“Is that a pumpkinseed in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?” …Andy Lewis commenting to Dick Pederson. (note to readers: Andy will be publishing his short story “Loneliness and cabin 3, a revelation” in the next blog post)
The elusive pumpkinseed, shown here with Dick Pederson, is a unique member of the Eagle Lake species club……and what a way to start the blog. Granted, in many ways this season was very unique, and August / September was no exception.
I know some of you may be wondering why it’s taken this long to put pen to paper…….or key-board to computer screen? There is no answer to that question. Is it age? Lethargy? No mojo Gordo? Probably all of the above, but it was a summer of mystery. Fishing mystery…….and that was confusing. It’s taken an extra month to process the data. Let’s begin at the end……the end of the season…
Cabins have been closed up and drained for the winter, boats put away and some end of season projects completed. The scenery is alive with fall colours, migrating geese, and the lonely cry of my couch calling me…..
I too was somewhat startled when I saw this group shot. Prison release day? Men with beards and rods? Nope, just a grouping of participants of the 2026 Musky Madness Week, all of whom entered one or more muskies during the competition, and all sporting a VBL touque (stocking cap for our Americanos). Probably the most muskies entered in our Musky Madness so far…….a whopping 11 fish were subdued and released. Let’s see some action shots…..
Nick’s first time entering a musky after several years of trying…..way to go!
Mike Smith led the way with a 46 1/4″ musky caught on the last day……shown here with his “winnings”.
Adam Hickson with two entries……..a 45″ to take second place.
Nick Stemper with a third place 44″ fish plus three others……..apparently he was on fire, or had a good partner!
Cory Meyer had a couple nice fish….42 3/4″ and 43 3/4″………beauties!
Mike Zahrt with a chunky fish to take 5th spot.
Bob Stephens on the board with a nice one!
One of the categories during the week was “best photo”, which I was hoping to highlight “in the water release photos”. My goal being the promotion of best release practices when it comes to musky….and yes, I know it’s a contradiction holding a contest where fish need to be measured, but hopefully some future fish will just see a water release during “non competition” times. I never did pick a winner but here are some great entries!
So, if you’ve never been to a Musky Madness Week the awards night features a steak bbq and some general mayhem…
It never fails that you fish the tournament and don’t catch the fish till after it’s over. Alex Meyer with a nice fish post Musky Madness……..congratulations on sticking with it!
Interested in joining in on Musky Madness next year? Dates are September 15-22, 2027. Things have booked up with most guests returning for another year…….limited space is still available but don’t wait too long! Remember, it’s a non-Live Scope event!
While we do have some stellar sunsets the late season seems to belong to those early morning sunrises…..
Mist on the water and an early morning angler.
A conclusion I can draw from this summer’s fishing pattern was that the early bird got the worm….or in this case, the walleye. Some spots would produce fish for the first hour or so and then shut down. Susanne and I discovered that in a nearby location..
A nice slot walleye caught bouncing a jig head and plastic along the bottom.
Not too bad for 45 minutes of fishing!
A nice aerial shot of VBL taken by Andy & Joe. They decided they wanted a trip back to Caribou Lake without the three portage trails. Not a bad idea…..you might want to keep that in mind for a future adventure. Here’s some of their highlights…..
I can’t claim to have all, or any, of the answers to why fish behave the way they do but here are some observations from this season. For much of the year some of the nicest (size-wise) walleye came out of shallow water…….this was true even during late summer when they typically spend more time deep. Of course there are always exceptions, and deeper walleye were also a pattern. Could the stretch of hot weather have made the difference? Some bays actually had 80 degree surface temperatures, which is very unusual for Eagle Lake. Fortunately this lasted only a short time, but the latter part of the season saw some turnover like conditions (cloudy water, scattered fish) earlier than expected. Musky fishing over the whole season seemed more challenging………and this wasn’t just Eagle Lake. Talking to others in our area, this seemed like a wide spread pattern…..it’s a mystery. Well, every year is different. 2027 will have it’s own take on this but let’s hope for a stellar season!
More fish from the past couple months…
Not a big one, but this anglers first trout ever!
Big, small, wrong species, right species….the common thread is everyone seems happy to be on the water.
Heading out on a misty morning with anticipation of what the day may bring…
…out past Gull Rock in the Fall when the eagles rein supreme on the rock….
….excitement mounts as you head past Burnt Island…
….and if it was a slow day you can still show off your fake walleye!
Back to base camp for a siesta.
Not everyone had a great summer. Lilly did a “crash and burn”, requiring some stitches and the “cone of shame”. Already wobbly on her feet at the best of times, this apparatus added a challenge to her maneuvering.
Tundra swans.
Two snapping turtles doing snapping turtle things.
As you may or may not know, we run a competition over the season for the biggest perch of the year. Normally the winner seems to wait till late in the season to make their move……this year that pattern changed. Surprise, surprise, even the perch this year are off their feed. With that being said…….
Way back in June a gauntlet was thrown down by Scott Stroupe. Better known as the only person to get his truck and trailer stuck in the mud while backing down the hill, Scott has dabbled in perch the last few years. Surprisingly his June entry of 12 1/2 inches of “finned fury” has held up over the season. Scott you are the perch master of 2026…….Congratulations! Your trophy awaits your return this coming June!
….a flawed summary of what my old brain can remember about August / September, 2026. Thanks to all of you for spending some time with us over this past season, and a special thanks to all those who have passed on their photos to me for purposes of shameless promotion….much appreciated. Just a reminder if you believe you are booked in for 2027 please double check that you have received a confirmation from me! Let me know if you haven’t received one…..we don’t want you to miss out. For those who haven’t made any decisions about next year, why wait? Operators are standing by to take your call. Next year will be our 35th season……would love to have you join us for that!
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If you like GREAT fishing, hospitality and affordability, Vermilion Bay Lodge is highly recommended. I have been making the trip to Vermilion Bay Lodge for the past 10 years and have never once been disappointed. If you like great walleye, northern, musky and trout fishing, this place should not be overlooked. The fishing has been excellent… no matter what time we went. Gordy and Susanne are wonderful hosts that will make you feel right at home. Check it out – I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
