LAKE VERMILION STATUS REPORT SUMMARY
CHANNEL CATFISH: Channel catfish fishing continues to be good at this lake. The fish population is self sustaining. Good number of catfish ranging in size from 4 to 6 pounds are caught each year. The majority of channel catfish caught are between 13 and 22 inches. Lake Vermilion has a two pole and line fishing only regulation. Trot lines and jug fishing allowed north of Boiling Springs Road.
LARGEMOUTH BASS: LAKE VERMILION The largemouth bass population continues to be good and should continue to get better, especially with the cooperative stocking program between the Vermilion County Conservation District, Consumer Illinois Water Company and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The total number of bass collected per hour was 41 in 2001 and 54 in 2003. This was a large decrease from the catch rate of 116 per hour in 1998, but the catch rate is still consider good. Approximately 14% of the bass collected were stocked fish. Each year the lake is stocked with 2,400 8 inch bass that are marked and 18,000 4 inch bass that are not marked. If the 4 inch bass were marked, the percent of stocked fish captured would increase.
The size structure of the bass population also looks good with 47% being over 12 inches in length and 24% over 15 inches (based on bass collected that were 8 inches and larger). Lake Vermilion has a good number of large bass in the population and with the help of the stocking program bass fishing should be good. The bass regulation on Lake Vermilion is a 15" minimum length limit with a 6 fish daily creel limit. Lake Vermilion has one boat ramp and charges a fee to launch a boat.
