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Message Subject: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Beecher_Musky

Posted 6/25/2015 7:50 AM (#773970)
Subject: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 1

My 9 year old son and I are heading up to Eagle Lake on 7/3. We are staying at a lodge on Vermilion Bay. I'm looking to get my son his first musky and also get into some northern pike action. This is our first time fishing this area. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

jonnysled

Posted 6/25/2015 8:06 AM (#773971 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 13688

Location: minocqua, wi.

hire a guide ... i suggest Cal Ritchie ...

be careful you're expectations for a 9 year old, not saying it can't or won't happen but Eagle on muskies is what it is ... in 9 years there 70% of fish caught in my boat were boat-side maneuvers. those caught away were pretty aggressive retrieving.

if i were going there and fishing with a 9 year old i'd suggest spending 80% of your time fishing walleyes and smallmouth bass ... he will have the time of his life!!

Edited by jonnysled 6/25/2015 8:12 AM

Booch

Posted 6/26/2015 12:15 PM (#774147 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 306

Weeds... Northern Pike shouldn't be a problem thick in the weeds or pencil grass, and that time of year you should be able to find plenty in the 5' depths. Put a small bucktail or better yet a Johnson Silver Minnow (weedless, so great for kids) with a white double twiddle tail on the kid's rod, and he'll have a blast. Thick coontail below the surface usually produces several smaller ones, as well.

Find some cabbage in 8'+ water for muskies. Hit the edges and clumps. If you find these with a little wind blowing through them, or some other structure, hit it hard with blades or gliders. If that's not producing, move out to the points entering the bays, and fish any clusters/neckdowns/boulders you find. But the best advice is to probe the lodge owner and dock hands, if you are struggling for muskies. The pike should be easy.

I agree with the expectations for the 9 year old, ^^. Though he'll probably get lucky (like lots of them do!), make sure he understands a follow is a big deal. All but one of my fish there were boat-side.

esoxaddict

Posted 6/26/2015 12:51 PM (#774150 - in reply to #774147)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 8717

Eagle Lake is an easy lake to hate. Pretty common to go the better part of a day without even seeing a musky, and sometimes several days without a legitimate shot at one. Quite a few guys go home after a week empty handed. We've also had days where they were coming out of everywhere.

Like Jon, 85% of my fish have been boatside strikes after 7 trips, so figure 8 skills are essential.

Best advice I can give is fish for muskies until your son gets bored and then go on to something else for a while. There's so many quality fish of all species to be had, you'd be missing out if you focused 100% on muskies. We still take an evening for walleyes, and will stick around for an hour or two and have some laughs if we stumble on a school of pike.

Guest1

Posted 7/1/2015 2:16 PM (#774626 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: RE: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 40

If your taking your 9 yr. old, see if you can get a guide to take you to one of the portage lakes that are strictly muskie, one that come to mind is KEKEKWA LAKE, Muskie and perch, you will catch about 20 to 30 in 1 day, they are about 25 -30" range but your son will have a blast.

WiscoMusky

Posted 7/1/2015 11:06 PM (#774670 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 397

Location: Wisconsin

Ask a guide to take you down to Osbourne bay, fishing that end will be more productive than the north, especially this time of the uear

Natureboy

Posted 7/2/2015 10:03 AM (#774709 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 238

Location: Illinois

Hey SLED have you seen Cal's new boat? I think you could fish 4 in the front of it comfortably! That thing is a BEAST!
X2 on Cal Ritchie, good dude, has his own website now for contact info.

Pointerpride102

Posted 7/2/2015 10:56 AM (#774717 - in reply to #774626)
Subject: RE: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 16632

Location: The desert

Guest1 - 7/1/2015 2:16 PM

If your taking your 9 yr. old, see if you can get a guide to take you to one of the portage lakes that are strictly muskie, one that come to mind is KEKEKWA LAKE, Muskie and perch, you will catch about 20 to 30 in 1 day, they are about 25 -30" range but your son will have a blast.

Bingo. This lake is a guarantee for him to catch his first.

Musky Brian

Posted 7/2/2015 7:17 PM (#774753 - in reply to #774670)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 1767

Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin

WiscoMusky - 7/1/2015 11:06 PM

Ask a guide to take you down to Osbourne bay, fishing that end will be more productive than the north, especially this time of the uear

That'll make for a fun gas bill....

WiscoMusky

Posted 7/2/2015 9:38 PM (#774761 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 397

Location: Wisconsin

If they have driven to eagle, what's another 40min trailor

Nupe

Posted 7/4/2015 9:37 PM (#774908 - in reply to #774626)
Subject: RE: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Posts: 519

Location: Bloomington, IL

Kekekwa is right on. I've been there...my buddy and I caught 30 in the day we were tbere...all on a Mepps #5 Musky Killer. 3 different times we had doubles. Saw a couple low 40s fish, but most fish were in the 30-36" range. It was a blast and something definitely worth considering. Good luck!!

Andy Myers Lodge

Posted 7/5/2015 6:50 AM (#774921 - in reply to #773970)
Subject: RE: Eagle Lake (Vermilion Bay) tips/advice for early July

Location: Eagle Lake Vermilion Bay, Ontario

GUYS,INTERNET THEORYS ASIDE, (MAKES ME LAUGH SOMETIMES) THE SOUTHERN EXPOSURE NORTH SIDE IS WARMER THAN THE SOUTH RIGHT NOW AND FISH ARE VERY ACTIVE,BEEN TO ALL SECTIONS INCLUDING AS FAR SOUTH AS BEAR NARROWS CHECKING THIS PAST WEEK.

JULY 3 ANDY MYERS LODGE EAGLE LAKE FISHING REPORT
RELATIVELY CALM CONDITIONS HAVE RISEN SURFACE WATER TEMPS TO THE CURRENT AVG. OF 70-74 WITH TEMPS TO 62 AT 18-20’. BELOW 25’ TEMPS DROP TO MID 50’S. WITH SOME WIND TODAY/TOMORROW THE PROFILE SHOULD CHANGE AND EVEN OUT SOME AROUND 69-70.
THE MAY FLY HATCH HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS TO 2 WEEKS AND NOW SHOWING SIGNS OF COMPLETION. THAT BEING SAID IT HAS NOT AFFECTED WALLEYE FISHING A BIT AS FAR AS I CAN SEE FROM DAILY REPORTS FROM GUIDES AND GUESTS. IF YOU’RE NOT CATCHING WALLEYES QUITE SIMPLY YOU ARE JUST NOT WHERE THEY ARE. GUIDES HAVE BEEN AVGING. 80-150 WALLEYES PER DAY RUNNING OUT OF 12 DOZ BAIT DAILY WITH AN EXCELLENT AVG SIZE. VERY FEW FISH UNDER 16”,PLENTY OF GREAT 16-17 ¾” EATERS BUT THE BULK OF THE CATCH HAS BEEN 18-26” ALONG WITH DAILY TROPHY CATCHES OF FISH 28-32” OCURRING BY SOMEONE IN CAMP. FOR EXAMPLE TODAY THE NYBERGS HAD OVER 100 FISH TO 28” WITH DANNY BY LUNCH AND ACTUALLY THE WALLEYE FISHING ON EAGLE IS LITERALLY STUPID AND AT A LEVEL RIGHT NOW THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN 25+ YRS THAT CAN AND WILL CHALLENGE ANY FISHERY IN NW ONT.. ON SOME HUMPS GRAPHS SHOW SCHOOLS 4’ THICK . CAROLINA RIGS AND MINNOWS HAVE BEEN THE DOMINATE AND MOST SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION. WHILE THERE ARE FISH ON THE MUD FLATS / WEEDS AS WELL AS SUSPENDED WITH THE HATCH GOING ON THE BEST LOCATIONAL PATTERN IS THE ROCK HUMPS AND REEFS WHEN THE FISH ARE CONCENTRATING ON MINNOWS AND MOLTING CRAWFISH AND WHERE THE TRANSITIONAL WATER TEMPS ARE AT 18-26’. THIS PATTERN HOLDS FROM OUR REPORTING AREAS OF THE WESTERN ARM THOUGH THE BIG EAGLE BASIN TO THE STANTON AREA.
SOME BIG PIKE 35-42” HAVE BEEN CAUGHT CASTING BUT MOST HAVE BEEN CAUGHT ON THE HUMPS FISHING FOR WALLEYES WITH BIGGER DACE AND 4-6” SUCKER MINNOWS. CASTING SHALLOWS IS YIELDING SMALL PIKE BUT FEW BIG FISH EXCEPT THE OCCASIONAL ONE CASTING FOR MUSKIES. SOUTH AND EAST WEEDS WILL HOLD DECENT FISH LONGER INTO JULY THAN NORTH AND WEST .VERTICAL JIGGING RIPP’N DAWGS OR TROLLING DEEP DIVING CRANKS OR SPOON PLUGS AROUND HUMPS AND REEFS CAN YIELD THE BIGGEST FISH ON ARTIFICIALS RIGHT NOW.
NOT MANY HAVE BEEN REALLY TARGETING SMALLIES OR TROUT LAST WEEK OR SO WITH MOST TARGETING THE TERRIFIC WALLEYE BITE AND THE OPENING OF MUSKY SEASON JUNE 20. THOSE DOING WELL WITH SMALLIES HAVE BEEN FINDING THEM ON BROKEN ROCK SHORELINES,POINTS,AND SHALLOW BARS ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SCATTERED WEEDS,REEDS,AND TIMBER WHERE THEY ARE FEEDING ON YOUNG PERCH AND CRAWFISH. AVG. SIZE HAS BEEN GOOD WITH FISH AVG. 3-4#. CRAWDAD CRANKBAITS, WHITE SPINNERBAITS, AND WATERMELON TUBES ARE GOOD FIRST CHOICES. TARGET TROUT AT 55-65’ IN THE TROUT HOLES AND PORTAGE BAY WITH CLEOS,SUTTONS,OR COWBELLS AND A SUCKER STRIP AT 1.2-1.5 MPH.. JIGGING KASTMASTERS ,JIGGING RAPS, OR SWEDISH PIMPLES AND PEARL ½ -3/4 OZ TUBES ARE ALSO EFFECTIVE.
MUSKIES HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE BUT WITH A VERY HIGH FOLLOW TO BITE RATIO,HIGHER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE HATCH AND ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN THE SPECIES PROBABLY MOST AFFECTED BY THE HATCH. EVERY THING THEY EAT IS UP HIGH IN THE WATER COLUMN,FAT,LAZY,EASY TO CATCH, AND COMBINED WITH THE FULL MOON MOST FEEDING IS GOING ON AT NITE. QUITE SIMPLY THEY ARE FULL ALL DAY AND LAZY TOO. JUST LIKE WE ARE AFTER THANKSGIVING DINNER . MANY DAYS HAVE SEEN 15+ TO AS MANY AS 30 FOLLOWS A DAY FOR 1-3 STRIKES. BLADES AND TOPWATERS HAVE BEEN BEST. BIGGEST FISH LAST WEEK WERE MCANDREW’S GROUP 53”,SEIKO 52”,DEAN HOFFMANS 48”, BRAD 46,48”,AND A BUNCH OF 38-43”ERS. LAST 2 DAYS WITH THE HATCH WINDING DOWN SIGNS OF MORE AGRESSION AND POSTIVE ENGAGMENT INTO THE TURNS SHOWS THEY ARE JUST ABOUT READY TO START REALLY RUMBLING. AS A GENERAL OBSERVATION MOST NUMBERS ARE IN THE WEEDS AND MOST BIGGER FISH ON THE SHALLOW ROCKS . WITH THE NUMBER OF BIG FISH SHOWING ALREADY THIS EARLY IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A BANNER BIG FISH SEASON ON EAGLE! ***UPDATE; AS OF TODAY 7/5 MAYFLYS PRETTY MUCH OVER,THEY ARE WAK’N UP!!! BIG FISH MOV’N HARD NOW AND EAT’N BAITS!!
KEEP UP ON ALL THE EXCITING ACTION,GOINGS ON, AND SUPPORTING PIC’S , LIKE AND SHARE AT www.facebook.com/AndyMyersLodge AND THE REPORT BOARD AS WELL AS INFO AND RATES AT WWW.ANDYMYERSLODGE.COM .
AS OF THIS REPORT TILL LABOR DAY WEEK ONLY REMAINING OPENINGS ARE 1 CABIN 2-6 GUESTS AUG 15-22 AND 1 CABIN 2-8 GUESTS AUG 29-SEPT 5 THOUGH GIVE A CALL IF CONTEMPLATING MAKING A TRIP AS OCCASIONALLY A CANCELLATION WILL OPEN UP A SLOT . SEPT AND OCT HAVE A FEW SCATTERED OPENINGS AVAILABLE FOR THE TROPHY MUSKY/WALLEYE HUNTS. GIVE US A CALL 888 727 5865 OR EMAIL [email protected] AND GET HOOKED UP FOR AN EXPEREINCE WHERE EVERYDAY IS AN ADVENTURE AT AML!!!
STEVE HERBECK
AML GUEST FISHING INSTRUCTION COORDINATOR, MASTER GUIDE

Edited by Andy Myers Lodge 7/5/2015 11:11 AM

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