vermillion?

[Cecil]

If you are going to do Rainy, I would head to Canada side for sure. If you want to stay in Minnesota I would look into Vermillion. Smallies, muskies (was best lake in state last year), walleyes, largemouth. Many good resorts, for specifics on them I would look at the Vermillion forum here. Very fun lake to fish and every spot you fish looks like the best one on the lake.

[hhguide]

Lake MInnewaska in the Glenwood Minnesota area. Great Smallie lake just put a sucker minnow or shiner down there and have at it. THe walleyes will be mixed in with the smallies. For the Pike there are some out there! not my top option for pike but great for smallies! Other wise I would pick vermillion too but thats much bigger water!

[Bigguyone]

So you guys are thinking Vermillion over Rainy?? Any certain lodge you really recommend on Vermillion? Also time of year if we wanna try to really get into the pike and smallies. Also cecil mentioned largies....are there good populations of them in the lake?

[TonkaBass]

I would have to say Vermilion just because even if the fishing isn't happening, the wilderness up there is breathtaking!

[Bigguyone]

Looking for a place to really get into the fish...as I have fished rainy, rowan, eagle and a few others with fair success (Rowan was probably the best) as had a couple streaks with 34 largies in (c&r) the boat in under 2 hrs all on spinnerbaits and the next morning had 41 pike landed by 1:00pm.

Also hit another lake in MN in June last year (went to fish Muskie but got into the largies and couldn't quit - at one point 2 of us put 53 in the boat in 75 minutes - best hour fishing of my life ever) but it seemed all I could get into on the lake were largies (most were 13-16" - nothing BIG)....

Looking for a place with similar results but less expensive since taking some "newbies."

[Cecil]

I think the Minnesota side of Rainy fishes pretty tough for smallmouth, never fished it for pike. Canadian side is different story. Vermillion is A LOT more diverse than Rainy and just as picturesque. Largemouth population is underfished and if you know where to look (typical largemouth spots and there aren't a ton of them so it won't take all day to look), they are pretty big and easy to catch. I would go late August if possible, water warmed up and fish a little more predictable. Muskies and Pike will be on main lake reefs, Smallmouth either on submerged reefs or docks and Largemouth in the weeds.

Good resorts

Everett Bay Lodge

Fortune Bay Resort Casino

Ludlow's Island Resort

Pehrson Lodge Resort

Timbuktu Marina & Cabins

Vermilion Dam Lodge

One of the key things I like to keep in mind when looking for a resort is finding one in the middle of the lake so you can go either way. You will use up a lot of gas if you try to cover both sides in one day. Also, look into renting homes from people, theres a HSOforum call VRBO that allows you to rent cabins from the owners themselves. I use it quite a bit.

Also Pelican lake is fairly close by and a great bass lake.

[DeBo101]

We did a trip to the Minaki area on the winnipeg river in ontario during the timeframe you mentioned a few years back. The weather was so so but the fish catching was a lot of fun. Lots and lots of pike and smallies plus the occasional walleye. All we did was cast kalins grubs, swimbaits, and suspending jerkbaits to rocky shorelines. Just lots of fun easy fishing. I think its a 3 hour drive from winnipeg. Lots of resorts in the area.

[SledNeck]

The pike fishing isn't very good on vermilion compared to the other lakes further north.

It may be to complicated for u to do. But one of the best big pike and smallie places is basswood

[metro fisherman]

To be clear you plan on renting boats with equipment? Or are you bringing gear? You will need to rent cars too, I cant think of a scenario where you wouldnt have to rent a car. This alone would be a lot. Plus if you bring your own gear good luck getting it in.

[guideman]

I think Lake Vermilion is an excellent Big Pike lake. Iv'e caught many over 20lbs and I have seen many of them in the upper 40 inch range. My best is 46 and I catch many over 40 inches every summer.

"Ace"

Ace guide service.

[SledNeck]

I think Lake Vermilion is an excellent Big Pike lake. Iv'e caught many over 20lbs and I have seen many of them in the upper 40 inch range. My best is 46 and I catch many over 40 inches every summer.

"Ace"

Ace guide service.

how many days a year do you fish?

how many times are you intentionally tageting pike when you catch them?

I have found that every since the weeds started disappearing that the pike have started to get anorexic looking in vermilion. The last pike I caught in there that was over 40" weighed only 15 lbs.

[Bigguyone]

Where is Basswood located? Drop me an email if you would SledNeck at [email protected]

I am taking all my own gear, flying to MSP and driving up.

I took all my stuff into canada the last couple of years for Eagle, Rowan and others...

I have narrowed it down to 3 resorts I think...

I am leaning toward the middle of the lake as mentioned above. Found one place that I really like the boats - not a big fan of the cabin...but I guess I'm there to fish not to lounge around and the central location is nice compared to the other two - one on east end and one on west end.

Do the Largies come out to play at all in early june or is water still too cold? I know I pounded them on Cass last year, 3rd week of june (and with late ice off).

If I for sure do Vermillion I will definitely need some guidance from you guys here on the board on spots to hit for large, small and pike. THANK YOU in Advance!!

[Cecil]

Let us know when you head up. I plan on making a trip out there in August for sure. Had way too much fun last year. Never fished it in June but you do run the risk of the water being pretty cold.

[guideman]

There are still plenty of good weed beds on the east end, if you know where to look. I do get many large Pike while I'm Muskie fishing, however I also have great success while targeting Pike specificaly.

I don't understand why days on the water have anything to do with whether or not there are large Pike in Vermilion. Weeds or not, most larger Pike are feeding on baitfish out in the main lake. Islands and main lake points are magnets for Big Pike, especially when the wind is blowing.

The very fact that I do fish the lake almost every day of the summer, should give my opinions some value. Whether you agree or not, is of little consequence.

MDNR survey numbers show that Vermilion has a very stable population of large Pike on the east end and excellent numbers on the west end. The protected slot limit for Pike has been inforced for 5 years now, and it has, in my opinion had a major impact on the size structure of Vermilions Pike population, weeds or no weeds.

"Ace"

Ace guide service.

[Bigguyone]

Planning May 30=June6th as with the cooler water the pike should be shallow and the smallies staging or maybe even starting to spawn. Largemouth will probably be lethargic still but hey...coax 'em with a jig...S-L-O-W

[Cecil]

Should be good. Look for the shallower bays and the reefs just outside them.

[SledNeck]

Ace. There are big pike on vermilion as there are with any lakes. You obviously fish it enough as to know where to find pike and lots of them as opposed to being someone that's flying in and fishing the lake for the first time. What I'm saying is that I think that someone would do much better at a different lake for bigger and more pike. I don't know if the pike on vermilion are competing with muskies for food of if their food sources are getting smaller in numbers or if loss of cover is the problem,but I have discussed the fact with many other fishermen that the avg girth of the older pike has been getting smaller as the weeds have disappeared (east). Not saying the lake has no big pike...just the avg girth is smaller.

I will say that every cabbage bed I fish holds pike. Almost 100% chance you see one within the first few casts. I like to use a buzzbait early in the day and a leaf spinner bait till dark. But I don't resly target pike all day, I just hit known spots while bass fishing.

[Bigguyone]

SledNeck - what lake would you recommend for great pike fishing? I fished Rowan last year 'til 1:00pm from about 8:30am and we had 41 in the boat...this is along the lines of what I am expecting for two guys on an average day...about 75-80 fish/day for two guys....only a few over 34" that day.

Ace - do you think this is realistic on Vermillion if a guy knows what he is doing for pike and that time of year (1st wk of June).

[Bigguyone]

Rainy (us side) is the only lake in Northern MN/Ontario I have fished and not had 40 fish days with 2 guys every day. I have only fished Rainy a couple days and did 25 one day and about 35-40 the next.

Cass, Rowan, Eagle and others have all produced 40+ fish/day for 2 guys - either pike or Bass...with a rare musky or walleye.

[SledNeck]

My favorite big pike lake is Kabetogama in the fall. Man, there are some monsters in there..TOP WATER. When I wanna catch good numbers of pike I fish smaller lakes. The best Pike lake in Minnesota from what everyone says is Red Lake. I never fished it for Pike, but its certainly on my list. If it was a calm weekend and I was coming from out of state (in June) and Basswood was not do-able. I might consider fishing Leech Lake (boy bay) for largemouth (there also TONs of pike in the 5-10lb range)one day and Red lake the next for pike. Maybe Mille Lacs for walleye/smallies on a 3rd day.

Boy Bay is easy to fish on windy days as it doesnt get very rough. Im sure there would be no problem getting a rental boat there as alot of the resorts are hurting for business.

[Bigguyone]

I would love to do 3 lakes but with 6 guys finding a cabin for the week is a much better price, more fishing time and also boats are much less expensive by the week.

I did some searching on Basswood and there is an outfitter that takes you in and sets up tents for ya - but nearly double the price as staying in a cabin with a 75hp boat on Vermillion or Rainy.

We may need to do a daytrip to red lake and hit it for Pike from the sounds of it.

Also I have found on all of the trips I have taken that it really is the end of the 2nd day when you start to figure out the fish....if it is a new lake to you.

I do appreciate your input and I will do some checking into Red Lake. Is a boat necessary on Red Lake?

We are planning on 7 days - saturday to saturday so should be able to sneak away one day or part of a day to hit another lake.

I was very surprised how many resorts that I called did not have availability for the dates I was looking for - think part of it is the week as most people I have talked to in depth that own lodges say it has been tough for business last year and expect same or worse this year.

[SledNeck]

I think there are site sponsors from Red Lake on here. Check one of them out.

YES you need a boat there. The lake is like an ocean.