West Vermilion Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota39,272 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for West Vermilion Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- spiny waterflea
- 76 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
West Vermilion Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 39272.25 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at West Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of West Vermilion Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
West Vermilion Lake is a 39,272-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 76 feet. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What West Vermilion Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 30
- Deep water76 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water39,272 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether West Vermilion Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for West Vermilion Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for West Vermilion Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about West Vermilion Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for West Vermilion Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (432,514 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at West Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Vermilion Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
42 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-01 (Standard Survey).
42 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 42.97 | 4–25 in 2025-06-01 | 1.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.64 | 5–12 in 2025-06-01 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.74 | 5–8 in 2025-06-01 | 0.18 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 11.50 | 2–17 in 2025-06-01 | 0.9 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 10.99 | 7–16 in 2025-06-01 | 0.81 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2025-06-01 survey
Management Summary Lake Vermilion is managed to support a high-quality, multi-species fishery driven largely by strong natural reproduction for most species. The lake is intensively monitored and managed by the Minnesota DNR through long-term annual surveys, periodic creel surveys, stocking programs for Walleye and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Vermilion Lake. 7 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VermilionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1654)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1655)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1656)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermilion (1969)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VermilionFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VermilionPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
76 ft
Surface area
39,272 acres
Shoreline
341.5 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Polley RoadPublic
- Norwegian BayPublic
- Pederson Landing (Wakemup Bay)Public
- Head O' Lakes ResortPublic
- Oak Narrows (Timbuktu Marina)Public
- Life of Riley ResortSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near West Vermilion Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Vermilion Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near West Vermilion Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at West Vermilion Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Vermilion Lake
- → West Vermilion Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → West Vermilion Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → West Vermilion Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from West Vermilion Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 30
Earliest Mar 28, 2012 · Latest May 23, 1950
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 6, 1991 · Latest Dec 13, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 13
2024
317 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about West Vermilion Lake
Where is West Vermilion Lake?
- West Vermilion Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of West Vermilion Lake?
- West Vermilion Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 39272.25 acres.
Is West Vermilion Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is West Vermilion Lake?
- West Vermilion Lake has a maximum depth of 76 feet. The lake covers 39272.25 acres.
What fish are in West Vermilion Lake?
- Fish species found in West Vermilion Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. West Vermilion Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at West Vermilion Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 1, 2025 caught 18.70 walleye per gill net at West Vermilion Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Vermilion Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does West Vermilion Lake thaw?
- West Vermilion Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 30. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Does West Vermilion Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for West Vermilion Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (432,514 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on West Vermilion Lake?
- West Vermilion Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Polley Road, Norwegian Bay, Pederson Landing (Wakemup Bay), Head O' Lakes Resort, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at West Vermilion Lake?
- West Vermilion Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore West Vermilion Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
107 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA107 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate