Everett Bay Lodge
Tower
From $204–$917 / night · year not stated
Lake Vermilion covers 39,271 acres in St. Louis County, runs about 37 miles end to end and has 365 islands, according to the DNR. Tower and Soudan sit at the east end and Cook at the west, and family cabin resorts line the bays between them.
Most guides here fish for walleye first. Several also run muskie trips, and one FishingBooker captain fishes only for bass. A Lake Vermilion Guides League publishes suggested rates for its members.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Pick the east end to be near Tower, Soudan and most guides, or the west end near Cook.
12 places to stay
East end: Tower & Soudan
Resorts on Pike Bay, Frazer Bay, Hoodoo Point and the east basin, close to Tower, Soudan and the state park. Most of the lake's guides launch from this end.
Forest Lane Resort
Tower
From $100–$205 / night · year not stated
Glenmore Resort
Tower
From $190–$380 / night · year not stated
Gruben's Marina & Resort
Tower
Call for current rates
Hoodoo Point Campground
Tower
Call for current rates
Marjo Motel
Tower
From $99 / night · year not stated
McKinley Park Campground
Soudan
From $35–$55 / night · 2025
Pike Bay Lodge
Tower
Call for current rates
Pine Trees Resort
Tower
From $250–$460 / night · year not stated
Shamrock Landing and Marina
Tower
Call for current rates
Trancheff's Cabins
Tower
Call for current rates
Vermilion Park Inn
Soudan
Call for current rates
14 places to stay
West end: Cook
Resorts on Wakemup Bay, Black Bay, Big Bay and the west basin, reached from Cook. Several are open year-round.
Head O'Lake Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
Life of Riley Resort
Buyck
Call for current rates
Ludlow's Island Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
Muskego Point Resort
Cook
From $2,250–$3,500 / week · 2027
Pehrson Lodge Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
Polley's Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
Retreat Lodge
Cook
From $170–$340 / night · year not stated
Spring Bay Resort
Cook
From $990–$5,095 · year not stated
Timbuktu Marina & Cabins
Cook
Call for current rates
Vermilion Dam Lodge
Orr
Call for current rates
Vermilion Sunsets RV Park
Cook
Call for current rates
Voyageur Cove Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
Whispering Winds Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
White Eagle Resort
Cook
Call for current rates
1 place to stay
Houseboats
One company rents houseboats on the lake, with a three-night minimum.
Lake Vermilion Houseboats & Snowmobile Rentals
Tower
Call for current rates
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $550–$900 | $650 | $375–$495 | $450 | 5 |
| Guide boat, up to 3–4 anglers | $800 | $800 | $475 | $475 | 1 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al's Vermilion Fishing | $800 | $475 | Guide boat, up to 3–4 | walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, panfish, northern pike, muskie |
| Amundson Guide Service (Spring Bay Resort)Cook | $595 | $495 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, muskie, northern pike, crappie, perch |
| Ashburn Guide Service, LLC | Call | – | walleye | |
| Casey's Guide Service - Lake VermilionSoudan | Call | – | walleye, muskie, smallmouth bass | |
| Cliff's Guide ServiceTower | Call | – | walleye, northern pike, muskie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, perch, sunfish | |
| Denny's Guide Service | Call | – | walleye | |
| Doug Knoer (Lake Vermilion Guide Service)Cook | Call | – | walleye, northern pike, muskie, bass, crappie | |
| Fishing with Z Guide Service | $900 | $450 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, perch, burbot |
| Forever Phishing Lake VermilionTower | $800 | $400 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass |
| Golden Light Guide Service | Call | – | walleye | |
| Mike's Guide ServiceCook | $650 | $450 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, crappie, perch |
| Patriot Guide Service of Lake Vermilion | $475 | – | walleye, crappie, perch | |
| Sunset Glow Guide ServiceTower | $550 | $375 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, muskie, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, perch |
| Swenson's Guide Service | Call | – | muskie, walleye, northern pike | |
| Vermilion Walleye Hunter Guide Service LLC | Call | $450 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, crappie, perch, tullibee |
III. Hard water
Ice fishing: day houses and sleepers
Few places publish winter services. Fishing with Z rents day houses and sleepers, and Gruben's lists hub houses, so call ahead.
| Outfitter | Day house | Sleeper | How you get out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing with Z Guide Service | $225/day, max 3 people (year not stated) | Ice Castle: $325/night weekends (2-night min, 3 on holiday weekends), $275/night weekdays (year not stated) | plowed road |
| Gruben's Marina & ResortTower | Hub house packages, 2022 listing: $50/day (2-3 people, self setup); $100/day (2-3, full setup); $75/day (3-4, self setup); $100/day (3-4, full setup) | – |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 9, 2026Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons open.
- May – early OctoberMost cabin resorts are open. Forest Lane, Gruben's, Pike Bay Lodge, White Eagle, Polley's and Spring Bay list year-round stays.
- June 6 – November 30Muskie season (1 fish, 54-inch minimum).
- February 28, 2027Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons close.
- March 1 – May 8Bass are catch-and-release only.
- March 15, 2027Every fish house must be off the ice by midnight.
Fishing dates are from the DNR's 2026 regulations; resort seasons from the resorts' own pages.
V. Field notes
Islands and the state park
- Of the lake's 365 islands, 86 are public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, about 12 acres combined.
- Lake Vermilion–Soudan Underground Mine State Park sits on the lake at Soudan, with electric campsites, camper cabins and boat-in sites.
- Underground mine tours resumed in 2026 after flood damage closed them in 2024. Check the park's page for this year's tour dates.
VI. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027)
- Walleye and sauger season: May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027.
- Walleye and sauger: 6 combined, no more than 4 of them walleye. Walleye from 20 through 26 inches go back immediately. You can keep one walleye over 26 inches.
- Northern pike (Northeast Zone): May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. 2 in possession; release every pike from 30 through 40 inches; one over 40 inches allowed.
- Smallmouth and largemouth bass: catch-and-release only from March 1 to May 8, then 6 combined from May 9, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
- Muskie: June 6 – November 30, 1 fish, 54-inch minimum.
- Crappie 10, sunfish 20, perch 20 a day and 40 in possession, open all year.
- Fish houses must be off the ice by midnight on March 15, 2027.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (inland seasons, Northeast Zone, and the Vermilion Lake special regulation). Rules change each March; check before you fish.
VII. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost on Lake Vermilion?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $550–$900 for a full day. A guide boat for up to 3–4 anglers runs $800–$800 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
What's the walleye limit on Lake Vermilion?
6 walleye and sauger combined, no more than 4 of them walleye. Release every walleye from 20 through 26 inches; you can keep one over 26 inches (2026–27 DNR rules).
What does a fishing guide cost on Lake Vermilion?
Published 4-hour walleye trips for two run $450–$495, and 8-hour trips $650–$900. The Guides League suggests $475–$600 for a full day for one or two people.
Is Lake Vermilion good for muskie?
Several guides run muskie trips here. Fishing with Z publishes 2026 muskie rates of $500 for 4 hours for two anglers, June 25 to October 20.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: -mypubliclandsroadtrip 2016- Beat the Heat, Vermilion Lake (28219023443), mypubliclands, Public domain; MN Tower 180720094969vermillion lake, Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0; Lake Vermilion, Northern Minnesota - Rocky Lakeshore (42526418491), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0.
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