Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 25, 2011
Little Vermilion Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Vermilion Lake average 21.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 25, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–25 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Little Vermilion Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 10.0 feet of visibility. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Little Vermilion Lake
2 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Little Vermilion Lake
No stocking record for Little Vermilion Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Vermilion Lake average 21.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 25, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Little Vermilion Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-07-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 45.50 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 21.42 | 1.85 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2011-07-25 survey
Catches from this survey of Dovre lake show high numbers of both northern pike and yellow perch. The catch rate for both species was higher in this sample than from all other previous surveys. Although numerous, the pike in Dover lake aren't growing to larger sizes. Northern pike average 18.9" long with the largest…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Vermilion Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DovreFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Vermilion Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Vermilion Lake average 21.42 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 25, 2011. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–25 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 2 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Little Vermilion Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Vermilion Lake is dated July 25, 2011. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Little Vermilion Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little Vermilion Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Little Vermilion Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Little Vermilion Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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