Minnesota · Douglas County
Vermont Lake Fishing guide
Vermont Lake covers 342 acres in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 14.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.2per gill net18"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 19 fish
2020Lengths measured · 7 fish
2014Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2008Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2004Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikePresent0.7per seine haul16"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2021Lengths measured · 68 fish
2020Lengths measured · 96 fish
2014Lengths measured · 76 fish
2008BluegillJust a few20.5per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 369 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 155 fish
2022Lengths measured · 214 fish
2021Lengths measured · 93 fish
2020Lengths measured · 517 fish
2014CrappieLast stocked 2025Just a few0.9per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 14 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2021Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2020Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Vermont Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 14.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | — | 19" |
| 2020 | 23" | 18" | 33" |
| 2014 | 21" | 16" | 31" |
| 2008 | 20" | 7" | 31" |
| 2004 | 20" | 21" | 33" |
| 1999 | — | 19" | 28" |
| 1994 | 24" | 15" | 28" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Black Crappie | 620 adults |
| 2025 | Walleye | 1,515 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,296 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,125 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 2,870 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,098 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,100 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,410 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey was conducted in spring 2022 to assess the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. This was the first targeted spring panfish survey on Lake Vermont and will be used as a baseline to evaluate the effects of the new Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI) regulation. On March 1, 2022, a special regulation was implemented that reduced the daily limit of sunfish from 20 to 10. The goal of the new regulation is to maintain or increase the average size of Bluegill. This survey also offered the opportunity to sample larger Black Crappie, which can be difficult to sample in standard summer surveys.
Lake Vermont supports a quality Bluegill and Black Crappie fishery. Survey results suggest both populations exhibited moderate abundance and good size structure. Almost 55% of Bluegill sampled exceeded 8 inches and almost 29% of Black Crappie sampled exceeded 10 inches. The largest fish measured was just over 10 inches for Bluegill and almost 12 inches for Black Crappie.
Read the full DNR narrative
Panfish anglers fishing Lake Vermont are encouraged to practice selective harvest to help sustain the quality of this fishery. Selective harvest encourages the release of larger fish while promoting harvest of more abundant smaller fish. Releasing medium to large fish will help maintain fish community balance as well as increase opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Vermont Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Vermont Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Vermont Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Vermont Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Miltona · 5,731 ac · 3 mi
- Fish Lake · 489 ac · 3.6 mi
- Lake Irene · 639 ac · 3.8 mi
- Lake Adley · 241 ac · 4.1 mi
- Indian Lake · 99 ac · 6.3 mi
- Lake Ida · 4,445 ac · 7 mi
- Block Lake · 290 ac · 7.7 mi
- Mill Pond · 54 ac · 7.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Vermont Lake?
Vermont Lake reaches 59 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 64% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Vermont Lake?
Vermont Lake covers 342 acres with about 6.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Vermont Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Vermont Lake average 14.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Vermont Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Vermont Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked black crappie and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Vermont Lake have a public access?
Yes. Vermont Lake has one public access site: Vermont Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Vermont Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Vermont Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Vermont Lake in 2022, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Vermont Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Vermont Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report