Gill Hamm Chapter Challenge

We are hosting the 2010 Gill Hamm Muskie Inc. Chapter Challenge this week. Chapters from all over the Midwest come up and compete for a ‘Cup”( Lunge Bucket). The winner of the bucket picks the lake and resort to host the following year event. Last year the Grand Rapids, Mn team won the Bucket. They picked Vermilion for the 2010 location.

The Brainerd Chapter was provided the responsibility to plan the event, develop a website and line up all the stuff to hold the event. They did an excellent job for it was reported this year’s turnout is the largest ever in the 30 years the event has been held. The official fishing portion of the event runs Wed from 6 am and runs through to Friday noon. Fishing hours are 6 am to 6 pm daily. Most the contestants came in Saturday with several others checking in Sunday and Monday. Tuesday night was registration..followed by a fish fry we provided.  The turn out was

unreal with

175 people…we had boats on every possible place we could park them..in addition we had made mooring spots out in the bay to park the extra boats we could not fit On the beach.  We estimated over 1.5 million dollars in boats and equipment just on our docks..lots of dedicated musky fisherman. In addition to the fishing..the chapters have gotten together each night playing horseshoes, a lure swap and simply mixing it up with musky fisherman around the midwest that all enjoy the sport.

 

Wednesday’s weather consisted of strong nw winds most of the day….18 fish were caught with the Star of North Chapter ( Grand Rapids) taking the lead catching 12 of the 18 fish ..with two over 50 inches ( 54 ¼ and 52 inch).Today weather is clear…a lot of boats headed out very early to make sure  they were on their targeted spots by 6 am…

Summer updates/fish/news

August 5, 2010

 News

The new cabin was completed and ready for guests by July 24^th…it took some long days and lots of hard work..everyone thought we were crazy to think it would ready by July..but it all came together..thanks to hard work of the Construction Crew and VDL Staff all of which were all still working at midnight July 23^rd to get it ready….still a few outside items to complete..but the cabin is ready and rented most of August.

Wedding at VDL….Michelle and Dave Boger from Redoneo CA, were married in Gazebo next to the Dam on July 18^th. Dave’s parents came over from Belgium for the wedding and spent two weeks at the resort. They had a good day for weather for their Ceremony and celebration…congratulations..to Michelle and Dave. .

 Fishing

Fishing in June and July was average this year…walleyes never really got hot ..not for lack of fish but the lake’s food sources are up ( lots of perch, bug hatches,crayfish).  Many trophy sized walleyes in July. Largest walleye out of the resort was 28.5 incher.

Many guests are reporting catching and seeing lots of crayfish and huge schools of small perch. The crayfish are not the rusty type found on the east end..but the native crayfish green/brown in color. Bass, Pike and Walleyes will feed on them. In addition,over the last two weeks guests have reported catching walleyes over rock piles and points with rocky shorelines ..areas that would normally be good smallmouth spots due to crayfish.( Normally the sand flats and weedline areas would be key Areas to fish this time of the year).  Bass fishing all summer has been consistent…lots of  largemouth 3-4 lbs. Rubber type weedless baits like frogs have been hot ..given the weeds are up this year due to the early spring. Many pike over 30 inches this summer. Musky fishing has been picking up ..hottest week for the resort was July10-17^th..Greg Hill, his dad and brother caught 10 muskies for the week including A 49 incher… second year in a row the Hills have come up and did great on the musky…they put their time in on the water and it shows.. Also the same week Joe Heil fishing the west end of the lake for the first time caught a 49.5 incher. This week a 57 incher was caught and released on the far west end of the lake. This week walleye fishing has really improved..last week took out my 10 year-old  niece trolling crankbaits…she caught her first walleye..27 inches. We were running #7 Shad raps…running several colors..the Perch color ending up catching 5 fish that night.  Guests this week are catching Walleye in 12-15 ft of water on night crawlers. Bass fishing on top of the dam has been excellent this summer…bass seem to bunch up in the rocks/current in front of the dam and  have stayed there most of the summer. The water level has remained stable  all summer due to the amounts of rain..water is crashing over the dam like it would in Spring.  Below is information off our ‘Bragging Board’ keep in mind this does not include all the fish caught at the resort..just a sample. :

 

Name/city/state	Date	Kept/Released	Species and size	Lure	Comments
Kate Fielitz Morristown, MN	6-6-10	Released	24 & 29 in Northern	Senko Blue	Still Shaking
Sarah Fielitsz Morristown, MN	6-6-10	Released	19” Large Mouth	Senko Natural	Couldn’t wait to tell mom =)
Sarah Carlson San Marcos, CA	6-6-10	Released	37” Northern	Silver Spoon	1st trip to MN and 1st day of trip= First fish!
Braden Arledge Hubbard, TX	6-7-10	Released	19” Small Mouth	Crank Bait
Nathan Dry Angier, NC	6-7-10	Released	28” and 32” Northern	Broke-Back Rebel	GREAT! Fun!
Joe Janz Beecher, IL	6-7-10	Released	28 ½“ walleye	Chart Jig
Dr. H	6-13-10	Released	20-25” Walleye	Big Minnows
Buffy Milner Morris, IL	6-15-10	Released	37” Northern		Fraizer Bay
Joe Fay Chicago, IL	6-17-10	Eaten	4 lbs Large Mouth	Jig and leech
Travis Hilstad Owatonna, MN	6-18-10	Released	26 ½“ Walleye	Jig and Leech
Drew Cook Athens, TX	6-20-10	Kept	4lbs Bass	Leech	It was fun.
Abigail Bartlett Shakopee, MN	6-21-10	Released	9” Sunny	Wax Worm	It was cool!!
Tim Severson Hayfield, MN	6-22-10	Released	28” Walleye	Lindy Rig and Crawler
Jimmy Lamontagna	6-24-10	Released	4 lbs Large Mouth Bass	Night Crawler	Very Happy!! Thanks Ed!
D.A. Trudeau Lino Lakes, MN	6-23-10	Released	29” Northern	Leech	Leech Biggest Fish So Far!
Shawn Barzloh Shakopee, MN	6-25-10	Released	24” Walleye (2.9 LBS)	Spinner
Abby Wenzel Mcherry, IL	6-25-10	Released	8” Blue Gill	Worm	Fun!
Chris Turner L.U. 597	6-24-10	Released	21” Large Mouth, 6 ½ lbs	Pink Crank Bait	Living the Dream
Rudy Diaz597 Baby!	6-24-10	Released	30” Northern	Lil Joe (Silver)	Awesome!!!
Catrina Sucata Bartlett, IL	6-28-10	Released	28” Northern	Leech	Fantastic!
Brittany Langton   Carol Stream, IL	6-28-10	Released	26” Northern Pike	Leech	Amazing!! Still shaking!
Brittany Langton               Carol Stream, IL	6-29-10	Released	26” Northern Pike	Worm	Surprised!! =)
Nick Harden Ottawa, IL	6-29-10	Released	32” Northern Pike	White Spinner	Hit it right at the boat! Kind of small.
Chris Turner L.U. 597	6-24-10	Released	21” Large Mouth, 6 ½ lbs	Pink Crank Bait	Living the Dream
Rudy Diaz597 Baby!	6-24-10	Released	30” Northern	Lil Joe (Silver)	Awesome!!!
Catrina Sucata Bartlett, IL	6-28-10	Released	28” Northern	Leech	Fantastic!
Brittany Langton   Carol Stream, IL	6-28-10	Released	26” Northern Pike	Leech	Amazing!! Still shaking!
Brittany Langton               Carol Stream, IL	6-29-10	Released	26” Northern Pike	Worm	Surprised!! =)
Nick Harden Ottawa, IL	6-29-10	Released	32” Northern Pike	White Spinner	Hit it right at the boat! Kind of small.

Cathy Sucata Bartlett, IL	6-29-10	Released	15” Small Mouth	Leech	Awesome! Go Cubs!
Garret Gebrar   Park Ridge, IL	6-30-10	Released	22” Pike	Lure	Yeah! Go Cubs!
Ethan Kibbe Brazil, IN	7-6-10	Released	2lb Large Mouth	Crawdad	Age 8
Tim Kibbe  Brazil, IN	6-5-10	Kept	5lb Largemouth	6” worm, Texas style
Greg Hill, NE	7-10-10	Released	38” Muskie	Topwater	Night
Ryan Hill Omaha, NE	7-10-2010	Released	49” Muskie	Bucktail	Night—First one!!
Greg Hill, NE	7-11-10	Released	38½” Muskie	Jerkbait	Day
Marianne Kyler Homer Glen, IL	7-11-10	Released	24” Northern	Fake Leech	My 1st big fish!!
Marissa Ekness	7-11-10	Released	21”  Walleye	Lindy Rig
Ryan Hill Omaha, NE	7-11-10	Released	43” Muskie	Topwater
Ryan Hill Omaha, NE	7-11-10	Released	43½” Muskie	Topwater
Greg Hill, NE	7-11-10	Released	28” Muskie	Jerkbait
Gene Ekness and Maddie Young Farmington, MN	7-11-10	Released	22” Walleye	Leech
Tylee Ekness Webster, MN	7-12-10	Released	30” Northern	Shad Rap
Ryan Hill Omaha, NE	7-12-10	Released	44” Muskie	Topwater	Night Bite
Greg Hill, NE	7-12-10	Released	34” Northern	Trolling
Joe HeilEau Claire, WI	7-13-10	Released	49½” Muskie	Casting Tepunta	A Heg
Kevin Tarczon Wheaton, IL	7-13-10	Released	19½” walleye	Worm	First walleye!
Brian Eckness Farmington, MN	7-13-10	Released	35” Northern	Magnum Shad Rap
Ryan Hill	7-14-10	Released	33” Northern	Bucktail
Greg Hill 7-14-10	7-14-10	Released	38” Northern	Jerk bait
Collin Tarczon Wheaton, IL	7-14-10	Released	3.5 LBS Large Mouth Bass	Leech	It was really heavy!
Ryan Hill	7-16-10	Released	37” Muskie	Bucktail
Greg Hill	7-16-10	Released	45” Muskie	Bucktail
Nanci Libor Elk River, MN	7-16-10	Released	30” Northern	Lindy Rig
Greg Hill	7-16-10	Released	43” Muskie	Bucktail	10 Fish Week!
Shera Collins Camdenton, MO	7-21-10	Released	4 Walleye 20-23”	Leech
Steve Olson Sun Prairie, WI	7-21-10	Released	Large Mouth Badd 3.6lbs	Senko
Lewis Remund North Mankato, MN	7-22-10	Released	Northern 34” 11.5lbs	Crank Bait
Lewis Remund, North Mankato, MN	7-22-10	Released	Small Mouth Bass 3.5lbs	Crank Bait
Heather Lesch Age 10	7-23-10	Released	27 inch walleye	Perch Crank Bait	Fishing with Uncle
Carley Tausk Age 9	7-23-10	Released	21” Walleye	Perch Crank bait	Fishing with Dad
Nick Collins Camdaton, MO	7-18-10	Released	4lb Large mouth Bass	4” brown tube
Nick Collins Camdaton, MO	7-23-10	Released	4lb Large Mouth Bass	Spinner Bait
Nick Collonins, Camdaton, MO	7-23-10	Released	3×22” Wallete	Lindy Rig Leech
Janna Collins Bethany, IL	7-23-10	Released	23” Walleye	Lindy
Nick Collins Camdenton, MO	7-24-10	Released	25½ walleye	Lindy
Bill Provax Gilbert, AZ	7-24-10	Released	41” Musky	Shiny one with hooks

 

Other Resort News

 

The new cabin was completed and ready for guests by July 24^th…it took some long days

And lots of hard work..everyone thought we were crazy to think it would ready by July..but it all came together..thanks to hard work of the Construction Crew and VDL