Hotspotoutdoors

Large and small suckers are sold in bait shops so I would presume that they would be legal for bait. Suckeres are also used as cut bait for lakers.

I've talked to locals up there, and they have come right out and told me they kill ever single musky they catch up there. A lot of them don't want them up there. That's sad. One of the times I was up there, there was a great big one floating dead along the shore.

That's ridiculous - the kind of money that fishing - all of it for any and all species - is the backbone of their economy. May as well shoot themselves in the other foot at the same time - kill the deer because they infect the moose with brain worms.

Whatever...locals always know best, no?!?

I think suckers are only considered gamefish in nebraska

I like muskies. I don't fish for them, but they sure are fun to catch while fishing for bass. Also neat to see them sunning themselves in the shallows. So I am A-ok with the DNR stocking them and expanding their range (where appropiate of course).

Unfortunately there's always going to be "amateur biologists" that think they know what's best for the lake. Over the years I've talked to several lakeshore residents, weekend warriors, and resort owners that say they kill all the bass they catch to "protect" the walleyes. It's ashame some people think that way

To twist a phrase: Those who can, do. Those who can't, blame it on Muskies.

You may talk to different people than I do, but I fish Vermillion frequently and know quite a few locals and cabin owners. I have never heard of anyone killing a Musky for the purpose of liquidating them from the lake. I've seen several musky caught by the walleye fisherman and they are always promptly returned to the lake. Most of the musky that you see dead are the ones that were mortally injured by a legal catch and possibly hooked in the gills or poor handling by the fisherman.

IMO it would take one big population of Musky to eat through all the walleyes, crappies, northern, perch and rough fish swimming around in Island Lake to make much of a difference in an anglers catch rate.

Entirely agree with you, DownDeep.

Back on topic here. A fishing report for Island Lake.
We had our walleye league on Island last night and out of all the boats only 7 or 8 guys caught walleyes over 14". These are all guys who know their stuff and many fish Island Lake several times a summer and have been fishing it for years.
We trolled cranks almost all night and the biggest we could get was 16 5/8" and a bunch of dinks. We live bait rigged a bit and got a few more dinks. Lots of guys said they didnt see any over 12".
So does Island Lake have some big eyes? Yes of course there are a few. Is it a trophy walleye lake in the makings? No way!
Does the DNR need to take a look at Island Lake and see why the number of very small walleyes highly out weighs the average to large walleyes for many years now? FOR SURE!
Out of all the other lakes in the system Island probably has the poorest chance at a nice walleye in the 18" and up class in my opinion and its the biggest. Im a firm believer something needs to be done. This has been going on for years and years.

Anyone ever think that it's a genetic thing. Maybe Island lake walleyes are just the shoepack muskies of the walleye world.

I have thought about something in that manner but Island is the same system as the other resevoir lakes and they all put out nice walleyes. Heck Fish, Rice, Pike are all puting out eyes over 25" this week. I cant say that for Island.
I know part of it is Island Lake has SO much structure to fish that you really have to break it down bit by bit structure by structure and that takes a lot of time. Many people just dont have the time or want to take trhe time to learn the lake that well.

I spent most of the day on Island today and have come up with the answer. It's not the fisherman it's the fish. Their inbred and just to darn stupid to know when to bite. On a side note. The scenery today, what with the holiday and nice weather and all was exquisite. I've never seen so many bikinis in one spot in my life. Almost forgot to fish.

Maybe the walleyes are mezmerized too???

Went out last night and caught a bunch of dinks with a couple keepers. Went out this morning and found a limit of fish all were between 15-21 in. No dinks(less than 14in.), someone else gave this advice: if you find dinks, move!!

Northlander is right when he said that there is soo much structure it all comes down to putting alot of time into fishing this lake.

If you break up island lake into different basins and treat those as separate lakes, you will start finding fish on island lake. Also, for some reason island lake walleyes are very finincky so bring all types of baits and lures and don't stop switching untill one produces, but remember to give each one a significant amount of time in the water working it thoroughly...

Muskies and anglers: please eat the 10-14in. walleyes before you eat 16-18in. If I catch some decent fish, I still keep those dinks to help thin the competition for walleye forage so the stunted walleye genes can be weened out. It is genetic but there are a decent population of decent fish in the lake which means that we need to weed out the slower growing fish (the dinks) and keep the gene pool decent. This is exactly why I said to break each basin down and treat it like it's own lake. There are parts of Island lake that consistently produce nice fish every year, its just that for every one of these areas there's twelve areas that host the dinks.

Just my opinion...
(sorry for spelling and grammar i'm in a hurry)

i saw quite a few bathing bronzing beauties on a few lakes on the 4th.

I may be an old married guy but...Lawd have mercy

fishinfey8,

Can you throw us a bone here? :-) depths? what their biting on? technique? trolling/still fishing?

fatter I fish with jigs, crawler harnesses, rapalas and slip bobbers anywhere from 3-21fow. Depends on time of year, water temp, and lake levels. There have been several good bones thrown throughout this thread. I have given more info on how I prefer to fish over the past yr. or two on this site. It has taken me years to figure out the little I know on island lake so I don't want to give too much info but like I said for every one decent spot there is a dozen or more spots with dinks only.

Fishing this summer has been productive on rainy days during afternoons into evenings, as well as calm, cloudy humid days(which we haven't had many of). During the bright sunny days fishing is a little harder, but with a good W wind, can be productive also. If it is a still sunny day try to get out early and late, or fish deep during the mid-day heat.

thanks fey8,

I've fished Island every opener/spring for the first month or so since 1991, then the fish disperse from from their spring haunts so I migrate to other lakes. You're right on about being such a huge lake with so much structure, they become hard to find. I've only fished the west basin all these years as my dad lives on the west basin so makes it easy to just leave my little boat on shore, run up there and be fishing in just minutes.

Fatter1...wanna go muskie fishing? I'll show you where the walleyes are then...the walleyes follow those stupid muskies for some reason:}

I'll show you what i mean tonight.

Hey Bob!!
Sure I'd love to get out in the boat with ya again, I'll walleye fish while you fish for those stupid toothy critters :P

Give me a call next time you go, I don't have any more honey-do's this summer...that I know of yet :-(