Fishing with Z Guide Service | Zach Hrvol

Welcome to fishing with Z Guide Service. My name is Zach Hrvol and I have been fishing my entire life. I have been lucky enough to call Lake Vermilion home since 2018. I have spent nearly every day since on the water learning the ins and outs of the lake. I specialize in walleye and smallmouth bass. I am very versatile fisherman so we can use techniques you are familiar with, or we can try something new! May main goal is for you to have fun and memorable experience while fishing here on beautiful lake vermilion. I run a 2023 Lund 1875 pro guide tiller, up to date Hummingbird electronics, Minn Kota trolling motor, and a 90hp Mercury Outboard. I am on the pro staff for Denali Rods. I offer 4-hour trips with all bait and tackle provided. Starting in December of 2023, I will be doing guided ice fishing trips on Lake Vermilion. As always, Keep Fishing!

Phone: (218) 404-9200

Email: zhrvoloutdoors@gmail.com

Website: fishingwithz.com

Take a Vet Fishing 2023

Fortune Bay Marina

• August 24, 2023
• Boat Operator Breakfast 7:30 AM
• Registration: 8:00 AM
• Estimated start time: 9:30AM-1:30PM with lunch after

Take a Vet Fishing Signup Volunteer

Take a Kid Fishing 2023

Fortune Bay Marina

• July 19, 2023
• Boat Operator Breakfast 7:30 AM
• Registration: 8:00 AM
• Estimated start time: 9:30AM-1:30PM with lunch after

Take a Kid Fishing Signup Volunteer

Guides Blog Coming Soon

Please check back soon as there will be guides blog coming soon. 

Golden Light Guide Service | Larry Burton

My name is Larry Burton . Golden Light Guide Service. I am a new member of Lake Vermilion Guides League .I join this year2022.I have 30+ years of experience on the big V during the soft water season. I mostly target walleye but I do fish multiple species. Enjoy your time on the water in a 20 foot Lund impact boat equipped with the latest electronics .I provide all of Fishing gear including bait .

Phone: 651-470-8405 
Email address lbfishing@live.com

Brodeen Guides | Darrel Brodeen

Darrel grew up in Cook, Minnesota and spent his formative years fishing the west end of Lake Vermilion. In 2003, Darrel and his family built a home on Pike Bay, located on the east end of Lake Vermilion. With his lifelong knowledge and experience of Lake Vermilion, he is one of the few guides that guides on both the west and east end of Lake Vermilion. Darrel is an outdoor enthusiast, fishing and hunting year-round.

Darrel fishes out of an 1850 Lund Impact with a 150 Mercury Outboard and will supply St. Croix rods, Shimano reels, life jackets, bait and all of the tackle. Darrel is insured for commercial fishing and is First Aid/CPR certified.

Darrel enjoys working with people and takes pride in providing his clients with exceptional customer service and puts a heavy emphasis on providing fun and engaging information about fishing and Lake Vermilion. Whether you are a seasoned fisherman, or someone that is just starting to fish, Brodeen Guides will accommodate your trip needs.

1629 Lake Vermilion Res Rd
Tower, MN 55790
218.780.1047
brodeenguides@gmail.com

Ashburn Guide Service, LLC | Garrett Ashburn

From the Prairie lakes of West Central Minnesota to the deep cold reservoirs of Wyoming to the Southern most Canadian Shield lake of Vermilion, Garrett Ashburn has fished several different types of walleye waters over the years. With those different waters comes a wide variety of walleye fishing techniques from Pitching and Vertical Jigging, Swimbait, Slip Bobber, Bottom Bouncing, Leadcore and Snap Weight Precision Trolling or good old fashion Lindy rigging.

As a strong advocate for fishing education, he can tailor your outing based on technique that customers would like to learn more about. Also greatly enjoys working with people both young and old that are beginners or new to fishing.

Garrett with his wife and two sons, moved to Northern Minnesota and started fishing Lake Vermilion in 2012. He guides out of a Alumacraft Trophy 195 with a Yamaha 150HP giving customers a solid deep boat designed for handling big water. Garrett provides all the fishing gear and bait for your trip to give you a fun, comfortable and relaxing time on the water.

Visa and Mastercard accepted

Phone: 218-290-0015

Email: ashburnguideservice@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/Ashburn-Guide-Service-Lake-Vermilion-MN-107002587739590/

Joe Lindmeier’s Guide Service | Joe Lindmeier

Joe grew up in the local area around Lake Vermilion and starting fishing Lake Vermilion with his dad and brother as a kid. During his high school years Joe worked at one of Lake Vermilions
best resorts and through his job met many of Lake Vermilions fishing guides. After attending Bemidji State University for social studies education Joe determined it was time to start his childhood dream of being a fishing guide. Joe’s favorite fish to chase is walleyes, but he also targets pike, bass, and panfish species. Joe guides out of a 1750 CRESTLINER fish hawk powered by a 115 Evinrude E-tec with Hummingbird electronics. Joe’s mission is to provide his clients with a safe, fun, and educational fishing trip on beautiful Lake Vermilion.

Phone: 218-410-2240

Patriot Guide Service | Bill Nieters

My name is Bill Nieters and I’m a 3rd generation Cook resident. I grew up fishing Lake Vermilion with my family since the 1960’s and my wife and I have lived on the west end since 2012. I have always enjoyed the challenge of fishing for walleyes both for fun and in many tournaments. For the past several years I have had the privilege of guiding for the Take a Vet and Take a Kid fishing events and enjoy teaching anyone about this lake.

We will be fishing out of a 19’ 2019 Ranger multi species with a 200hp V8 Mercury ProXS. The boat is equipped with a Humminbird Solix 10”/Mega 360, a couple Garmin 93’s with Livescope, Minnkota Ulterra, and a 15efi pro kicker. My cell phone is 218-780-6013 please call or text.
Email  billnieters@proton.me.
Website www.patriotguideserviceoflakevermilion.com

Take a Kid Fishing

Planning and Community Development Department

December 1, 2018

Barbara Hayden, Director
Planning and Community Development Department
227 W 1st St Suite 100
Duluth, MN 55802

Dear Director Hayden,

It is again our pleasure to strongly support The Vermilion Lake Association’s 2019 aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention program at Lake Vermilion. We experienced firsthand the program during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The enhancement and preservation of the waters of Lake Vermilion is of extreme importance to our organization. The Vermilion Lake Association is to be applauded and recognized for their diligence in trying to prevent the introduction of invasive species into Lake Vermilion.

This letter indicates our strong support of the Vermilion Lake Association’s grant application to the St. Louis County’s AIS Prevention Program.

Sincerely,

Lonnie Johnson, Chairman
Lake Vermilion Guides League

2020 TAKE-A-KID-ICE FISHING EVENTS

2020 Tower-Soudan Elementary School & Nett Lake Elementary 5th & 6th grade Ice Fishing Day – Feb.,11

2020 Northwoods Elementary School 5th & 6th grade Ice Fishing Day – Feb., 12

Sponsored by the Lake Vermilion Guides League and Fortune Bay Resort Casino.

DATE: February 11 & 12, 2020

TIME: 9:00am – 1:00pm

LOCATION: Fortune Bay Marina, Everett Bay, Lake Vermilion

Anticipated participants: 70 children, plus adult school supervisors from Tower, Net Lake, and Cook, Lake Vermilion Guides League members and other knowledgeable local fishermen.

Lunch will be provided by Fortune Bay Resort and Casino, Zups Grocery in Tower, and the Lake Vermilion Guides League.

Grilled hot dogs, beans, chips, hot chocolate and water will be served for lunch.

All participants must wear boots, gloves, and other clothing appropriate for a winter outing.

Heated fish houses will be provided by Fortune Bay Resort and by Marina manager/Guide League member, Byron Greenwaldt.

2020 KIDS ICE FISHING UPDATE

This winters kids ice fishing events were again a huge success!

A total of about 35 kids plus adult school supervisors, guides, and other volunteers were present at each event.

A few fish were caught and released by the kids at each event.

The kids all had a great time and said that they learned a lot about ice fishing. Everyone said that they were looking forward to next winters events!

A HUGE thank you to Fortune Bay, Zups Grocery, and all of the other volunteers that make these Guide League events possible! 

Swenson’s Guide Service | Dave Swenson

Raise the Bar

I have been guiding for 18+ years on Lake Vermilion. Clients invariably ask a lot of the same questions throughout our day on the water together. A few of the more common ones include: Do you night fish? Does the lake freeze? Do you ice fish? But I believe the most common question asked is: Do you ever have to fish with any real “difficult people?” They usually use a different term than “difficult people” to describe these folks, but because this is a family oriented quarterly we will use the term “difficult people”.

One such trip that comes to mind involved a father and a son that occurred in mid -June. The son was about 20 and a good guy. The father was a rather stern, serious person for whom I could seem to do no right! I have since coin this rather long day as “The Raise the Bar Day.”

There was a shore lunch scheduled for this particular trip. When I pick them up at their resort, the father said “if we can just get enough fish for a shore lunch, we can call this day a success.” I thought this should be a breeze! as the rock pile bite had been extremely hot of late.
We fish the first spot for about 10 minutes and didn’t catch anything.I find that when the rock piles are going to be producing on our lake, you usually know within 10 to 15 minutes whether you have fish on that spot. If not, it’s time to move to your choice. I still had every confidence that we were going to do well that day when the mood changed abruptly five minutes into our second spot. The father looked at me and declared, “You know, we have to catch walleyes!” Assuming he was joking, I chuckled out loud but the look on his face revealed that this was no laughing matter. I explained to him that I was going to give him my very best effort, as I do on all my trips. He kind of glared at me as we headed to spot number three which was a rock pile and Wak ‘Em Up Bay that topped out in 12 feet of water. At this spot in the next, we absolutely hammered the walleyes! We caught 14 walleye between 19 and 23 that we threw back and also plenty of eaters for shore lunch! I could tell the son was having a ball while his old man continue to be a curmudgeon.

After a tasty shore lunch, the dad stated, “This morning was ok, but now if we could just get our limit (which was legal back then), we can call this day a success.” I’m not sure if you thought I was going to goof off for the rest of the day because we had some fish in the boat, or if he thought he would have to show me some financial gratuity if he were to let on that he was having a good time. Either way, his attitude was getting pretty old. What I probably should have done was float around in the middle of the lake for the rest of the day. Of course I didn’t do that, and wouldn’t you know it, we caught their limit while throwing back many bigger fish. I’m thinking to myself, it doesn’t get any better than this! Right?! I guess not, because just then with the half hour left in our trip the dad says, “if we could just get a picture of my son holding at 27 or 28 inch walleye, then we could call this day a success.”

Well, lo and behold, we didn’t get the picture fish. Upon our arrival back at the resort, the father’s response to an inquiry by the lodge owner as to how our day went was, “Eh… it was ok.”

Later I took the lodge owner aside and explain how the day really went. His reply was, “Your not going to please some of the people any of the time.” This was good advice, but I was feeling kind of deflated by the father’s remarks. I’ve vowed not to take that trip again.
A year later, I get a call from the lovely lady who does the booking for this resort. Guess whom the father wants to book a trip with! Yep, surprise, surprise… me. I explained to her how the day had gone the year before, and respectfully declined the trip. She said she understood. I thought that was the end of it until my phone rang the next evening. It was one of the other guides. He didn’t say hi, or hello, he just said, Hey ‘difficult person,’ I heard you turn down that trip I had today” I said “yeah, I turned it down but I didn’t tell them they had to call you.” Come to find out, he had the exact excruciatingly long, “Raise The Bar” experience with the father right down to the picture of the son holding a 27 or 28-inch walleye late in the trip! Oh, and guess what, he didn’t get a “tip” either.

We look back on this experience often. We laugh knowing how lucky we are to guide on a lake where 99.9% of the people you deal with are reasonably easy to please and don’t feel the need to continually “Raise the Bar!”

Membership in the Lake Vermilion Guides League

Membership in the Lake Vermilion Guides League is a huge commitment! We demand a great deal from one another on, and off the water. Each year we spend countless hours organizing and participating in what we feel are two highly worthwhile and deserving endeavors. The “Lets Take a Kid Fishing Event” and our “Military Veterans Fishing Day”.

         DNR statistics from across the country show that youth participation in fishing is at a downward trend. Even in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, fewer and fewer young people are being introduced to this awesome outdoor experience. The LVGL and other area stakeholders strive to be part of the solution by offering a summer take a kid fishing event. For many of these kids it is their only opportunity to experience the joys of fishing, and is a highly anticipated event! Our goals are to expand these experiences by becoming more involved in the classroom, and reestablishing our winter kids fishing event.  With your help we can make this happen!

     Here at the Lake Vermilion Guides League we understand that freedom isn’t free and appreciate the sacrifices the men and women of our Armed services have made for our country. Each year we host a military veterans fishing day to honor these fine individuals. A day of fishing and camaraderie is followed by an award ceremony, live music, and a tasty shore lunch. We would dearly like to be able to reach out to more and more of these most deserving military veterans.

Of course it takes funding to support these fine endeavors which has been  a continued challenge. We live in a generous but small community where funding through raffles has become increasingly more difficult. Simply put, we are having to go back to the same well, way too often. 

    As a 501–3 C nonprofit we cannot accept advertising dollars. What we can do, is recognize businesses and individuals that donate to either of our events with a partnership donation level on our webpage. The levels are based on cash and “in-kind” donations and purely volunteer. Your company logo and contact information will be displayed at your particular level and your cash donations are tax deductible. At the end of the year we will send documentation acknowledging your contribution. Please donate online or send checks to:

 

LVGL
PO Box 748
Tower, MN. 55790

On the memo portion on your check please designate between “Kid Event” “Vets Event” or “Area of Most Need”.

     The Lake Vermilion Guides League sincerely hopes that our partnership donation program allows us to continue mentor future anglers of our community and honor those military veterans that have given so much to us in the past! Please get involved today!

Thanks! Lake Vermilion Fishing Guides League.

Maturing and Growing in a Good Way

When I explored the idea of becoming a guide shortly after I retired, I asked many questions of local guides. Was their room for another guide? Was it difficult to start? Did I need a website? How much does a guide charge? One question I asked before I started was if there was some type of local guide organization. It turned out that there was not and in fact there was not a lot of interest at that time to form an organization. Well I did start to guide and enjoyed it very much. I continued to explore the idea of forming an organization for local guides. I explained how this would help all of the members by working closely with other organizations, and communities while providing additional exposure for members business. An informal meeting was held to discuss the possibilities along with pros and cons of organizing. Ultimately it was decided to move forward and establish the Lake Vermilion Guides League (LVGL).
In 2005, after drafting Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and registering with the Secretary of State and the IRS, The LVGL was officially formed as a non-profit 501-c3. The newly formed organization decided to draft and approve a Code of Ethics as a way to ensure members operate at very high standard and to give resorts and clients an assurance that the guides would be professional. Dues were established and a mission statement was put together to represent the goals and strategies of the organization.

“To foster the development and promotion of fishing and associated activities by providing the means for education, preservation and conservation of those natural resources that are important to fishing and to the enhancement of fellowship and camaraderie among fishermen”
The charter membership included 15 local guides, with each guide operating as an individual business. Meetings are conducted 6 to 8 times a year. The (LVGL) quickly aligned themselves with the Lake Vermilion Resort Association and Sportsman’s Club of Lake Vermilion. They also became members of the Cook Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Vermilion Chamber of Commerce of Tower. A website was established and the LVGL was officially up and running.
During the first year, the LVGL sponsored a winter ice fishing contest and held a rummage sale in the Tower civic center. The League members were invited to meet with the DNR to hear the latest information and provide input on certain issues.
The LVGL held its first kids ice fishing event in the winter of 2009 with about 15 in attendance. The kids had a blast and parents liked the idea of an organization working with the kids. This was the premise for what has now become a premier event on Lake Vermilion. The first “Take a Kid Fishing Day” was held in 2010 with 46 kids participating from the ages of 10 to 15. The kids were treated to a shore lunch, given hats, rod &reel, tee shirts and other prizes. The event was set up for the kids, with an emphasis on teaching them about fishing and the importance of keeping our lakes healthy. The event has grown to the maximum number of 100 kids for the past three years. Approximately 50 boat operators volunteer their time to take these kids fishing. Many co-sponsors provide prizes including Fortune Bay who provides all the fish and food for the shore lunch. It is an amazing event and the smile on the kids’ faces is a testament to its success.
Input from the LVGL, along with the Resort Association and the Sportsman’s Club was instrumental in finally getting the Federal Government to realize the lake had a Cormorant problem and for them to put together a plan for their control. The LVGL continues to discuss the issue of the west end of Vermilion vs the east end as it pertains to the walleye population. Hopefully, some major changes will take place to remedy the situation.
“From a resorts standpoint, the Lake Vermilion Guides League is an invaluable service that we can provide our guests. We, as resort owners can either book the guides we need or we can refer interested parties to the Guides League webpage for direct bookings. There are literally hundreds of years of fishing experience provided with the professionalism and dedication needed to insure our guests have a memorable adventure on Lake Vermilion. While catching fish is always the desired outcome of any resort guided fishing trip, the guides league members impart their own character, experiences and stories that enhance the vacation of our resort guests. They are truly partners with the resorts as an integral part of a visitors Lake Vermilion trip” Jay Schelde, Owner, Pike Bay Lodge
In the winter of 2013 an idea was discussed that involved taking wounded or senior veterans fishing. The consensus thought it was a good idea and an excellent way to give something back to our local veterans. A committee was formed to submit a structure for the group to vote on. With an initial donation of $2500 from the LVGL, the committee was able to raise another $4500 from businesses throughout the area. In addition, gifts valued at $2000 were donated. The event was held August 28, 2014 with 42 veterans in attendance. It started with a color guard presentation, singing of our National Anthem and an invocation. One veteran said “I was on the freedom flight and this was every bit as good if not even better” There were several WWII veterans that attended. Plans are being formed, provided enough money can be raised, for LVGL to host another such event, with hopes of establishing it as an annual event.
“I highly recommend the Guides League members to our guests. The guides are extremely knowledgeable, reliable and friendly. I am confident our guests will enjoy their fishing experience on Lake Vermilion when using the Lake Vermilion Guides League” Sally Berquist, Fortune Bay Marina
The LVGL is currently working with other people and groups in the planning of the 2015 Governors Fishing Opener. Lake Vermilion was the site of the 2005 Governors Opener which made a very large economic impact on the area. Fortunate to be selected again, much work and planning must be completed. Lake Vermilion Guides League Members have some important duties for the event. Phil Bakken is chair of the fishing host committee, Tim (Buck) Lescarbeau is chair of the Kids Fishing committee and co-chair of fishing host committee with Denny Vandelinde as co-chair of both committees.

110 fishing hosts will be needed for this event. If you would like to volunteer please contact Phil Bakken, 218-780-3385 or pbakken@frontiernet.net. More information regarding the Governors Fishing Opener can be found on www.mngovernorsfishingopener.com
“The Lake Vermilion Guides League is a very professional organization and is a pleasure to work with. We know our guests are getting the best with a Lake Vermilion Guides League member” Lori Peetsch, Ludlows Island Resort
The future looks good for Lake Vermilion and the LVGL will continue to assist in the preservation of its bountiful resources. The LVGL will continue its’ quest for a solution to the east vs west walleye disparity. It plans on working with the Resort Association and Sportsman’s club as well as area elected officials to put a plan in place that will enable the DNR to gather some beneficial data and for viable solutions.
Submitted and written by: Phil Bakken, Charter member and Secretary of Lake Vermilion Guides League

Denny’s Guide Service | Denny Van de Linde

Over the years I have belonged to many fishing organizations and I am one of the charter members of the Lake Vermilion Guides Leage.

For years I have been in many projects that were community oriented, with the conservation department and educating the young and old (something that I have a passion for and enjoy).

I have fished Lake Vermilion since I was a young man, and as a full-time guide since 2003. If you require more than my services for a large group, I will supply guides from the Lake Vermilion Guides Leage, to make sure that your visit to Lake Vermilion is more memorable. I fish all species but my main target is Walleyes.

Comfort on the water — I have a 18’6″ Tournament Pro Alumacraft boat with a 175 hp Suzuki outboard and a 9.9 hp Suzuki kicker, on the bow a Minnkota Terrova trolling motor and all Lowrance electronics. All Bait and tackle are provided. I book 4, 6, or 8 hour trips.

Phone: 218-666-2910, if I am on the water you can leave a message with my wife, Sue.

E-mail: dennysuevande@yahoo.com

Steve Amundson’s Guide Service | Steve Amundson

Steve was born and raised and still resides on the west end of Lake Vermilion. Graduate from Bemidji State University in 2007 where he studied business & finance. Steven is on the water from ice off to ice on. He is a multi species fisherman that specializes in west end walleye/muskie/northern/bass, but loves to fish all species. He enjoys taking all skill level fishermen and families out on the water. As your guide, he will help you learn the proper techniques needed to be successful while fishing the west end. Steve’s sponsors are Toothtamer Rods, Cortland Line, Drifter Tackle, Shimano, H3O Polarized, DreamCatcher Bucktails, Glittertail, Big Game Tackle, Outdoors First. 

Phone: 218-780-5941 (cell)
E-mail: jandvonvermilion@gmail.com

Sponsor: Skeeter Boats | Yamaha | Humminbird | Minnkota

Mallard’s Fishing Adventures | Matt Snyder

Welcome and thank you for visiting my page! I’m a full time professional fishing guide who lives and guides on Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota. Since 2005 I have devoted all of my time to Lake Vermilion which is a 40,000 acre fish producing powerhouse. My customers have experienced extremely high catch ratios and several world class trophy fish. I fish all of Lake Vermilion from west end to the east end and all points in-between. I guide daily from May until the lake freezes in November. I run my trips out of a 2018 Ranger 619 Fisherman Series with a full windshield. My boat is powered by a 225 Mercury Verado. I provide state of the art electronics and the knowledge to teach you how to identify fish and structure. I also provide all the fishing gear needed for your adventure. If you’re looking for walleyes, muskies, or both please contact me and let’s schedule your trip. Be sure to follow our success on the Facebook link provided below and visit my website.  I continuously update my Facebook page with current fishing reports, news and photos of recent catches.  

www.facebook.com/Mallards-Muskie-Adventures

website address https://mallardsfishingadventures.com

phone number (218) 404-9535

email mallardsmuskies@gmail.com

Trout Lake Guide Service | Lonnie Johnson

Lonnie was self employed as a milking equipment dealer in Central Minnesota.  He is a retired volunteer fire fighter and first responder.  Fishing has always been his passion.  In 2006, the family moved permanently to Lake Vermilion.  Trout Lake, located 2 miles from their home, is a scenic 7,641 acre BWCA lake.  Trout Lake, accessible through Lake Vermilion and a motorized portage, offers premier lake trout fishing. 

Lonnie specializes in down rigger fishing for lake trout with his 16 ft. fully equipped Alumacraft with a 25 hp E-Tec motor.  Fishing for walleye, bass, and northern pike is also available on beautiful Trout Lake.  All equipment and bait is provided and shore lunch is available upon request.  Camping in Trout Lake, with assistance from Lonnie, is always an option.  He can pick you up at the Moccasin Point public access.  May through October Lonnie can be found at the portage or fishing in Trout Lake.

Lonnie is past Chairman of the Lake Vermilion Guides League.  Through the USFS he has his Outfitter Guide License and is the contractor for the portage from Lake Vermilion to Trout Lake.

Phone: 218-780-3610

Email: johnsonlm22@gmail.com

FWP Guide Service | Phil Bakken

Phil Bakken, FWP Guide Service – fishin’ with Phil, has been fishing Lake Vermilion for over 40 years. Phil has been a full-time guide on the lake for 20 years. Phil is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Lake Vermilion Guides League, on the guide staff of JT custom rods, Dobyns rods in California, Lew’s pro staff and a Pure fishing pro staffer/. Phil runs a new 250 hp Yamaha SHO, a 9.9 Yamaha kicker and a Ultera bow mount trolling motor. He also has the latest Lowrance electronics. Phil fishes and guides for walleyes using the best equipment available. Phil is a great guide and enjoys the teaching aspect of guiding the most. Phil won’t guarantee catching fish but is proud to say he has never not caught fish while guiding clients. He loves the look of excitement on clients faces when they catch fish. Outgoing and as friendly as one can be and he is the adopted grandpa of several youngsters throughout Minnesota. Phil, also known as the “walleye whisperer”, says walleyes can be very challenging but he has a relationship with his quarry that accounts for his success.

Phone: 218-780-3385 (cell)
E-mail: pbakken@frontiernet.net

Vermilion Walleye Hunter Guide Service LLC | Steve Krasaway

Hunt down some fish (and fun!) with the Vermilion Walleye Hunter, Steve Krasaway!

Steve has been fishing Lake Vermilion all his life and has had a cabin on the lake for the past 25 years.  His grandpa was a local guide and some of Steve’s best times were exploring the lake with his earliest mentor and is proud to say that some of his grandpa’s top secret fishing spots were passed down to him. 

Now Steve loves being able to show people what great fishing Lake Vermilion has to offer year-round. He enjoys teaching folks to become better anglers so when they later venture out on their own they can have an enjoyable day on the water.   With 3 kids of his own, he also knows the best ways to introduce young anglers to walleye fishing.He’s a certified walleye addict, but can also track down muskies, pike and bass. As a guide, Steve provides the poles, bait, fish cleaning and an unparalleled passion for Lake Vermilion. In fact, he’s so crazy about Lake Vermilion, he named his first born child Ashley Vermilion Krasaway.

Steve has several Top 10 finishes in the Lake Vermilion City Auto Glass Walleye Classic, and is proud to take part in activities like the Governor’s Opener and Take a Vet Fishing Day. He guarantees a fun day on the water exploring Vermilion and perhaps sharing a few of his secret spots! 

Please check out his cool new website for more information and photos: www.vermilionwalleyehunter.com

Visa and Mastercard accepted

Phone:   218-213-0579
Email:  vermilionwalleyehunter@gmail.com
Website:  www.vermilionwalleyehunter.com

Cliff’s Guide Service | Cliff Wagenbach

Original charter member of the Lake Vermilion Guides League

Chairman of The Lake Vermilion Guides League
Age: 75
Married 56 years to his wife Jean. They have two sons, Cliff Jr. and Coby. 
Moved to Tower in 1957 at the age of 10 and has been an admitted walleye addict ever since he caught his first walleye that spring! Cliff has been guiding clients to walleyes on Lake Vermilion for 20 plus years. 10 of those years being part time between shifts while working 30 years for LTV Steel. He has been a full time professional guide since he retired in 2001 and now averages 100 plus trips a summer. 
Cliff’s most enjoyable part of guiding is being able to take clients of all ages out for an enjoyable day of fishing and teaching them how to catch walleyes and then seeing them at a later date and have them say that their ability to catch walleyes has been greatly improved because of their guided trip with him.

Phone: 218-753-2005
E-mail: cwagenbach@live.com
Website: www.cliffsguideservice-lakevermilion.com

Mike’s Guide Service | Mike Estrin

Vice Chairman of The Lake Vermilion Guides League

I grew up fishing on the many lakes of Minnesota and was “hooked” on this sport at an early age. In 1993 I fished Lake Vermilion for the first time, and it instantly became my lake of choice. I have had the privilege to take my wife, kids, family, friends, relatives and, now, grandkids fishing on this beautiful lake over the years. I have enjoyed participating in the City Glass Walleye Tournament for many years, placing in the top 10 several times. I specialize in walleye but also enjoy finding the many other species Vermilion has to offer. Cook, Minnesota has been my home since 2011, when I officially became a fishing guide. My goal as a guide is to teach fishing techniques and knowledge about the lake to anglers of any age which they can take with them and, of course, to land as many fish as possible and have a memorable experience on Lake Vermilion. I fish from a spacious 2017 Triton 216 Fish Hunter powered by a 350 Mercury Verado with all the latest equipment.

Phone: 218-666-6054 Cell 
E-mail: mikesguideservice79@gmail.com
Website: mikesguidefishing.com

2014 Walleye/pike fishing opener is almost here!

Well hopefully all of our fellow fishermen and fisher women have managed to survive the terrible winter and are ready to drop a line into open water!

This opener is going to duplicate last years opener so many of the tactics and spots that you were sucessful at last spring will probably be just as good this weekend.

Much of Vermilion will probably still have ice on it the first weekend sadly but there will still be plenty of smaller bays and shoreline areas that will be fishable and will hold fish. I think that the main lake will probably be ice free by sometime mid-week with any luck!

The general concensus amoung the Lake Vermilion Guides is that this will be a very good opener and that the summer walleye, bass, and pike bite will be exceptional!

The prefered fishing methods for  the opener and early cold water season for most of us will involve the use of minnows as bait. Presentations will vary for all of us though. Some prefer to use jigs/minnows, Lindys/minnows, or slip bobbers/minnows. A few will even be trolling lures such as Rapalas or spinners.

When using live bait it is always best to move as slow as possible and to keep your presentation as close as possible to the bottom.

Best depths will vary greatly. I have caught walleyes on the opener in 2 feet of water and as deep as 36 feet of water!

Good Fishing to all and please be safe on the water! Wear your life vests especially during the cold water season!

Lake Vermilion Guides League

The Guides