Fishing Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota, focusing on targeting big prespawn Smallmouth Bass and transitioning into an evening bite for Walleye. Throughout the day, I found multiple productive patterns—catching Smallmouth Bass both in the backs of bays where they were in spawning mode, and on main lake points staging up toward spawning areas.
One of the biggest factors in this trip was rapidly changing water temperatures across the lake. I found water as warm as 71°F in some shallow, protected areas, while other parts of the lake were still sitting as cold as 53°F. That sharp contrast really pushed fish into different stages of the spawn depending on location, which directly influenced where and how I had to target them.
As the conditions changed, I adjusted my approach to stay on active fish and keep the bite going. The evening brought a nice bonus with a couple of Walleye, along with a surprise jumbo Yellow Perch and a Rock Bass to round out the trip.
This trip really showed how important it is to recognize seasonal movement, temperature differences, and shifting fish behavior to stay consistent on the water during the prespawn-to-spawn transition.
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Good video. What general area do you live? Northern Minnesota?