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26 km of the Vermillion River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 24 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Vermillion River maps at 12,842 acres behind 66.4 miles of shoreline. A development index of 4.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 97% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 9.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.4 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Rebecca, is 3 mi to the northwest.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 24 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 24 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 13 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & night | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: sauger sit in 4 to 18 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 9.4), a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for white bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 9.4) (3 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring smallmouth bass on Vermillion River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 7 to 24 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 24 ft. Put Current seam (mile 9.4) first on the milk run — a current seam near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 9.4) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring northern pike on Vermillion River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Current seam (mile 2.3) first on the milk run — a current seam near 16 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 2.3) (16 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 7 to 24 ft game here, winter a 7 to 24 ft one. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 13 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.7) (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (13 ft) |
Vermillion River also holds flathead catfish (6 to 24 ft in summer), freshwater drum (6 to 24 ft in summer), crappie (7 to 24 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Vermillion River carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Current seam (mile 2.3), about 16 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Vermillion River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Vermillion River is about 24 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, sauger, white bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, crappie, bluegill, common carp on Vermillion River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Vermillion River is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Rebecca 3 mi, MN · Mississippi River Pool 3 (Hastings to Red Wing) 5 mi · Unnamed 7 mi, MN · Mississippi River - Spring 7 mi, MN · Vermillion River - Clear 8 mi, MN · U.S. Lock & Dam #3 8 mi, MN · Mississippi River - Goose 12 mi, MN · St. Croix River 13 mi, MN · Mississippi River Pool 2 (Hastings) 13 mi, MN · Unnamed (Bohrer Pond) 14 mi, MN · Colby 14 mi, MN · St. Croix River 14 mi, WI/MN
See how Vermillion River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best white bass lakes in Minnesota · best sauger lakes in Minnesota
Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.