Vermillion Lake

How big is Vermillion Lake?

How deep is Vermillion Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Vermillion Lake?

What are the closest cities to Vermillion Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Vermillion Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Vermillion Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Vermillion Lake

Are there boat launches on Vermillion Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Vermillion Lake?

What are the fishing regulations for Vermillion Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Vermillion Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?

A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Vermillion Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff on 18 July 2023. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sites with five sites sampled from the boat. A 50-foot seine was used to sample three sites, a 15-foot seine was used at three sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at four sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 16 native species of fish including four species that are intolerant of disturbance (Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Least Darter) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.

The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a June 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.

Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Vermillion Lake on July 18, 2023, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 41 survey sites evenly spaced every 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 75.4 (?3.7) out of 100 possible. A score of 75.4 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Moderate (70-80). Approximately 51 percent of the sites were developed with a mean score of 61.1 (?5.6) indicating shoreline habitat quality of developed sites is Poor (50-66), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 90.3 (?1.7) with High (85-92) habitat quality.

Data from this survey indicates an exceptional fish community is present in Vermillion Lake and it is in good health as indicated by an FIBI score well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous survey findings, which indicated that Vermillion Lake is fully supporting for aquatic life use based on the Fish IBI. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to Mississippi River - Headwaters Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Vermillion Lake?

Are there any state parks near Vermillion Lake?