Fishing

The Vermillion River, its tributaries, and its watershed lakes and ponds are well-known for their trout fishing opportunities. They also contain northern pike, sunfish, walleye, and other game and rough fish species.

Most known is the river’s self-sustaining brown trout population. While brown trout have been found in much of the watershed, some portions of the river and tributaries have conditions more favorable to brown trout than other reaches. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has designated these portions as trout streams.

The trout stream portion of the main stem and starts above Cedar Avenue at Highview Avenue in Lakeville and ends just east of the U.S. Highway 52 bridge. The DNR usually stocks the river with rainbow trout for the annual stream trout fishing season, which you can keep if you catch them.

Brook trout (“brookies”) are the native stream trout species to Minnesota. They are more sensitive to stressors in their habitat than brown trout. Thanks to restoration efforts by the VRWJPO and partners, in May 2024, the DNR was able to stock Minnesota Driftless brookies in Vermillion trout stream reaches. The goal is building a self-sustaining population.

Trout fishing regulations on the Vermillion River allow the opportunity to harvest stocked rainbow trout while further protecting the naturally-reproducing population of brown trout. The VRWJPO and DNR have captured brown trout averaging nine inches long and rainbow trout averaging 12 inches long in surveys.

The DNR is the official authority on fishing regulations.

We want your fishing trip to be successful. Learn the basic equipment you need, how to tell the difference between rainbow trout (catch and keep) and brown trout (catch and release), and more to get started on a new hobby or renew your interest in fishing.